What’s the first step when it comes to buying a hot tub? Is it trying out the biggest and best hot tub on the market? Is it making sure you have enough money to cover the costs? What about preparing invitations for your first annual backyard hot tub party? While these may all be important considerations when it comes to owning your own hot tub, the first thing you should do is figure out where you’re going to put it. The best or cheapest or flashiest hot tub in the world will do you no good if you can’t get it into your backyard and properly install it. And that may actually be harder than it sounds. To make sure you’ve thought about it properly, consider these suggestions for where to put a hot tub in a garden.
Delivery Day
The path that your hot tub will take from the delivery truck to your backyard needs to be established before it arrives in front of your house. Most hot tubs these days are shipped as a single unit. And it won’t be small. If you can’t get it around a tight corner or through your gate, you’re going to be doing some unanticipated renovations to make your hot tub dreams come true. Prevent this from happening and carefully measure any potential pinch points that will stop the hot tub from making it into your backyard in one piece. It beats having your hot tub sitting on your front lawn until you can figure things out.
Ease of Access
The distance of the hot tub from your backdoor plays a bigger role in how much you will use your hot tub than most people expect. This becomes especially true during poor and inclement weather. If you’re able to place your hot tub anywhere you want and you’re looking to get the most use out of it as possible, choose a place close to your backdoor. If you need to install it in the farther reaches of your backyard, you might want to create a type of pool house to allow you to change in comfort rather than running across the yard in the snow or rain.
A Stable Foundation
Your hot tub needs to be installed on top of a level and stable foundation. Failure to do so could result in the collapse of all your hot tub dreams. Consider the fact that a hot tub full of water and people will literally weigh tons. For this reason, it’s necessary to ensure the foundation is able to withstand such weight. If you want to put your hot tub on a deck, it’s highly recommended to involve a structural engineer to prevent any accidents from occurring. Beyond that, you’ll need to create a foundation out of concrete, gravel or prefabricated materials created specifically for hot tub use.
Privacy
Unless you’re an exhibitionist, having all your neighbors watch you while getting in and out of your hot tub can produce an unsettling feeling. This will ultimately cause you to stop using your hot tub as much as you’d like. By installing your hot tub in an area that gives you privacy or at least erecting some structures which cut down on the neighbors’ sightlines you’ll provide you and your family with a private, relaxing environment.
Electricity
While you may end up with a hot tub model that plugs into a typical electrical outlet, some of the larger models require an outlet and breaker system that isn’t normally available in a residential unit. This will require a wiring job done by a certified electrician. Speak to your hot tub dealer to find out the details of your model’s electrical specifications.
To learn more about hot tub installation, download a free buyer’s guide today.