The average spa weighs over 4000 Lb. full of water. The standard is about 80 pounds per square foot.
There is some controversy here among deck builders, partially, I
believe, due to the type of woods being used. If you use redwood for
the frame, it is not quite as strong as the pressure treated fir. The
spa will also be sitting there for a long time, so some of the weaker
constructs that seem OK now will start to sag with time.
So far I have never heard a building inspector say that the deck needs
to
be fixed because it is too strong.
INSTALLING DOWN IN A DECK;
One of my favorite ways to install a spa is to put the spa on a
concrete slab, or on a strong sub decking and build up decking around
the spa's skirt. Because of the inefficiency of taking a spa shell
without the insulated skirt
and placing it down in a deck, it is not recommend except in only very
warm
climates. There is just too much wasted energy doing it that way. I
have
seen many older spa installations built this way, and they all are
expensive
to operate, even the ones with three inches of foam sprayed on the
outer
wall of the shell. Some of the customers tell me horror stories of $150
per month or more in the winter.
Even though the deck level spa lip looks very nice, I do not recommend placing the spa all the way down to the level of the deck for several user friendly ( ergonomic) reasons. I recommend placing the spa about 10 or 12 inches above the decking, and using a spa with a step in area or a high seat. Placing the spa at a height so that the step in is level with the decking makes for the easiest entry and exit. When people soak in hot water to relax, they usually don't like having to "do push-ups" or climb stairs to get out. Also, exiting the spa so you wind up with your butt on the ground is not very ergonomic. It is simply much better to step out over the lip of the spa at ground level, with very little height difference from one foot to the other.
Some people, for aesthetics, will put the spa in the ground, or fully down in the deck. In that case, you must have a spa with steps or a high seat. Many people are now learning the hard way that their stepless spa is hard to get in or out of after spending tens of thousands to get it constructed that way!
There are some rather clever designed spas with a high seat that is a great step for entering the spa. You be the judge if it will work in a deck.
Placing the spa at 10 or 12 inches above the deck also has other advantages. It is much easier to get water samples for testing if you do not have to get down on your knees, bending down to get the elbow length dip, necessary for proper testing. With the spa slightly above the floor level, you can sit on the edge and not get your knees in the snow, dirt, concrete or hard decking. Isn't the whole idea of a spa "comfort and relaxation", not more work!
Removing the cover is a lot easier if you do not have to bend down
to ground level. I had a hot tub that was totally in the ground.
Getting the cover off was a pain. A cover remover would have made it
easier, but it was
still too low.
Having the ability to attach the cover straps straight down to the side
of the cabinet also has two other advantages. It allows a much stronger
hold on the cover by the straps or tie-downs. When the tie-downs are at
90 degrees of angle to the top of the cover it is a much stronger hold
against wind than having the straps stretched out and away from the
cover. The other
advantage is the cover skirt can be much better put to use in keeping
dirt
out of the spa. I have opened up many spas with the straps stretched
out
on the deck and found lots of dirt blown in under the cover. In high
wind
areas it gets really bad.
If the spa has approximately 3 inch rise on the acrylic above the deck, you can make a cut-out in the decking where the tie-downs attach and the cover skirt can be tucked down along the side of the spa. You can also attach grommets to the skirt, anything to keep the dirt out.
IMPORTANT
In order to install a spa in a deck, the spa must NOT be sealed up so that the spa is not repairable. It is not good to place decking right up to the spa and leave no access. (I do not like spas with no removable panels for access all the way around the spa. I would never consider owning one because that is just too stupid!) I once went out on a custom installed jetted bath, in which the equipment was sealed inside a tiled structure with no access. As far as I know the tub is still not working. I would have had to destroy an expensive and beautiful bathroom in order to fix the pump. Just recently, we had a customer with an indoor spa all sealed up in tile; leaking through to the carpet. I told them to hire a contractor to cut an access so we could work on it. The spa now just sits there empty.
There is not one single spa warranty that covers removing the spa for
repairs. If there is no access to the equipment, you will have to pay
extra to make
the spa accessible. I have been involved with a repair where the spa
was
leaking, and had to be extracted by eight strong guys lifting it out,
at
a cost of over $400 to remove and replace it for a warranty repair job.
If you place a spa below the deck, the best way to allow access is
with removable decking pieces. I have seen this many times and it works
very well.
The decking can be supported by removable floor joists, that are not
nailed in place, but are just sitting in a support. It is recommended
to have access
all the way around, or at least on two sides. If the spa has a problem
on
either of the other sides, it can be slid over in the hole created by
removing
the decking.
Another way to install the spa is up against an existing deck. This works quite well, and even better if the spa is 10 or 12 inches above the deck.
The cover lifter or cover remover is a great thing to have. The
most popular are ones that keep the cover down and below so the cover
is not an obstruction to the view. In order to achieve this some
planning is important.
Your spa can be a real pleasure if the cover is easy to operate. If the
cover is in the view, it is not the best. Our favorite cover lifter is
the Super Lift2 by Ideal Cover company. It allows the easiest removal,
and has
a lifetime warranty.
There are many ways to install a spa. The common problems with spa installation is just plain lack of forethought.
When you plan for the cover removal device and intend to put the spa in a deck, you can allow cut-outs for the actuating arms on the side of the spa. We have helped customers set a spa this way. The cover can fit down into a recessed area, beside the back of the spa. These spas are usually set on or close to the end of the deck. The cover can actually be mounted so it sits below the top lip of the spa.
The spas mounted in a deck with no possibility of using a SuperLift, can use a Cover Lift or other type of cover remover that lifts the spa cover, folded in half, straight up at a 90 degree angle from the top of the spa.
Any time you can use a cover lifter, you add ease to your spa use, and help the cover last much longer. The constant scuffing and rubbing caused by putting a loose cover on and off the spa, will wear through the cover's plastic seal over the foam core. Once the core is open to the spas water, is starts to become saturated by water. Once the core is soaked, it becomes worthless for insulation, and very heavy. The shortest life on a spa cover is guaranteed if a small person is putting a large cover on the spa and struggling with it. The cover gets abused quickly this way.
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