When you are thinking about buying a hot tub, there are several electrical limitations to take into account to ensure your satisfaction with this relaxing addition to your home. And if you gather just a little information before you head out shopping, you could save yourself a lot of time and money.
What You Need To Power Your New Hot Tub
A new hot tub will demand some significant power to create all of that soothing warm water and myriad of bubbles. And you are going to need to have the unit on a separate breaker. So head to your electrical panel to make sure you have the space necessary for your tub. In most cases, you will need two full-sized spaces on the panel to deliver the 240-volt power that larger spas and tubs demand.
Next, verify the electrical service running to your home. Older homes were often built with only 60 or 100 amp service. And that might not be adequate for this new addition. You might need to consider a heavy upgrade to increase your home’s electrical service to 150 or 200 amp service. It is pretty standard on newer homes in the area. And while it is an added expense for your hot tub installation project, it will increase the value of your home and avoid issues in the future with other high-demand features like your HVAC system and home electronics.
Things To Verify With Your Hot Tub Vendor
Every hot tub is just a little bit different. So verifying a few pieces of critical information with the salesperson can save you some time, money, and frustration when you are waiting to enjoy your new tub. First, verify the power requirement. It will be either 110-volt or 240-volt. Next, confirm the load requirement for the circuit. Most will use a 50 amp circuit, but some will require 60 amps. And finally, check on the location of the wiring access panel. This can have an impact on the site of the tub for future service or at least the way you place the spa to make the electrical connections less complicated and costly.
Consider Your Wire Path
Unfortunately, you could be installing a long run of electrical wiring to provide power to your new hot tub. And each foot of wire is going to add to the cost and complexity of the project. Think about where your home’s electrical panel is located and where you plan to locate the hot tub. There needs to be some form of access from one point to the other. And your three choices for getting the wiring from point A to point B are :
- Exposed Conduit- This process runs the conduit along the foundation of your home or on a wall or block fence. The conduit will sometimes be visible using this process.
- Underground Conduit- This installation uses a conduit that is buried in a small trench and is not visible once the installation is completed.
- Through An Attic Or Basement- If you can run the wiring through your home in an unfinished area, you could substantially drop the installation cost and avoid digging a trench around your home.
Thinking about all of these factors as you plan for your new hot tub can significantly reduce your stress as the project comes together. Call (703) 463-9866 to speak to the licensed electricians at Circuit Doctors if you have any questions about gathering this information. With no unexpected bumps in the road, you can enjoy your hot tub very soon.
