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Can a Hot Tub Be Installed Indoors?

 

I know most people like hot tubs because of the outdoor life they offer, but if it came down to it, can a hot tub be installed indoors? Well, I've owned a few hot tubs over the years and I located all of them in my yard. So I did some research, and this is what I found.

Yes, you most certainly can install a hot tub indoors, and you can create a beautiful feature in the process.

There are as many if not more options for indoor spars as there are for the outdoor variety. So if you're interested in creating your own spa room, let's dive right in.

 

What do you put under an indoor hot tub?

The beauty of an indoor hot tub is that you can place them on just about anything. You don’t need to worry about insulation.

However, the floor in your house was probably not designed to take a hot tub, so it’s not a case of what you put under it but what it sits on.

The two primary considerations are:

●        weight

●        water resistance

The weight of your hot tub is far more critical inside your home than it is outside. Just read this recent article here on my website to find out why by clicking on the link.

An average 6-person hot tub full of water and people can weigh as much as 4,000 pounds.

On a solid concrete floor, this shouldn’t present a problem, but timber floors aren’t designed for this kind of weight, so you will have to look at strengthening it. This is not a straightforward matter and I recommend you get a professional in to look at this on your behalf.

Having established that the floor is strong enough to take the weight, you next need to look at the floor covering. This must be a material that can resist moisture and not create a slip hazard.

Things to avoid are:

●        bare wood

●        laminate flooring

●        carpet

Ideal floor coverings include:

●        stone pavers

●        ceramic tiles

●        sheet vinyl

The final choice is down to you. As I said earlier, bringing your hot tub indoors provides a great opportunity to create a spa experience second to none. Especially so if you can use a sunroom or other space you can open up to the outside world while remaining in your home.

How do you ventilate a room for a hot tub?

As we all know, hot tubs create an enormous amount of water vapor, usually laden with the chemicals from the sanitization process. In the open, this doesn't present a problem, but in your home, it can lead to major issues.

In most rooms in your home you will have windows, but even leaving these fully open will not get rid of the steam generated by your hot tub.

Small domestic fans do little to help, either.

The average 90" x 90" hot tub will lose around 8,000 cu. inches of water in a week. That's about 35 gallons. Imagine, 5 gallons of water vapor swishing around the room every day!

Okay, I get that you won't be using your hot tub every day, and when not in use, you will keep the cover on, but you get the idea.

So for your hot tub room, you need something much bigger.

The other consideration is the size of your hot tub room. Obviously, in a smaller space, you will get a greater concentration of water vapor, but in some ways, that's easier to handle.

Larger rooms have more space for the water vapor to hide and cause damage to the structure and finishes.

One piece of equipment I came across is the Genesis Twin Fan High Velocity Reversible AirFlow unit. You can find the latest prices and availability on Amazon by clicking on the link.

This neat piece of equipment has a fully adjustable thermostat with a range from 60 to 80 degrees and 3 speed settings to make sure you're getting rid of all that steam.

The great thing about this unit is the twin 9" fan heads, each with its own copper motor, essential in the harsh environment of a spa room.

Sized at 24" x 12" x 4" wide, the Genesis twin fan sits neatly into the window opening when the hot tub is in use and you can easily stow it away when you don't need it. The expandable side panels provide an additional 6.5" of cover each side for larger window openings.

One final feature worth mentioning is the reversible blades that allow the unit to operate for intake or exhaust at the press of a button. This way, you get fresh air into the room when you're not using the hot tub.

 

 

How do you control humidity in a hot tub room?

The other important thing to consider when installing a hot tub indoors is humidity. While it's essential to get rid of all that steam, you also need to maintain good levels of humidity for your comfort.

Dehumidifiers are designed to absorb moisture from the air when the hot tub is not in use. They use heat to draw in the moisture through a compressor, which runs into a tank for manual emptying when full.

There are lots of these around but one I like, because of the great reviews, is the hOmeLabs Energy Star Dehumidifier. (Home Technologies, LLC is the trading name). Check out the latest price and availability here on Amazon by clicking on the link.

Designed for use in rooms of varying sizes – 1,500, 3,000, 3,500, 4,000, and 4,500 sq ft. – you are sure to get one that suits your space. The larger models have a pump to improve efficiency.

The hOmeLabs Energy Star Dehumidifier can remove between 22 and 50 pints of water a day, and being Energy Star certified, it can do this without racking up a huge energy bill.

This portable dehumidifier features a turbo mode to increase the fan speed from 118 cu. ft. per minute to 135 cu. ft. per minute for maximum moisture removal.

The other great thing about these models is they look good too, with a nice sleek finish that won't spoil the ambiance of your spa room.

It's easy to adjust the settings so all you do is leave the dehumidifier to run through the preset 24-hour cycle, or until the tank is full, at which point it shuts off automatically.

