When you come across installing your hot tub, there will be many questions in your mind. Should I install the tub as-is on the surface of my room? How can I level my hot tub?
As easy as it may seem, it is essential to level your hot tub before using it. Failure to balancing the hot tub may cause the water levels to be spread unevenly, and there is a chance that your tub might break due to varying water levels.
If there are any dips present underneath the tub’s surface area, it will cause stress to the tub, which may cause the shell to crack or break in some instances.
So, how to level a hot tub? Do not worry. We have you covered in this article. Just follow the step-by-step process mentioned underneath to balance your hot tub.
How to Level Ground for the Hot Tub?
You can quickly level the ground for the hot tub by following our easy to follow 5 step process. The steps are as follows:
1. Marking
Before purchasing a hot tub for yourself, you must consider the tub measurements, whether it will fit inside your house if you are so willing, or is it compact enough to install outside such that it will not cause any inconvenience to your neighbors.
Next, you should go through the manual to get accurate measurements of the hot tub to prepare yourself for the installation process.
If the manual is generic and does not specify precisely mathematically sizes, then you can place the box on the surface and mark the boundaries with a piece of chalk or marking paint. It will enable you to visualize the area it will occupy, and that needs preparing.
Related Read: Do Hot Tubs Need A GFCI Breaker?
2. Filling
If you are not using plastic shims to balance the hot tub on the surface or the ground of your premises, we suggest you fill the area with a dry layer of sand. It is necessary because some hot tubs are uneven from certain angles and do not need equal balancing from all angels.
Soft sand can adapt itself to various shapes. Therefore, it will help cater to this problem by adjusting in a manner that balances the hot tub evenly from all sides.
You should never place your hot tub directly on grass as it may cause unnecessary stress to the tub’s shell. Always put sad on top of the grass if you plan on using your hot tub outside the premises.
3. Cutting
Once the sand has settled adequately on top of the surface, you should purchase a wooden slab and cut it according to the chalking measurements that you had done earlier in step 1.
Typically, hot tubs do not exceed 1-inch thick by 6-inch wide in size, so you can cut it accordingly to save on the cost. We suggest you make use of a miter saw for cutting the board as it makes the cutting process much more manageable.
4. Fixing
After you have finished cutting the board, you should slide it from one corner of the chalked area to the next. It should be slow so that the sand deposits appropriately in the ground cavities. Next, you should remove the slide and carefully inspect if all ground cavities have filled up appropriately.
Once you are satisfied with the sand deposits, you may water the area so that the sand becomes firm in those cavities to save you from any potential balancing problems.
5. Sweeping
After following all of the above mentioned four steps chronologically, you should clean the chalked area’s surroundings to eliminate excess sand. You can sweep the floor by using a broom and discarding any waste using disposable bags.
Following the steps mentioned above will ensure proper hygiene and enable you to enjoy a pleasant time in the hot tub without worrying about breaking your hot tub.
Related Read: How Thick Does A Concrete Need To Be For A Hot Tub?
What Happens If I Don’t Level My Hot Tub?
Hot tubs are built to distribute water evenly to all the recipients inside the tub. If the hot tub is not leveled, there is a high chance that it may crack or break down altogether.
We stressed earlier that it is pivotal to balance a hot tub to ensure that it performs well and does not break. If you do not follow those guidelines, the chances are that the hot tub may change its position, leading to equipment damage subject to the way the hot tub collided with the surface upon which it has been placed.
You Might Need To Repair The Hot Tub
The cost of replacing damaged equipment and repairing charges are not insignificant and can have a heavy financial bearing on most individuals.
There are certain countries where houses are made of wooden flooring. If you plan on placing your hot tub on the wooden floors, you should first hire an expert to determine if it can withstand the hot tub’s weight. Placing the hot tub on such wooden flooring in negligence can cause both the flooring and hot tub to get damaged.
Some hot tub manufacturers exclusively mention that the hot tub should be installed so that all its sides are equally balanced. Failure to do so may result in voiding the warranty of the hot tub.
You Might Crack The Hot Tub
You will notice that the water level is high in some regions of the tub and may as well hear cracking sounds from underneath the hot tub.
You may hear cracking sounds from underneath the hot tub when it is subject to uneven ground levels. It may cause the tub to crack from certain areas while the equipment that comes into contact with this pressure may also break down.
