Planning the Best Location

Here are some of the things that you will need to consider when determining where to place the spa: If you still have questions do not hesitate to ask the pros at Sensational Spas. We have years of experience and have installed hundreds of hot tubs. We will gladly go to your home and answer any questions and offer you some ideas. There is no charge for this service and it could make your job a whole lot easier.

Safety First!

Do not place your spa under overhead power lines. Try to stay at least 10 feet to the side of any overhead wires. Be certain that your installation will meet all city and local safety codes and requirements.

Environment

We have cold winters and hot summers. To combat the summers heat you may want to locate your spa where the sun doesn't shine on it all day long. You don't want the spa under a tree, however a tree to the side can sometimes block much of the day's sun. Also try to locate the spa near a house entry door. This way you don't have to trudge through a lot of snow. Do not place your spa under eves as icicles can fall off and damage both the cover and the spa.

Indoor installations require adequate ventilation. When the spa is in use, considerable amounts of moisture are produced. This moisture can damage walls, floors and ceilings. However you can over come these issues by planning ahead. A simple ventilation fan will remove much of the air born humidity. You can apply water proof paints and flooring materials. Try to use flooring materials that don't become slippery when they get wet.

Keep you Hot Tub Clean

Prevent dirt and foliage from being tracked into your spa by using concrete or pavers for paths to the spa. Check the location of trees and spill paths from gutters to see if wind or rain will sweep debris into the spa.

It is best that you do not place your spa under a tree. Cleaning tree sap off the spa is no fun either. A fallen branch can easily damage the cover and the spa.

Consider Your Privacy

In a cold climate, bare trees won't provide much privacy. Consider the view of your neighbors when you locate your spa. You can always build an inexpensive lattice type fence on any side you want to block out. A lattice fence will allow you to see out but still block you from the neighbors.

Provide a View with Your Spa

Think about the direction you will be facing when you're sitting in the Spa. Do you have special landscaping in your yard or a spot with a nice breeze? What about the sunset? Consider these things when you plan your location.

Top

Preparing a Good Foundation or Spa Pad

A spa needs a solid level foundation. A spa cannot be set on the grass! The area where the spa sits must support the weight of the spa, the water, and those who use it. If the foundation is inadequate, it may shift or settle cause severe stress to the spa's shell and frame. Many spas filled with water and people can weigh over 5,000 pounds!

So what do I use to set my Spa on?

Well actually there are many things you can use. We are going to call all of these surfaces the spa pad. The spa pad can be made of pressure treated lumber, synthetic lumber, concrete, bricks or cement patio blocks. For those who don't want to build, Sensational Spas has prefabricated polyethylene plastic pads in stock. (See section below) A solid cement pad should be no less that 4 inches thick. This is something that the average homeowner may not want to tackle. The spa pad should be at least the size of the spa. If you are going to pour cement pad put a slight slope in it so that water won't pool under the spa. A 3/4" slope in a 10 foot wide cement pad is adequate. If you use bricks or patio blocks, they should set on at least a 3" base of sand, pea gravel or crushed stone. Sod and roots must be removed before applying the aggregate base. Remember, the base must be under the entire spa. Don't leave out every other block!!! When using bricks or blocks there is no need to slope the pad because water will drain off in between the blocks.

Building or using an existing deck:

Many spas are placed on existing decks. Most newer decks that have been built to code will support all but the largest spas. It is best to talk to a licensed home builder or an architect to be sure. In general if you have a deck or are going to build a new deck the following parameters will support most hot tubs. Always use treated deck lumber. Use 2" x 10" floor joists on 16" centers and metal joist hangers to support them. Use metal lag bolts or carriage bolts for all the major joist, beam and header connections. Nails and deck screws won't hold the load. If the span exceeds 10 feet you will want to put a center beam halfway between the span. Posts that hold up the deck are normally made from 4" x 4" or 4" x 6" treated lumber and spaced no more that 8" apart. These posts should be cemented into the ground with a footing pad under the post. This will keep the post from sinking over the years. There are also footing blocks that you can purchase, talk to your building supplier. For the surface boards, it doesn't matter if you use wood boards or the new synthetic deck lumber. The choice is up to you. Remember: spas are heavy, your deck will need to support at least 140#'s per square foot, that equals a load of 6860 pounds! That sounds like a lot of weight and it is, but it's very easy to build a wood deck to hold that weight and more. There are many books on building decks. Pick one up at your building supplier; they're worth the cost.

Prefabricated Spa Pad

Don't have the time or energy to build the Spa Pad yourself? Sensational Spas has an alternative. It's a prefabricated portable hot tub pad. This pad is made of high density polyethylene plastic, crush tested to over 5000 pounds per square foot. The EZ Pad is rugged and durable with excellent resistance to impact and abrasion. This light grey pad requires no maintenance. You can place EZ pad on any level well-drained area, including grass, dirt, sand and gravel. It's also a simple way to extend your patio or deck space. The pad comes in 4 pieces and will fit in most SUV's. The pad can be assembled and be in place in less than a half hour. Start enjoying your new spa even sooner! We have the EZ Pad in stock at Sensational Spas.

Top

Plan the Delivery Route

Check the width of the gates, doors and sidewalks to make sure your spa will pass through unobstructed. You may have to remove a gate or part of a fence to allow for adequate width clearance.

We can turn the spa on its side, so a 42" wide gate will generally accommodate most spa sizes.

If the deliver route will require a 90 degree turn make sure there is room to make the turn.

Are there protruding gas meters, water meters or A/C units in the way.

Are the low eaves, branches, or rain gutter that may get in the way. What about your wife's favorite rose bush!

And last but not least, stairs. It's not easy getting an 800 pound spa up or down stairs. It can be done, but it may require special planning. Sometimes a crane will be necessary to place the spa.

In most cases, we can get a spa where you want it but it may require some preplanning. As you can see, we must communicate!

Top

Electrical

I will go over the general requirements for wiring a hot tub, however this part of the spa installation must be left to the professional!

Most hot tubs require a 240 Volt, 40, 50 or 60 Amp power supply to operate them. This is similar to the wiring that is required to run an electric clothes dryer, air conditioner system, welder, or an electric stove. You don't plug a hot tub into the average light socket. They require some serious wiring! Some of the very small hot tubs can run off of a 120 Volt source, but these won't be the big fancy model that your husband wants.

Electrical wiring should be left to a qualified electrician and is not a project for the average homeowner. You spa dealer can recommend qualified electricians or you can find many qualified electricians in the yellow pages. You can also ask your local building supplier.