The arrival of an outdoor hot tub should be a joyous occasion. Seeing the large bundle on the back of a flatbed truck in front of your house will have you eagerly anticipating the warm, massaging waters that hot tubs are so well known for. But before you get to this anticipatory stage, a lot of planning needs to take place. Figuring out exactly where you’ll be installing the new purchase is often more important than any new hot tub buyer realizes. A lot of different factors need to be considered when it comes to hot tub installation and if they’re not thought about properly, that flatbed truck could be taking your new hot tub back to the shop until you’ve got things figured out. If you’re at the stage of wondering where to put a hot tub in a garden, take some time to consider this advice.
Ease of Entry
The proximity of the hot tub to your is typically one of the major indicators of how often the hot tub actually gets used. A long path from your backdoor to the warm environs of the tub will often make you think twice about using it – especially in the depth of a Canadian winter. If at all possible, try to position your tub as close to your backdoor as possible. If you have to install it a fair distance from the house, consider creating an easily maintained, slip-free pathway and putting up a shed to be used as a changing room.
Solitude
Most people want to use their hot tub to relax and experience some peace and quiet. This can be a tough frame of mind to attain if you’re being overlooked by all your neighbours. Finding an area in your backyard that affords you some privacy will put you more at ease when you want to use your hot tub. If such a spot isn’t readily available, consider putting up some fencing, partitions or a gazebo to provide some cover.
Organic Material
Organic materials such as leaves, pollen, and other plant debris can affect your hot tub’s water chemistry and cause you to spend more time on cleaning† and maintenance than you bargained for. If you have trees or plants that shed their leaves every year, you might want to consider installing your hot tub as far away from them as possible. You might also want to undertake some landscaping to reduce their ability to affect the water quality of your hot tub.
Level Ground
A hot tub full of water and people will weigh several thousand pounds, so you need to ensure its foundation is able to withstand that kind of weight. It’s also imperative that you place your hot tub on stable and level ground. Failing to do so will eventually cause the hot tub to crack and fail. Decks are a very popular place for hot tub installation, but you need to make sure it can deal with the full weight of the hot tub. Speaking to a structural engineer is your best bet if you want to avoid a nasty accident. If you’re placing your hot tub on the ground, you can create a base out of gravel, a concrete pad or prefabricated pads made especially for hot tubs and swimming pools.
Power
Your hot tub will need to be plugged into some sort of electrical outlet. There are several plug and play models on the market these days that work with your average household socket. However, if you have a bigger hot tub you will likely need to hire an electrician to install a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) to power your hot tub properly. It’s usually much easier and cheaper to install such a breaker when the hot tub is placed closer to the house.
To learn more about hot tub installation, download a free buyer’s guide below today, or visit us at our London hot tub store.