When the tub’s water levels are not distributed evenly, it puts additional weight in those parts of the tub containing the highest water amount. It may cause damage to the frame or the acrylic shell of the hot tub.
A damaged shell or broken equipment can cause hundreds, if not thousands of dollars of repair.
Related Read: How to Use Your Hot Tub Control Panel?
Does a Hot Tub Need to Be Perfectly Level?
It is pivotal to balance your hot tub perfectly; otherwise, it may stress the tub’s shell leading it to crack or break altogether.
Leveling of the hot tub is essential not because of the cons associated with it, but also because it is necessary to deliver or meet user satisfaction. Imagine sitting in a hot tub which is not leveled adequately.
Related Read: Can You Put Inflatable Hot Tubs On Decking?
Can I Use Shims to Level a Hot Tub?
If you don’t have a large budget to change your decks or your base, then you can definitely use shims to level a hot tub. Just make sure to don’t use wooden shims, use plastic shims instead.
Some Manufacturers Don’t Allow it
You might have come across certain hot tub users who prohibit you from using shims to balance your hot tub. That might be because certain manufacturers do not provide an area underneath the hot tub to fix those shims.
Also, some manufacturers exclusively mention not to use shims for balancing the hot tubs as it may automatically void the official warranty. Despite that, if you follow our guidelines and are willing to take the risk, you can install shims to support your hot tub and balance it perfectly.
If You Do, Don’t Use Wooden Shims
Before giving any advice, we recommend you not to use wooden shims for supporting hot tubs. When wood gets exposed to water or moisture produced by the tub’s heat, it slowly begins to lose its strength until it eventually breaks down.
It can be dangerous for everyone in such an event, including the users of the hot tub, the hot tub itself, and the flooring.
Use Plastic Shims
We recommend using plastic shims that are readily available at most supermarkets and have high endurance and strength to withstand too humid temperatures.
If you are having trouble installing shims underneath your hot tub, consider looking at the user manual provided by your hot tub’s manufacturer.
How to Level a Hot Tub on Pavers?
Pavers that are an inch higher in height can cause stress to the hot tub’s surface area leading it to crack or break down.
Make use of pavers that are smooth and consistent in height for your hot tubs. In simple terms, choose a flat paver for using your hot tub instead of pavers made up of variable heights.
1. Choose The Pavern Size
If you come across pavers that are not even in height and can cause potential damage to the hot tub’s surface area, you can use sand to cover the missing spaces and then scale it using a wooden tab such that it makes the surface area flat. For further details on how to level such a ground, check the beginning of this post.
2. Use Shims
If you are not comfortable using sand, then the next best alternative is to use shims for balancing your hot tub. Most hot tubs come with features that allow shims’ fixation, whereas certain hot tub manufacturers like Jacuzzi do not support shims.
If you are lucky enough, then you can purchase plastic shims from your local supermarket and follow the instruction manual provided by your hot tub’s manufacturer. Whatever you do, do not use wooden shims as they tend to rot in the long-run.
It does not matter whether the pavers are made up of concrete, rubber, brick, or cobblestone. As long as they have been perfectly balanced using the techniques mentioned in this article, then you can safely use your hot tubs without fearing any damage to the tub’s surface area.
How to Level a Hot Tub on Concrete?
1.Empty The Hot Tub
Before installing any shims underneath the tub’s surface area, it is essential to ensure that the tub is empty and does not contain anything inside it, except the essentials that come with it. It makes it easy to move the tub during the installation process.
2. Use Shims Only if the Slope Is Less Than 1-inch
You can only use shimming to balance the hot tub in a sloped area if the slope is less than 1 inch. Suppose the pitch is higher than 1 inch. In that case, we would suggest leveling the surface using concrete with the assistance of a professional familiar with construction and household improvements.
Do note that not all hot tubs provide support for shims. We recommend you refer to your tub’s user manual to evaluate if installing shims is a possibility. If that is a possibility, then only purchase it from your local supermarket or Amazon.
3. Use Spa Level
A spa level can be used anytime, but it’s recommended to use it only if the slope is more than 1-inch. The spa level comes with adjustable feet that make it possible for you to level up the concrete base.
Before putting the spa level in its place, you need to move the hot tub and know how far out of level is the concrete base. With that information, you will know where to put the spa level.
Did We Cover Everything About Leveling Your Hot Tub?
Let us know in the comments down below what method helped you to level your hot tub.
