Getting a home hot tub is exciting! If you’re in the market for an outdoor tub, there are a few things you should know about preparing your yard or outdoor living space before your new personal spa is installed. First, choose your location carefully. Do you have access to your backyard through an outside door off of your master bedroom? If so, you might want to place your hot tub close enough to step from your bedroom to the tub. Is your home hot tub going to be a place where the family gathers? You might want to place it further away from a bedroom in that case, since there may be times when having an outdoor tub full of happy people having a conversation or playing music might disturb someone trying to sleep. Another consideration is privacy; you will undoubtedly want to avoid areas of your backyard that are within clear view of any neighbors or nearby roads.
When choosing your hot tub location, remember that it will need to sit on a large, flat, solid foundation. Do not place your hot tub on bare ground. You should try to avoid areas of your yard with dirt, leaves, or small rocks. If possible, you may want to plan for a concrete path from the hot tub to your back door to avoid tracking debris from your yard into the tub and causing muddy footprints to appear on your interior floors. Existing decks and concrete patios must be inspected by a licensed contractor to determine adequate support. Your base must have a minimum of 125 pounds per sq. ft. load bearing capacity. Extensive foliage, trees with low hanging branches, and overhead power lines should also be avoided for safety’s sake. Between the water pump, the tub’s power source, and the high amount of foot traffic around your outdoor tub, the best placement for your home spa is in a clear area.
The professional designers at Diamond Spas can help you design the perfect hot tub for your outdoor living space, including any additional water features you desire, complimentary lighting, and possible sound systems you’d like to integrate to make your home hot tub the oasis of your dreams. Once you’ve determined the perfect location for your tub, ensure that the foundation is level and large enough to handle the hot tub with room to spare. Brick, stone, or gravel are not recommended, as these materials can shift over time, causing instability. After it is fully installed, functioning properly and full of friends or family members, your outdoor tub can quickly become extremely heavy, so the foundation will need to be strong enough and stable enough to accommodate the weight. If your backyard is largely dirt, pouring a level concrete foundation is a good solution. Your tub designer should be able to tell you how much your hot tub will weigh once it’s full of water. Placing the hot tub on an elevated foundation will ensure that water drains away from it. Proper drainage will help keep important components protected from rain and wet weather.
Every hot tub needs electricity to keep the water hot, so be sure that there’s an exterior power outlet with appropriate wattage within a reasonable distance. Speak with a qualified professional electrician to be sure that you are fully compliant with any local regulations in your area regarding hot tub installations before you set up your outdoor tub and secure any necessary permits. You’ll also need a water source to fill the tub, although no plumbing is required. An exterior spigot and garden hose will do the trick for both filling and emptying your hot tub, just be sure you have a hose that’s long enough to do the job.
Before delivery, double check the dimensions of your hot tub as well as the measurements of any interior doors or exterior gates your hot tub will need to pass through to get to the area where it will be installed. Allow for clearance of protruding gas meters, water meters or A/C units on your home which could be an obstruction and safety hazard when transporting your hot tub to its ultimate destination. Check for any low hanging tree branches, gutters, or electrical lines, as well.
Call Diamond Spas today at (800) 951-7727 and set up an appointment to meet with our talented team and discover how our expert designers and skilled craftsmen can help you start enjoying the many health benefits of having a beautiful customized stainless steel or copper outdoor tub at your home or place of business.
