Thinking about buying a swim spa?
A swim spa can completely change the way you use your backyard. It can give you a place to exercise, relax, spend time with family, enjoy hydrotherapy and even have a pool-like experience well beyond the traditional summer swimming season.
But a swim spa is also a significant purchase, and choosing the right one involves more than comparing prices and specifications online.
Here are five of the biggest mistakes we see people make when buying a swim spa — plus one additional consideration that can make a major difference throughout your ownership experience.
Price matters. A swim spa is a major investment, and naturally you want to understand what you’re spending.
The mistake is assuming that two similarly sized swim spas are essentially the same because they look alike online.
They may be very different when you start comparing things like:
Instead of asking only, “How much does it cost?” a better question is:
What am I actually getting for my money?
A lower purchase price does not necessarily mean a better long-term value. Look at the complete ownership experience, including comfort, performance, efficiency, warranty and dealer support.
One of the first questions many shoppers ask is:
“What size swim spa should I get?”
Or:
“Which model is the best?”
Those questions are important, but there is a better place to start.
Ask yourself what you actually picture yourself doing in the swim spa.
Will you use it primarily for swimming and exercise?
Will your kids use it as a backyard pool?
Do you plan to entertain friends and family?
Are you looking for hydrotherapy?
Or do you really want a very large hot tub that you can enjoy throughout the year?
For many families, the answer is some combination of all of those.
There is no single “best swim spa” for everyone. The best swim spa is the one that fits the way you and your family are actually going to use it.
The name “swim spa” sometimes makes people assume these products are primarily designed for serious swimmers.
They aren’t.
For many of our customers, swimming isn’t even the main reason they buy one.
They want a year-round backyard pool.
They want somewhere for the kids to play.
They want a little exercise.
They want hydrotherapy.
They want a place to relax together.
Think of a swim spa as a combination of a backyard pool and a huge hot tub.
You can keep the water cooler when you want more of a pool experience, then increase the temperature when you want to relax in warm water during colder weather.
And yes, if you want to swim against the current for exercise, you can do that too.
The versatility is one of the biggest reasons people choose swim spas.
Would you buy a car without taking it for a test drive?
Buying a swim spa shouldn’t be much different.
You can spend hours online comparing:
But specifications cannot tell you what the swim spa actually feels like.
How does the current feel?
Are the seats comfortable?
Is the depth right for you?
How do the hydrotherapy jets feel?
Does the swim spa feel spacious once you’re actually inside it?
Those are difficult questions to answer from a website or brochure.
That’s why we strongly recommend wet testing before you buy.
At Orange County Pools & Spas, we have three different swim spas filled, heated and available for wet testing at our Brookfield, Connecticut showroom.
Bring a bathing suit, get in and experience them for yourself.
When you’re making this kind of investment, don’t just compare swim spas on paper.
Try them.
This may be the biggest mistake of all because it can prevent people who genuinely want a swim spa from ever actually getting one.
You decide you want a swim spa, but then the list starts:
“I need to talk to my contractor.”
“I need a patio estimate.”
“I have to figure out the electrical.”
“I need to plan the landscaping.”
Before long, months have gone by and you’re still no closer to owning the swim spa.
Yes, swim spas require preparation.
You’ll need an appropriate base.
You’ll need electrical service.
You’ll need a delivery plan.
But that doesn’t mean every detail of your backyard project has to be finished before you choose your swim spa.
In many cases, it actually makes more sense to choose the swim spa first.
Once you’ve selected the actual model, you know exactly what you’re planning around:
Your contractors can then design around the swim spa you’ve actually selected instead of designing around an unknown product.
Don’t let planning for your swim spa become the reason you never get your swim spa.
Choose the one you love, then build the plan around it.
The swim spa itself is only part of the buying decision.
You should also consider who is going to support you after you purchase it.
A swim spa dealer should be able to help with more than simply selling you the product.
You want a local company that can help coordinate delivery and installation and, just as importantly, provide service and technical support throughout your ownership.
If you ever have a question, need assistance or experience a problem years down the road, having a knowledgeable local dealer you can call becomes extremely valuable.
When you’re comparing swim spas, compare the dealers behind them too.
The right swim spa should fit your backyard, your lifestyle and the way your family plans to use it.
At Orange County Pools & Spas, our team can help you compare your options, understand installation requirements and determine which swim spa makes the most sense for you.
We have locations serving Westchester County, Orange County and Fairfield County, Connecticut.
You can also wet test a swim spa at our Brookfield, Connecticut showroom.
Bring your bathing suit, ask questions and experience a swim spa for yourself.
Come see Orange County Pools & Spas and let us help you find the right swim spa for your backyard.
