Hot tubs have become popular in luxury
gardens, far removed from sustainable design principles though they be.
Hot tubs are genrally now made from acrylic but can be clad in Cedar or
redwood. Whirlpool effects are provided as an aid to relaxation. They
come in 'personal' and 'party' sizes. Hot tub chemicals are used to keep
the water safe. A dip in a hot tub tends to be invigorating if of short
duration but enervating if prolonged.
The plumbing arrangements for a hot tub are similar to those for an indoor
hot bath: there needs to be a hot supply, a cold supply and drainage.
Electrical fittings for hot tub whirlpool pumps and jets require particular
care for outdoor use (where the risk of physical damage to the wiring
is greater) - this type of pump was invented by the Jacuzzi company which
gave its name to hot tubs.
There is much to be learned about the design of garden hot tubsfrom the
ways in which our predecessors have enjoyed outdoor bathing in hot water.
It is a curious fact that a hot water bath in a hot climate can cool you
down, while a hot bath in a cool climate will warm you up. Why heat warms
is obvious. The explanation for a hot tub cooling you down is that it
removes surface salts and oils and opens the pores. Getting out of the
water also produces the sensation of moving to a cooler place.
Outdoor bathing obviously has a longer history than indoor bathing and
private outdoor open space is known to have been used for bathing since
ancient times. Stepwells were used for this purpose in Ancient India.
Gymnasiums in Ancient Greece contained bathing pools. The Romans introduced
the practice of bathing in hot water. Where possible, they used mineral
springs with naturally hot water. Where this was not available, they used
artificial heating systems, as at the Baths of Caracalla. This idea spread
throughout the Roman Empire. It influenced the making of hot tubs in the
Islamic world and in northern Europe - including the baths in the Belgian
town of Spa which has given its name to this type of facility. The garden
hot tub is the modern equivalent of the ancient outdoor bathing facility.
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