Do you have unused space in your house that you’ve been wondering what to do with?
Maybe you have an empty porch that could use some flare or are suddenly empty nesters and trying to give your home a little facelift.
If you haven’t considered an indoor hot tub, now may be the perfect time to start!
Installing a home spa can help make use of that open space while amping up your home’s value and transforming it into a luxury oasis that’s overflowing with relaxation.
Taking on an indoor hot tub installation is no easy task. However, with careful planning, you can turn this vision into reality.
Curious about what it takes to create the ultimate private retreat?
Read on and discover everything you need to know about indoor hot tub installations.
Appealing Benefits of Indoor Hot Tubs
Indoor hot tubs offer a luxury experience that outdoor installations simply can’t provide.
Sure, they both provide soothing hydrotherapy to ease weary muscles and combat aches and pains, but there are a few things you can only experience with an indoor installation.
Here are four of the top reasons people opt to install their hot tub indoors.
Complete Privacy
One of the most significant benefits of indoor hot tubs is the unparalleled level of privacy they offer.
Completely contained within four walls, indoor spas keep prying eyes at bay to allow for complete relaxation free from any worry or anxiety about neighboring houses.
Ease of Use
Alongside that privacy is the ability to simply walk into another room of your house and slip beneath the crystal clear water.
Unlike outdoor installations, where you need to bring your towel with you and contend with the elements, an indoor installation makes it simpler than ever to enjoy your spa.
Protection From The Elements
Speaking of the outdoor elements, an indoor installation is naturally protected from them, reducing the gradual wear and tear the outdoors would otherwise have on your spa.
While most hot tubs are built to withstand the elements, an indoor installation offers an additional level of protection to maximize the longevity of your spa (when paired with proper care).
Improved Energy Efficiency
Having your spa indoors allows for precision temperature control, ensuring you can easily adjust the temperature of the room, keeping it stable, and predictable, year-round.
Outdoor hot tubs are always contending with the fluctuating temperature, which can impact your spa’s overall energy efficiency day to day.
Yes, many models have substantial designs to maximize energy efficiency, but an indoor installation puts this into overdrive, allowing you to control every element.
Lower Maintenance Needs
Indoor hot tubs generally require less maintenance because they are not exposed to external weather and environmental elements such as leaves, dust, and insects. This can mean fewer chemical treatments and less intensive routine care.
Makes The Most of Unused Space
An indoor hot tub can transform underused areas of your home into an oasis of relaxation. Whether it is a renovated lounge or a sunroom, utilizing these areas for your hot tub can add functional value to your home.
5 Expert Tips to Follow For an Indoor Hot Tub Installation
Every hot tub installation requires careful planning. However, indoor spas take a little more work to ensure your space is prepared to house your new relaxation haven.
Here are five of the most important factors you’ll want to consider as you prepare for your new home spa.
1. Select The Right Size Hot Tub
Not only will you want to select a hot tub that meets your needs, but when you’ve opted for an indoor installation, size becomes infinitely more important.
Before selecting your spa, here are a few things to consider that will help ensure you’re selecting the right model:
Measure your space:
Take into consideration aspects like the size of the room and the height of the ceiling, and ensure there will be enough room for opening and closing your cover.
Hot tubs require adequate space above them not only for aesthetic balance but also for functional operation. If your ceilings are too low, you may find yourself struggling every time you attempt to open your hot tub. This can turn what should be a relaxing experience into a frustrating ordeal.
Apart from simply measuring the area of your space, you’ll also want to ensure your flooring can support the weight of your filled spa.
Consider the spa’s power requirements:
Check if your chosen model requires a higher voltage and ensure your room’s electrical setup can support this. Some models have specific power needs that might necessitate upgrades or adjustments to your home’s electrical infrastructure.
Consider how you’ll get your spa into the room:
If you’re installing your hot tub in an existing room, measure the doorway to ensure the model you choose can fit through it. Knowing how to get your spa into the room is easily the largest challenge of these installations.
Plan for contingencies:
If your initial plan to bring the hot tub indoors seems unfeasible due to space restrictions, you may need to think about other solutions. You could opt for an outdoor installation or, if it aligns with your budget, consider extending your home or altering the existing structure to accommodate your indoor hot tub.
2. Select The Right Location
Next to choosing the right model, knowing what room and where in that room you want to place your spa is paramount.
The placement of your spa not only impacts the overall aesthetic appeal of your space but also the ease of use you’ll experience.
For those looking to enhance the visual appeal and functionality of their space, consider placing the hot tub in one corner of the room. This location helps maintain open space, ensuring the room doesn’t feel crowded, while still making the spa easily accessible.
Alternatively, to make your spa the centerpiece of the room, install it in the middle, elevating the entire ambiance of the space to revolve around your new indoor oasis.
As you consider where to installation your spa, you’ll want to consider a few key elements:
Drainage:
Every 3-4 months, your hot tub will need to be completely drained and cleaned.
