Most homes don’t come ready-made to install a hot tub. Whether you’re thinking about putting a new hot tub in your backyard or inside your home, there are a few details you’ll have to work out. You can follow our guide here for preparing your home for your new spa. Plus, if you’re within 25 miles of our Wind River Spas location in Englewood, we’d be happy to come out for a free home site visit to let you know what you need.
Preparing Your Outdoor Space for a Hot Tub
Many people want to place their hot tub outside in their backyard. With a Wind River Spa, this is even easier because our tubs are built to be able to handle the bright sunshine and varied temperatures that come with living in Colorado. However, you can’t simply put your new hot tub on your lawn outside and plug it into the nearest outlet. Here are the top three things you need before setting up your hot tub outside.
1. A Level Space for the Hot Tub
Every hot tub needs a strong, level place to sit. For many people, their porch or patio is a perfectly fine location for the hot tub that won’t need to be modified at all. However, if you don’t have a porch or a patio, or the space that you want to put your spa isn’t perfectly flat, you can consider one of the following options instead:
- Gravel Pad: If you want to make sure that water properly drains away from your hot tub, you can consider a gravel pad. This type of base will be a wooden frame with a layer of crushed stone that will keep your tub stable while providing sufficient drainage.
- Perma-Pad: If you want to install your hot tub on the soil in your yard, a Perma-Pad could be a good choice. You’ll need to prep your yard by removing sod, rocks, weeds, and other materials and making a flat surface in the dirt. We’ll then come in and install the Perma-Pad and put in your new tub.
- Perma Shim: If there are imperfections on the surface where you want your hot tub, you can ask us about installing a Perma Shim for your home. You can purchase the shim at the same time that you buy a new or refurbished spa, and our team will put it in for you.
2. A Garden Hose and Outdoor Tap
Your hot tub outside will need to be within range of an outdoor tap and garden hose so that you can fill and top up your hot tub as needed. It will take up to a day for your water to heat up the first time you fill it up with your garden hose. You can also use the garden hose to quickly lower the temperature of your tub.
3. Proper Electrical Connections
You’ll need to talk to your electrician to make sure you have the right electrical setup for your new hot tub. You’ll need a 240 Volt outlet and an electrical panel with enough amps to handle the additional load of your spa.
Preparing Your Indoor Space for a Hot Tub
If you want to put your hot tub inside, you’ll need to make sure you have a space where you can manage the humidity levels and have somewhere for spilled water to go. Here are the most important things to consider for your indoor space.
1. Proper Drainage
When you use your hot tub, you won’t be able to avoid getting water onto the floor. You’ll need to consider installing drainage so that any water that splashes out doesn’t pool on the floor and cause damage. You’ll also want to consider drainage mats or flooring that isn’t slippery to protect against slips and falls when getting in and out of the hot tub.
2. Sufficient Ventilation
Hot tubs create moisture, and if you don’t control the humidity level of the indoor space, you could end up with mold and mildew. You’ll want to make sure your space is sufficiently ventilated for the amount of humidity your tub will create.
3. Relaxing Decor
You’ll want to think about the type of atmosphere you want for your indoor spa retreat. Because we use Oxysure, a chlorine-free shocking treatment, you can even fill the space with moisture and heat loving plants. Make the space your own!
It can take a lot of work to get your indoor and outdoor spaces ready for your new hot tub. But once everything is in place, you’ll have somewhere that you can go every day to unwind. Your tense muscles will thank you!
For more information about preparing your home for a Wind River Spa, you can call our team or message us online.