The hOmeLabs Energy Star Dehumidifier can be connected via a garden hose to a drain outlet for continuous draining if you don't like the idea of emptying the tank yourself.

 

How do you get a hot tub inside?

Often the problem is not where to position your hot tub, but how to get it there in the first place.

The first thing to ask is, "will I get it through the door?" Take a look at this recent article on my website on this subject. Just click on the link to read it.

For an average hot tub, you will need a clear opening size of 33” x 80”. This shouldn’t be a problem for most installations because hot tubs are maneuvered into place on their side.

Unless you are prepared to go to trouble and expense of making the opening taller or wider – which would involve major structural work – you should choose your hot tub based on what will fit through the existing opening.

I wrote about the best hot tubs for indoor use in a recent article and you can read it here on my website by clicking on the link. There is a massive choice within this range to suit most families, so you shouldn’t have to make too many changes.

The other aspect of getting a hot tub inside your home is the physical process of manhandling it through the passages and openings. This is something best left to the installation team – they are the experts in how to lift, carry and maneuver the hot tub without causing damage to the tub or your walls.

 

Can you put a hot tub inside a garage?

Putting a hot tub inside your garage is an excellent idea, but there are a few things you have to think about. First of all, aspect.

Garages are designed to house a car, therefore they usually face onto your driveway. At best, you will have a view of the street, but with a little bit of thought, you can screen off the garage from your neighbors to give you privacy.

The next consideration should be the water supply and electricity.

The usual way to fill a hot tub is by use of a garden hose, so provided you have a connection nearby, this shouldn’t be a problem.

A 220v tub must be hard-wired into the main electrical system for the house via a disconnect box, which cuts off the electrical supply in the event of a fault such as a short-circuit. If your garage doesn’t have a suitable supply, then you will have to install one.

Having established that you can get water and power to your hot tub, you then need to think about how you get to your garage from the house. Running down the driveway in a robe in full view of the neighbors isn’t ideal, so you might want to think about how this is going to work as well.

 

Do you need a floor drain for an indoor hot tub?

You don't necessarily have to provide any additional drainage or plumbing to your indoor hot tub. Provided you have an opening to the outside, via windows or doors, you can fill and empty your hot tub just as would an external one.

However, if your budget can extend to making internal alterations, you will find significant benefit in installing a floor drain and a water supply, just for convenience. You can position your hot tub over the floor drain for direct emptying or a few feet away if you use a pump.

A word of warning!  A submersible pump can drain 2,000 gallons of water in one hour, emptying a 300-gallon tub in less than 10 minutes. That’s a lot of water over a short time, so you need to size your floor drain to match this.

You will also need a floor drain with a removable cover so that the pump can be connected directly into the drain. Otherwise, you risk the water running out all over the floor.

The next thing to consider is where to connect the floor drain. The best solution would be to connect to the main sewer but you shouldn’t run it to a storm drain as these lead to watercourses and your hot tub water will contain contaminants.

 

 

 

 

Indoor hot tub common problems

From my research, I have compiled a list of common problems and potential solutions to indoor hot tub installations.

Problem	Solution	Considerations
Getting water in the hot tub	If you don’t have a water supply in the room where the tub is located, run a hose to the nearest point.	If your water supply has a softener attached, disconnect this while you fill.
Emptying the hot tub	Install a floor drain or use a sump pump to pump the water outside.	You should not connect a floor drain to storm drains.
Getting rid of steam	Use a twin 9” high-velocity fan in a window opening.	You may need a separate electrical supply for this.
Floor collapsing because of the weight	Have the floor checked out by a professional. The hot tub supplier may have people who can do this for you.	A full hot tub is likely to weigh at least twice as much as the standard floor capacity of a house.
Water damage to the structure and finishes	Good ventilation and humidity control are essential, but the use of anti-mold paint will also help keep surfaces looking good.	Water vapor gets everywhere. Also, spillage can seep through gaps in finishes. Be sure to cover all aspects.
Getting the hot tub into position	Doorways and corridors can make life difficult, so leave it to the installation team if you can.	Even empty, an average hot tub can weigh up to 1,000 pounds.
Storage for chemicals	Ideally, you should have a cupboard where you can store your chlorine, test strips, and cleaning materials safely and away from dampness.	It’s important to keep certain materials separately to avoid toxic fumes building up.

 

Did I cover all you wanted to know about installing a hot tub indoors?

An indoor hot tub can be a great addition to your home, especially if you can combine it in some ways with the outside world. Imagine if you can looking out onto your garden, lit up at night, even in the depths of winter.

But you have a lot to think about. Bringing something like a hot tub indoors has its problems and you will need to address these before making the investment.

I hope this article gives you all you need to help you decide what’s best for you. If you need any more advice, just drop me an email – I’d be glad to help. And don't forget to click on those links to read other associated articles here on my site.