Site Preperation

It is the customers responsibility to have the site prepared before the hot tub or swim spa is installed. Failure to do this could result in extra charges and a delay in installation. Please read the following information clearly. The preparation required will depend on the type of product you are purchasing. If you are unsure of anything then please feel free to contact us where a member of the team will be able to assist you.

HOT TUB LOCATION

Please consider the following when planning the location of your tub or swim spa.

• Always put your spa on a solid, level surface. A filled spa can weigh a great deal, so it’s important to be certain that the location you choose can support the weight of your filled spa.
• Think about where the electrical components are located on the tub and make sure that any water will be draining away from them.
• Leave enough room to be able to access the underneath of the spa via the access panel for routine maintenance and any repairs that might need to be carried out.
• If you are considering having a cover caddy on your spa then please take into account the room required to use it.

PREPARING THE ELECTRICS

Any electrical supply for a hot tub outdoors should be installed by a competent, certified electrician. All works must be certificated to part P of the building regs. Electrical installation work should always conform to BS:7671 17th edition of the wiring regulations.

We will tell you the total load the hot tub or swim spa will draw at full operation when placing your order. Your electrician will be able to work out what size of cabling is required from this information. hot tub would usually require at least a 16-amp supply. Bigger hot tub with 3 pumps or more generally require a 32-amp supply but as stated before this is a guide only.

ALL outside electrical supplies must have mechanical protection, this is either in the form of steel wire armoured cable (SWA) or suitable conduit. The hot tub must have its own dedicated circuit with correct size fuse breaker and RCD protection.  A rotary isolator switch, at least 2 meters from the hot tub is required so that the hot tub can be isolated from the main supply quickly and efficiently.

We generally ask for a coil of cable to be left immediately next to the hot tub base so that we have enough to wire it in whichever final position you chooses. Almost all our hot tubs require a 32 Amp RCD protected circuit breaker fitted to your consumer unit. From the consumer unit you should have suitable armoured cable or cable protected by a suitable conduit to a suitable waterproof outdoor isolator switch 2 or 3 metres from the tub. Please consult your electrician for cable thicknesses. For 32amp hot tubs we advise on having a 6mm, 3 core armoured cable fitted direct from an isolator switch.

From the isolator switch there needs to be enough cable left to reach the furthest away corner of hot tub so that our engineer can connect the tub to the electrical supply.

If you have purchased one of our 13amp plug and play rated hot tubs you will still need to supply a dedicated feed from the electrical supply, this will need to be positioned out of reach when using the hot tub. 13amp plug and play hot tubs require a dedicated ip65 waterproof socket (if outdoors). Do not run 13amp plug and play hot tubs off a ring main or extension cable as this will cause issues and will void warranty to the electrical components.

PREPARE THE BASE

We recommend that your hot tub be placed on a concrete base a minimum of 10cm thick.

DECKING 

• If you intend to install a tub on decking, you must know the deck’s maximum load capacity. To find the weight of your spa, its contents and occupants, please contact us. This weight per square foot must not exceed the structure’s rated capacity, or serious structural damage could result.                                                                                                                       If you are intending on having the tub inside the decking then, build your base, put your tub on the base, then build decking around it. Lowering a tub into a hole that is only just big enough for the tub to go into is very difficult, requires at least 8 people or a crane and could damage your new decking. If you intend to install the tub in the decking, please bear in mind that you will need to install access panels to allow access to the sides of the tub for maintenance and any remedial repairs that may be required in years to come. These access panels should be large enough to allow an engineer access to the side panels of the tub and should allow enough room for the engineer to remove the screws in the side panel. This is also the requirement for tubs that are sunken into a pit or are indoors. If you have your tub surrounded by decking that needs to be removed before work (either warranty work or otherwise) can be carried out, this must be removed by yourself prior to our engineer arriving at your property as we cannot be held responsible for any damage that may occur to your decking or tub surround when it is removed for repair or maintenance purposes.

INDOOR INSTALLATION

• There are some special requirements if you place your spa indoors. Water will accumulate around the spa, so flooring materials must provide a good grip when wet. Proper drainage is essential to prevent a build-up of water around the spa. When building a new room for the spa, it is recommended that a floor drain be installed. The humidity will naturally increase with the spa installed. Water may get into woodwork and produce dry-rot, mildew, or other problems. Check for airborne moistures’ effects on exposed wood, paper, etc. in the room. To minimise these effects, it is best to provide plenty of ventilation to the spa area.

HOT TUB DELIVERY

Please take the following into account when booking your tub delivery.

Firstly get the dimensions of the hot tub you have ordered from us. The Spa will be delivered on its side on a special hot tub trolley system. The trolley is not flexible and will need a wide turning area to negotiate any corners.

The minimum width of the route that is needed is 1.1. This will allow us to deliver the hot tub without causing any damage to the tub or the property. The height of the path will also need to be taken into account. 350mm must be added to the longest dimension.For example If your hot tub is 2,100mm x 2,100mm, when it is on its side on the trolley it may stand 2,450mm high. Any obstructions will have to be removed to allow access

If the route has steps then you must take into consideration that we might need extra assistance by several fit, able bodied people. Hot tubs are heavy bulky items that can be very difficult to transport up steps.

• That there’s enough clearance. Please check gate dimensions, protruding electrical metres, vents and other fixed appliances.
• That there is enough overhead clearance? Check for low roof eaves, overhanging branches, rain gutters and anything else that might cause access issues.
• Is the path clear? Remove any obstacles along the delivery path, check for 90-degree turns we might not be able to clear.
• Are there any steps we’ll have to go up,down or clear?

If you are unsure then you are welcome to send a photo of your delivery path if you’re unsure.

DELIVERIES REQUIRING LIFTING EQUIPMENT

If access to the location you are planning on having your tub is restricted, you might need to organise a suitable crane or lifting equipment. This is the responsibility of the customer to organise. When the tub is being lifted the responsibility for safety and any damage which occurs to the tub or property is the responsibility of the crane or lift operator.

FINAL STEPS

In order to complete the installation process we will need access to a garden hose and water. Once the hot tub is in the desired position we will start to fill it with water from the garden hose whilst also dosing with chemicals. Our BISHTA trained engineers will explain to you what chemicals will you need to use to keep the spa water at the correct pH levels and advise on our recommended cleaning products.

Next step is for our engineers to wire up the hot tub to the electricity supply that has already been installed by your electrician. Once this is done and the hot tub is filled with water our highly skilled team will demonstrate how to use the hot tub. Once up to your desired temperature the hot tub is ready for you to enjoy!