Best Location For Your Hot Tub

Hot Tub Placement: Choosing the Best Spot

Your new hot tub can be the centerpiece of your patio set. Choosing the right location is essential to enhance both practicality and comfort. Just like real estate, location, location, location is key. Think about it. Ever been to a house with the dishwasher in the bedroom or a shower in the kitchen? Probably not. There’s an instinctual logic to home design—a sense of what belongs where—that’s intrinsic to many of us. But a living area’s arrangement can transcend mere logic to arrive at grace, elegance, necessity, and comfort. With a little time and careful thought, the layout of your home and yard can help you feel not only sensible and inspired but also calm and peaceful. So, once you’ve decided to purchase a new hot tub, you’ll need to think about the hot tub placement with both practicality and comfort in mind.

Hot Tub Placement Considerations

Your hot tub can be placed just about anywhere—outdoors or even indoors when practical. You can put it on a deck, patio, rooftop entertaining area, or even under a gazebo. The perfect spot for your hot tub all depends on your home and landscape design and layout, as well as your personal tastes.

Deciding between location options will require both practical and common sense. Here’s everything you’ll need to take into consideration when thinking about your hot tub placement:

1. Delivery Access
   • Once delivered to your home, your new hot tub will need to be moved from your driveway to its permanent location. The delivery crew must have a clear and wide enough path to make transport easy. Map out the path and measure the clearance all along it. The spa’s dimensions are included in the pre-delivery instructions for each model and are available online or at your dealer. If there isn’t quite enough space to place your tub exactly where you want it, you can make more room by removing and later replacing gates, railings, and sections of fencing. In certain circumstances, it might be less expensive to have your spa placed by crane. Many dealerships own their cranes and are experts at this delivery option.
2. Structural Support
   • Your new hot tub might not look heavy sitting on the showroom floor, but fill a 450-gallon home spa with water, and you’re looking at a total weight of 5,920 lbs (including seven adults weighing 175 lbs each). Therefore, it’s important to pick a location that will support every pound. For outside installation, it’s recommended you place the spa on a level, 4-inch thick concrete slab. Other options include gravel, railroad ties, stepping or paving stones, and bricks. However, given the spa’s size, weight, and need for a level foundation, a strong, solid base is much preferred. Before you install your spa indoors or on your deck, check with a qualified building contractor or structural engineer to make sure the total weight of the spa doesn’t exceed the structure’s rated capacity.
3. Drainage and Waterproofing
   • No matter where you choose to place your spa, you must think about drainage and the damage moisture can cause to wooden decks and other structures. You’ll need to drain your spa entirely a few times a year (or only once per year if you use our ACE® Salt Water System), and incidental overflow is common. It’s best to place your spa near an existing drain. If a drain doesn’t exist in the location, install one. The drainage channel should direct water away from the spa’s equipment compartment, as noted in the delivery instructions. If you place your hot tub indoors, on a deck, or in a gazebo, coat any wood under and near it with an oil-based sealant to help prevent mildew and rot.
4. Ease of Use
   • The easier it is to access your hot tub, the more likely you’ll make it a part of your daily routine. So, when choosing your location, think about convenience—a spa located far back in your yard might not be as motivating as one placed on your patio. Also, consider the weather. If you plan to use your spa every day, but live in an area that makes winter use difficult, placing your hot tub indoors might be the perfect solution. Finally, if you have kids, remember that a nearby hot tub is more than just easy to access, it’s inviting. Keep child safety in mind as you weigh location options.
5. Ease of Maintenance
   • Access is also important for routine maintenance and large repairs. If your hot tub is easy to reach in bad weather, you’ll be more likely to keep up with regular water quality checks. Also, if an internal component requires repair or maintenance, it’s essential that you or a qualified technician reach it easily. Most hot tubs have an equipment access panel. When choosing the spa’s location, ensure that the access panel can fully open. You don’t want to remove the panel door or a heavy obstacle just to fix your spa.
6. Comfort and Privacy
   • Your comfort and privacy are key factors in choosing a location. Consider the longevity of your relationship with your hot tub. Quality spas are built to last, meaning you’ll be soaking in the same spot for a decade or longer. Choose a location that will be comfortable for you and your family for years to come.

Choosing the perfect spot for your new hot tub means combining your needs and desires with a little common sense. If you’re not sure about any part of the process, give us a call. If you ask your wellness expert nicely, they may be willing to come to your home for a delivery consultation so that you can avoid last-minute complications and waste no time in enjoying a long, relaxing soak in your new home spa. When it comes to hot tub placement, we are here to help you make a logical and educated decision.