To ensure you can easily drain your spa, you’ll want to ensure you have enough space around your spa to access the drainage port and have somewhere you can drain the water.
Consider placing your spa near a window where you can run a hose outside to drain the water when the time comes.
Additionally, to handle any water that might splash out during usage or overflow, consider the installation of a sump pump beneath your spa and a floor drain in your spa area.
This setup will not only ease the process of draining the tub but also keep your floor dry and safe from water damage. Implementing both a sump pump and a floor drain ensures a comprehensive solution to indoor hot tub water management, making maintenance both simpler and more effective.
A Water Source:
No matter where you install your spa, you’ll need a way to get water into it, and we can assure you that transporting buckets of water isn’t the way you want to do this.
Wherever you choose to install your hot tub, you’ll want to make sure you have an easily accessible water source nearby that you can attach a hose to. This will ensure every time you need to refill or top-up your spa, you can easily run a hose to the tub and fill it up stress-free.
Consider the layout of your space to make this process seamless. If your setup allows, you might use a garden hose connected through a nearby window or directly from an outdoor water valve.
Alternatively, many indoor spaces are equipped with faucets that can accommodate a hose attachment. Ensuring that these options are viable in your home will make maintaining your water levels much easier and more convenient.
3. Ensure Proper Ventilation
Hot tubs produce a fair amount of moisture. While you may not realize this with an outdoor installation, it becomes a crucial element to plan for when your spa is indoors.
Indoor installations lock in this moisture, and without a way to remove the dampness from the room, you risk mold, mildew, and even the accumulation of chemical gasses developing over time.
Before you opt for this type of installation, you’ll want to ensure your room is well-ventilated. To achieve this, you’ll want to consider two elements:
Windows
Windows are easily one of the easiest ways to add some ventilation to your new spa room. Not only do they allow for natural light, but opening them can significantly aid in circulating fresh air, helping to dissipate moisture and reduce humidity levels that build up during the use of the hot tub.
If you’re worried about windows impacting your privacy, consider frosting them or installing a privacy barrier to them.
Fans:
Specifically extraction fans, much like the ones you have installed in your bathroom.
While windows may help air out the space and allow the steam to escape, extraction fans make it much easier to pull moisture from the air.
Furthermore, after adding your water treatment products, an extraction fan can help ensure that any gasses being released into the air can easily be ventilated out.
This is crucial because the chemical gases produced by spa treatments can accumulate, leading to an uncomfortable and potentially unhealthy environment.
Installing an extraction fan ensures that these gases are efficiently drawn out of the room, making managing the moisture and air quality in your spa room as easy as flipping a switch.
By integrating both these elements effectively, you can ensure that your indoor hot tub environment remains comfortable, safe, and enjoyable.
4. Prepare The Flooring and Walls
Even with the best ventilation systems, your room will still be exposed to moisture every time you lift the cover of your spa.
To maintain the integrity of your room, you’ll need to take a few extra steps to prepare your space before your spa arrives.
Moisture-Resistant Walls:
The standard drywall in your room isn’t designed to withstand high levels of humidity.
Before you proceed with your hot tub installation, you’ll want to replace your existing walls with moisture-resistant drywall, similar to the type used in your bathrooms. Additionally, ensure that the vapor barrier beneath the wall coverings is intact to shield the structural frame of your walls from moisture damage.
Beyond just upgrading to moisture-resistant drywall, consider other durable materials such as glass, which is exceptionally effective at handling moisture. This material not only offers superior resistance to dampness but also adds a modern touch to your indoor spa environment.
Water-Resistant Flooring:
Apart from your walls, you’ll also want to ensure the flooring in your room can withstand any water that may be splashed on it.
Each time you step out of your spa, you’re bound to get water on the floor. Installing water-resistant flooring is key in combating this. Furthermore, you’ll want to choose a type of flooring that’s anti-slip to ensure everyone is able to maintain their footing even with wet feet.
5. Install The Correct Electrical Outlet
Hot tubs have very specific electrical requirements, and it’s important to take the necessary steps to ensure the electrical safety of your space.
Here are two things to consider when it comes to your spa’s electrical requirements:
Opt for a Plug and Play Spa:
There are some spas that are equipped with lower-voltage motors, such as the 120V X6R spa from Bullfrog Spas®️.
These spas are typically referred to as Plug and Play hot tubs because they can plug directly into a standard outlet, removing the need to run a dedicated line.
Hire a Professional Electrician:
If you’ve selected a spa that requires more voltage, like most standard 240V spas, a vital part of your installation process will be hiring an electrician to come in and run the dedicated line.
Indoor Hot Tubs For Sale in San Jose & The Bay Area
Are you ready to transform that empty space in your home into an aquatic paradise?
At Paradise Valley Spas, you’ll find everything you need to create the space of your dreams. From compact hot tubs perfect for any space to premium covers and all your basic care necessities, we’ve got you covered.
With eight locations throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, our experts are around the corner!
Contact your nearest location today, or stop by the showroom to explore your options in person.
Get ready to embrace a whole new way to relax at home!
