Glass hot tub enclosures allow owners to enjoy the perks of having a hot tub all year long.
Having a hot tub on your property comes with a lot of perks. Taking daily soaks in a hot tub is connected with mental and physical health benefits such as improved stress management, better sleep, pain management, improved heart health, fewer headaches, and improved blood circulation.
It is not surprising that hot tub owners would want to enjoy these benefits every month of the year and not have to worry about what the weather is doing outside.
However, depending on where you live, it might not make a lot of sense or may not be at all possible to use an outdoor hot tub every day of the year. Between weather, critters, and other factors, using your hot tub 365 days per year might be challenging for some. That’s why many property and hot tub owners choose to invest in an enclosure around their spa.
Now that you have decided to install an enclosure around your hot tub, you need to determine what type of enclosure you would like. There are a couple of options that homeowners tend to gravitate towards: acrylic and glass hot tub enclosures.
Learn more about the pros and cons of acrylic and glass hot tub enclosures below.
Pros of a hot tub glass enclosure
A glass enclosure might be more of an investment than acrylic, but glass is far more durable. People who opt for glass know that it’s the better long-term material for any enclosure, especially for a hot tub and can be incorporated into your innovative glass design.
Most glass windows are inherently resistant to UV radiation and will prevent most UVB rays and some UVA rays from entering your hot tub glass enclosure. Glass is also a fantastic insulator, especially if you upgrade to double- or triple-pane panels for the space. It will help keep warm air inside during the cooler months and cold air in during the hotter months, and will block plenty of sound and noise from the outside.
Another benefit of glass is that it is a tough material, and is resistant to scratches, weather, and regular wear and tear. Glass is durable and long-lasting. It is also easy to maintain, care for, and clean.
Disadvantages of glass hot tub enclosures
Using glass for your hot tub enclosure comes with plenty of advantages and brings a lot to the table; however, it’s not without some drawbacks:
Glass is a heavy material, far heavier than acrylic. An acrylic panel weighs approximately 50% less than a glass panel. The weight of glass does create some limitations to your enclosure designs.
Another drawback for some is that glass is the more expensive option. Each glass panel is more expensive than acrylic and working with glass is also more expensive throughout all stages of this process, such as shipping and installation.
Lastly, when hit just the right way (rather, the wrong way), glass could shatter, resulting in a huge mess and creating a significant safety hazard.
Perks of acrylic hot tub enclosures
A major perk that comes with selecting an acrylic enclosure for your hot tub surround is that it is a relatively low-cost material. Acrylic is a kind of plastic that mimics glass, in that it is rigid and clear; however, this material is much more cost-effective.
People working with tight finances love this option because it is budget-friendly and looks similar to glass. Acrylic panels are less expensive to manufacture than glass, which means the savings are passed onto you.
A standard acrylic window panel is also much lighter than its glass counterpart, making it less expensive to ship and store. The light-weight nature of acrylic also makes the installation process easier and improves environmental efficiencies.
This featherweight option is also resistant to sharp blows and, when it is cracked, it is far less dangerous than a shattered glass panel which leaves hazardous shards of glass that could lead to accidents.
Drawbacks of an acrylic hot tub enclosure
While acrylic is a great option for some, it does come with drawbacks, especially compared to glass:
Many find acrylic to be higher maintenance than glass. Acrylic is plastic, making it much softer than its counterpart, meaning it scratches quite easily. This material requires special cleaning methods, products, and materials to avoid damaging the surface and unsightly streaks and marks into the panel.
Acrylic is highly sensitive to temperature, humidity, and UV radiation. This means your acrylic enclosure panels will bow out of place over time and will eventually yellow. Unfortunately, there isn’t much to do about these issues except to replace them or to invest in glass.
Ready for your hot tub glass enclosure? New Concepts Glass Design is here to help.
If you want to learn more about glass hot tub enclosures or are ready to purchase one, the professionals at New Concepts Glass Design are here to help.
Our innovative glass design team is proud to be Northern Utah’s go-to glass professional. We are ready to help you incorporate any of the glass design elements you have thought up. Our team boasts over 30 years of industry experience and is eager to hear your glass design ideas.
At New Concepts, we understand that making home and design-related decisions and finalizing your ideas and plans can be stressful. That is why our trusted team is here for you all along the way, from the beginning and all the way to the end. We are here to help you explore each of your options, brainstorm ideas and designs, and settle on a plan that you love to ensure you get precisely what you want.
Whether you already have a plan or you only have an idea and require help brainstorming and coming up with a design and concept that works for you, the New Concepts Glass Design team is here to help and work with you on your glass project. We are here to help with anything from glass hot tub enclosures to glass handrails, European shower doors to glass wine cellars, or another innovative glass design you might want.
The New Concepts team is knowledgeable and experienced and is committed to each of our clients and is dedicated to providing all of them with the highest level of customer attention, care, workmanship, and products. We work hard for our nearly-perfect reputation (honestly, take a peek at our awesome reviews!) and are proud to be a trusted and leading glass company in Northern Utah.
Contact New Concepts Glass Design today for your free estimate on any custom glass project in Salt Lake City, West Valley, Park City, Murray, and many surrounding areas.