A hot tub can be a wonderful addition to your home, but the big question is where to put it? Hot tubs are large and heavy enough that you can’t usually move them very easily. This means you want to put them in the right location, the first time.
There are a few considerations if you’re going to add a hot tub to your home. You need to be sure that you’ve selected the perfect location. Look at how practical the spot is, as well as how comfortable.
Placing your hot tub in the right spot can enhance your enjoyment for years. Many factors can make a difference – access to changing rooms, the effect on nearby carpet, privacy, landscaping, and the view from the tub. Here are some issues to consider, including some tips from the Association of Spa and Pool Professionals, especially for outdoor hot tubs.
Intended Use
Are you planning to use the hot tub for quiet relaxation and stress relief? Or will it be used for entertainment and enjoyment during social events and parties at your home? Will you use the hot tub for the treatment of chronic pain? Or do you want to spend romantic evenings in the company of a loved one? The intended use of your new hot tub should play a role in its placement. For a more secluded, relaxing environment, you may want to install it where you can add some type of privacy barrier. Likewise, if you want to enjoy scenic landscape views in an inviting setting, you may want to place it somewhere that's a little more open or centralized. Hot tubs used during daylight hours may benefit from shade, while those used at night will likely need some type of pathway or step lighting for safety reasons. Keep this all in mind as you choose your hot tub location.
Indoors or Outdoors?
You can set your hot tub up anywhere you please and it can be outside under the starry sky, or you can have it installed on a patio under a roof. While it doesn’t make any real difference to the hot tub, you do need to decide whether or not you want to use it in inclement weather and if you would be willing to do that if the hot tub is outside.
The View
The view you have from your hot tub will help you decide where to put it. You want to relax there and enjoy your surroundings, so be sure to select a space that will give you a vista of your garden or anything else that is worth looking at.
The best way to choose a spot is to stand where you’re considering putting the hot tub and looking around. Is this what you want to see while you relax in your spa?
Delivery Access
How will the hot tub get to where you want it? Some homes have very limited or even no access to the area they want to put the tub, from the front of the house. If this is the case, you can still have your hot tub delivered and placed, but you will need a little extra help getting it into position, via crane. Lifting services make it possible to get the hot tub over your house or fence and into the space you want it.
Ground Inclination
The tilted ground can be difficult to install a hot tub on. You should look for a nice flat space in your garden that will work. Of course, you can always level a section of the garden out to ensure the hot tub has a nice flat spot, but it’s usually best when you start with a relatively level area.
Support
Hot tubs are heavy, particularly with water in them. A basic hot tub, with 450 gallons of water, plus people relaxing, is going to weigh well over 5,000 pounds. That requires some decent structural support to prevent falling through whatever platform you set it on.
What sort of support you do will determine how it needs to be built. You should consider talking with the hot tub company to find out how much they require. However, a four-inch concrete slab is often recommended for outdoors. Remember that the spa needs to be level so the weight is evenly distributed.
Drainage
You won’t just fill your hot tub once and leave that water forever. You will need to drain the spa several times throughout the year. You’ll need to have a drain in place for this. It’s really much simpler to use an existing drain, but you can also install a new drain if needed.
Plan this out ahead of time, so you can place the spa in exactly the place it needs to be. Remember that these things are heavy, so once it’s in place, you probably won’t want to move it again.
Waterproofing
The water from your hot tub can damage the area around it, particularly if you use wood or something else susceptible to water damage. For example, a wooden patio will require the wood to be protected before you place the hot tub.
There will always be some overflow or splashing and you’ll have better peace of mind if you waterproof the area first. Keep in mind that you may need to repeat the treatment over the year.
Access
How easy is it to reach the hot tub from your home? If it’s difficult to get to, you’ll find it gets used less. However, if you can easily reach the hot tub from your back door, you’ll use it more often. This is the main reason people put their hot tubs on patios or concrete slabs just behind the home. It allows for easy access and you can see all of the activity from the house.
It’s very important to look at where you want to enjoy your hot tub. It’s not just about how easily it can be installed, but about where the spa will best serve you in the years to come. Consider carefully before you make a final decision as to where to put the hot tub. It won’t be easy to move once it’s in place.
Privacy
Patio coverings can enhance privacy with post-and-lattice designs in a wide choice of woods, sealants, stains, or paints, perhaps with a flowering or fragrant vines growing on the lattice. For an even cozier getaway, consider a decorative gazebo, maybe with sliding windows, pitched roofs, or combination roofs like the ones made by Aguaflo.
If you still have questions or you need more information, please don't hesitate to contact us or call us anytime at 605 090 388.