Hot Tub help (1 Viewer)

[Erik.Ha]

We were thinking about maybe buying an outdoor hottub. But we have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA how to approach the idea... We have no idea how big to get, what type of heat source to look for (gas/electric/etc) what brands to look for, what brands to avoid, what features are good, what features are available, how they are delivered, how they are installed, will I need a crane to get it in my back yard? Is such a thing even POSSIBLE? etc etc etc...

 

[Kirk Gunn]

Empty hot tubs are quite manageable for an experienced crew, so you can put one just about anywhere (within reason...)

We had an el cheapo Home Depot model in our old house and a decent Hot Springs model in our new home. The Hot Springs had 4 filters compared to 1 in the cheapo model, so it required MUCH less chemical balancing, which saved big headaches. Also insulated better so it used less electricity. You'll need to get a dedicated 50 amp circuit installed for it.

Surprisingly, we had a lot of trouble with pumps and leakage with the Hot Springs. Most repairs were covered with the 5 yr warranty, but the last repair wasn't. While hot tubs are fun during the winter snow and parties, their appeal waned to us. Nothing worse than sitting in a hot tub in the summer with a sunburn !


We had a 6 person model in both houses, but I'd suggest going smaller. If I were to do it again, I'd go 2 or 4 person max. Visitors spilling wine, beer and margaritas in your tub is not fun... Keep it cozy.

Good Luck !

 

[Pamela]

.

 

[CalvinCarr]

Like mentioned above you will need a dedicated breaker for the thing with GFCI. Make sure your house has enough juice to run it and enough room in the breaker box. These are hidden costs.