Because of their size, hot tubs are very versatile when it comes to deciding on a location. They may be best known for appearing in a backyard or on a wooden deck, but they can also be easily installed indoors. That said, when deciding on an indoor installation a hot tub doesn’t necessarily need to go inside the house either. We can hear some of you asking, “Can I put a hot tub in the garage?” This is also a perfectly acceptable location as long as a few modifications are made. In this article we’ll show how you can prepare your garage for the installation of a hot tub.
Water Supply
Of course you’ll need a way to fill your hot tub with water. Most hot tubs come with self-contained plumbing systems. This means you won’t have to worry about connecting your hot tub to the water mains or sewer system. Once the tub is filled with water it will just recycle that water until you empty it again. But you still need to fill the tub in the first place. And you probably won’t want to be carrying buckets of water from your kitchen or bathroom. This is when a water source inside or close to your garage comes in very handy. Keep in mind that as part of a proper maintenance routine, you’ll have to empty and refill your hot tub every three or four months. It’s not like you can fill it once and not have to worry about filling it ever again. Water evaporation will also create the need for topping up the water level every so often. If you don’t already have a water tap in or near your garage, the price installing one will be more than worth the hassle.
Drainage
Having proper drainage in your garage is important for two reasons. First of all, as mentioned above, you’ll need to empty and refill your hot tub every three or four months to give it a good cleaning†. And you likely won’t want to be emptying it all over the floor of your garage. Access to a floor drain is a necessity. Secondly, each and every time someone gets out of the hot tub, they’ll end up splashing about a gallon of water onto the floor. You want to have a place for this water to flow naturally. A floor drain is the ideal drainage situation. If your garage already has a properly graded floor drain, you might want to consider that as the best location for installing the hot tub. It’ll save you from having to squeegee and mop every time you bathe.
Flooring
Slipping and falling is the most common accident that occurs around hot tubs. And most of this has to do with a wet floor with an inappropriate surface. Although your garage is likely already built on a concrete pad, you’ll need to make sure it’s able to handle excessive moisture while providing a relatively slip free surface. If not, you might want to consider applying a surface coating or installing another flooring material such as tile or rubber. Taking care of your flooring situation before you install the hot tub can prevent a lot of future problems.
Ventilation
Garages are known for high humidity and moisture levels even without the addition of a hot tub. Adding a hot tub will only exacerbate these common garage problems. To ensure you don’t end up with a garage full of mold and mildew, you’ll have to address the moisture issue with a good ventilation system. A powerful exhaust fan is your best option for effectively taking care of high humidity levels. Depending on the size of your garage and the power of the exhaust fan, you may want to supplement it with a ceiling fan and/or dehumidifier system. Don’t dismiss ventilation as a problem to solve later. Once mold and mildew take hold, it’s difficult to reverse.
To learn more about installation options for your hot tub, download a free buyer’s guide below today, or visit us at our London hot tub store.