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Creating unique concrete therapy pools

June 1, 2011
LIGHTING: ENHANCING THE SPA EXPERIENCE
The options for spa illumination are almost endless. Lighting can be used around the spa’s perimeter and interior (e.g. foot well and spa jets), as well as to highlight certain features such as waterfalls. A variety of effects such as fades, mode and accent lighting in addition to programmable patterns can also be incorporated into a spa’s lighting schematics.
The following is a guide to the pros and cons of the three main types of lighting systems available for spas:

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Incandescent lights produce light by heating a metal filament wire to a high temperature until it glows.

Incandescent lights
Incandescent lights have been the industry standard for decades. They produce light by heating a metal filament wire to a high temperature until it glows, creating a white light. Options include coloured lenses, which are applied over the light fixture to change the colour of light produced.
These lights, however, have a relatively short life, run hot and consume large amounts of electricity. They are also gradually being replaced by more energy-efficient lighting systems and will be phased out in Canada by 2012.

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Fibre-optic lighting systems use thin, flexible and transparent optical fibres to transmit light between the fibre ends.

Fibre-optic lighting
Fibre-optic lighting ruled the waves for a number of years. These lighting systems use thin, flexible and transparent optical fibres to transmit light between the fibre ends. They have the ability to change colour, use no electrical parts in the water and the end-light fibre will not burn out.
Some fibre-optic lighting systems, however, come with higher costs, the chance for lights to leak through the fibre cable and power boxes that run hot due to the confined space in a spa shell.
Still, fibre-optic lighting systems are widely used today in perimeter lighting applications, as well as for creating star lighting effects in ceilings and/or floors.

LED light pool
Light emitting diode (LED) lighting is a semi-conductor light source with low energy consumption.

Light emitting diode (LED) lighting
LED lighting has many advantages over both incandescent and fibre-optic lighting systems. It is a semi-conductor light source with low-energy consumption. The combination of an LED’s long lifespan (up to 50,000 hours) and excellent reliability make them the preferred lighting system for the pool and spa industry. LED lighting is making large inroads in the landscape lighting sector as well. At the same time costs have been decreasing, quality and brightness have been improving.
The original LED lights for the pool and spa industry had their problems, but now most of the bugs have been worked out. For example, some newer LED systems have light cords that are coiled into a niche, which allows service and replacement above the water line. Older models required the spa to be drained to change the light.

No matter what illumination system is being used, the spa lighting experience starts at the automation touch pad inside the client’s home. From this control centre, one-touch programming allows the mood to be set. The spa is heated, jets are turned on, stereo system is enabled and a subtle illuminated path guides the bather to the spa. As they relax after a hard day’s work, they look up to the overhead starlight, push a button and flames spring to life in a nearby water feature.
The nighttime full-blown lighting experience is difficult to recreate in a photograph, but entirely memorable in real life.

In a ‘spa’ shell

In addition to the customization benefits, concrete spa shells also pose some construction challenges, as they often contain a large amount of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plumbing, skimmers, drains and reinforcing bar packed into small areas.

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The spa can be located in, adjacent to or separate from the pool. In all cases, however, it is possible to configure the spa’s plumbing and heating to share the pool water.

All reinforcement bars and plumbing lines must be tied securely in place before the shotcrete or cast-in-place concrete pour begins. Furthermore, a skilled concrete-nozzle operator is required to avoid shadows and shooting in confined spaces, such as foot wells or standup wells.

In all cases, concrete spas should also be waterproofed. Waterproofing admixes can be added to the concrete mix or applied to the finished shell. The combination of pressure testing all plumbing lines and flood testing the shell could prevent a potential disaster.

The interior of the spa shell can also be finished in a number of ways. The most common method is standard marbelite or pool plaster. High temperatures and harsh water chemistry conditions found in spas shortens the lifespan of plaster. The best choice for contractors is to tile the spa’s interior, or use another option such as natural stone, porcelain or glass. Even though these finishing materials can be more costly, they will standup to the spa environment.

Concrete spas can be illuminated with light-emitting diode (LED), fibre-optic or standard 12-volt lighting. Keep in mind, however, lighting the path to the spa is just as important as the interior spa lights. Automating the nighttime lighting can also contribute to both safety and ambience of the hot water bathing experience.

Other accessories such as stereo systems, built-in televisions, phones, flame effects, misting systems, acrylic viewing panels, perimeter overflows and vanishing edges can all be tailored for any concrete spa.

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