Every year, millions of people go to a spa for a weekend or week-long escape.
They go to relax - both their bodies and their minds.
Sometimes, they go simply to relive the aching joints and muscles they have been suffering through.
But the relief that they feel is not just in their imagination.
Studies have shown that going to a spa does lead to better physical and mental health.
In fact, many find the experience so exhilarating that they decide to build a spa in their home or back yard.
Over the years, the term spa treatment is sometimes used synonymously with balneotherapy.
Balneotherapy is the science of using water treatments to alleviate problems with the body.
Specifically, it is often used to improve blood circulation, detox the body, help to heal injuries, and help to relax the mind.
Having a spa in your home, lets you take advantages of all these benefits whenever you wish.
You have a few choices when deciding where to place a spa.
You can either position it indoors or outdoors.
If you already have a swimming pool, you can easily build it into the pool.
That way it can share the heating and filtering equipment already installed in the pool.
If you don't have a pool, you have a choice between installing an in-ground spa or an above the ground spa.
At one time, in-ground spas were very popular.
Today, however, they are less so.
This is mainly because the cost of installing an in-ground spa, is not too far removed from the cost of installing a swimming pool.
So, most people leaning towards an in-ground spa will install a pool instead, and simply have a built-in spa as part of it.
For those whose heart is not set on an in-ground spa, a pre-fabricated spa will serve their needs just fine.
Originally, spas were constructed out of wood.
The contractor would use a good rot resistant wood, such as redwood, to hold the water.
The shape would be in the shape of huge barrels with the slats held together by steel bindings.
Over the years, however, wood was found to be an unsanitary choice which often allow bacteria to get out of control.
As a result, many of the newer spas are made of fiber glass.
The look of wood, however, does give a real touch of elegance to a spa.
As a result, many manufacturers will have the exterior constructed of wood, for aesthetic purposes, while having the interior made of fiberglass, acrylic, vinyl, or some other sanitary surface.