Indoor vs. Outdoor Hot Tub

Among the many decisions you have to make when choosing a hot tub is whether to place it indoors or outdoors. A lot of would-be hot tub owners think this is a pretty easy decision and purely one of personal preference. However, it's easy to overlook considerations that could impact heavily on your choice of where to place that new spa.

Frequency of Use

A big consideration is how often you plan to use your hot tub. If you suspect it will be frequent (daily or every other day), an indoor spa may be the better choice. An outdoor hot tub puts you out in the weather, of course, so it tends to be problematic if you're the sort of person who likes to stick to a regular schedule. As we all know, Mother Nature keeps her own counsel! An indoor hot tub eliminates this variable completely.

Structural Alterations

An outdoor hot tub is obviously open to the air. The only alterations to your existing property will be digging a hole for a permanent in-ground spa and, possibly, the addition of electrical power sources nearby.

The situation is vastly more complicated with indoor hot tubs. Spas put out a lot of humidity and heat. You'll need a room that has special ventilation to dissipate that heat and humidity to avoid damaging the walls, flooring, ceiling, and furniture. An indoor spa may also require structural support beyond what already exists. A full hot tub can weigh in excess of 2½ tons, after all. These added costs can quickly push your final price tag to a stomach-churning height.

Finally, people exiting an indoor hot tub may not always be conscientious about drying off thoroughly before traipsing through the rest of your house (kids are notorious culprits here). With an outdoor hot tub, this is much more easily controlled, and mistakes are not nearly as apt to wreak havoc inside your home.

Maintenance