Your basement can really be whatever you want it to be—you can use it to store your holiday decorations and outgrown toys and games, you can create the laundry room of your dreams, which can be quickly hidden from guests with the close of a door, or you can really spruce up the place and make it an extra spacious bedroom.
But you are reading this post because, like me, you are thinking even more adventurously when it comes to the utilization of all that space. Hot tubs! Before you haul the tub down the stairs and turn on the pump, read through this article. I have collected a few of the considerations that I found most helpful in making my decision.
Hot tubs can go in basements with enough space and even floors. But there is a high risk of the basement flooding. The hot tub is difficult to fill. The basement can get too cold to use the hot tub comfortably and safely. Rodents can chew through the plastic. Furnaces or boilers can melt the plastic.
Inflatable Hot Tubs Can Be Put in Basements
You can definitely fulfill your dream of an indoor spa by putting an inflatable hot tub in your basement. You just need to make sure that your basement floor is perfectly flat and even in order to be compliant with most manufacturers’ requirements. If your floor is currently uneven, I have a few suggestions for Basement Flooring Options Over Uneven Concrete.
You also need to make sure that your basement is large enough to accommodate the hot tub, as well as have sufficient space around it to allow for free movement when getting in and out. It also cannot block off access to the egress points, subpanels, and other important appliances.
Most four-person inflatable hot tubs are on average 80″ by 30″, so as long as the dimensions of your basement are large enough, then it will be a perfect spot for your hot tub.
The general lack of wiring of inflatable hot tubs makes them great for use in your basement. There will be fewer tripping hazard involved and improves overall general safety.
Then, once it’s down there, you can add some lamps and remove any curtains covering windows to ensure maximum sun infiltration, install a mini-fridge, and you have got yourself a great indoor ‘pool house’.
Reasons to Put Hot Tub in Basement
Having an inflatable hot tub in your basement is not only possible, but it is actually a really great idea for a number of reasons.
- Unlike outdoor hot tubs, you won’t need to wait for good weather before you use it. You can simply enjoy the indoor hot tub every single day, no matter the season. It is a great way to really get the most out of your money, as many outdoor hot tubs can go unused most of the year because of this reason.
- Since you will be indoors, there will be really no need to remember to apply SPF before you enter your hot tub. You can safely enjoy the warm bubbles without needing to worry about becoming as red as ketchup or acquiring skin damage.
- Another benefit of having your hot tub indoors is that you will have ultimate privacy. You won’t need to plant trees or build walls to keep out your neighbor’s prying eyes. You also won’t have to worry about tubbing in a swimsuit if you’d prefer not to! Ultimately, you can do whatever you see fit as you won’t be in the public eye.
- If you weren’t really using your basement for much else besides the occasional storage, then putting an inflatable hot tub there is a sure fire way to make use of the unused space. You will be getting bang for your buck when it comes to your home as you will truly be enjoying every inch of it on a regular basis.
- A true pro is that your hot tub won’t get nearly as dirty indoors as it would get if it were outside. Yes, you will still need to clean it regularly to remove any bacteria or to replace the water, but you won’t need to clean out leaves or floating bugs.
5 Things That Could Go Wrong
Despite the many advantageous reasons for putting an inflatable hot tub in your basement, you also need to be aware that things can still go wrong.
1. Flooding Your Basement
We all know that water and basements are not a great mix (yet, they always seem to be found in each other’s company), so you need to be extra careful if you have an inflatable hot tub in your basement.
If you over-inflate the hot tub, it can actually easily collapse or deform when you fill it with water. This is because the huge volume of water will put pressure on the walls of the highly pressurized hot tub, causing it to give in. You will then have a huge flood on your hands!
This can be quite a mission to clean up, especially if you do not have a walk-out basement with a door that will allow you to easily drain out the water.
2. Difficulty Filling It
Most of your standard inflatable hot tubs require at least 2000 lbs of water to fill it completely. That can equate to a lot of trips with buckets up and down your basement stairs if you do not have a water point in your basement.
This in itself is a huge hazard as it is not uncommon for water to spill out of a bucket when you are carrying it. So be careful, or you could slip and seriously injure yourself on the stairs.
Your water hose might also not be long enough to reach inside the basement from the outside, which really makes filling the hot tub and maintaining the water level quite a pain. This can even lead to other issues, like skipping some necessary maintenance because draining and filling the tub is such a hassle.
3. Basements Can Get Really Cold
We all know that basements tend to get really cold as they receive less sunlight and have higher humidity levels than other parts of the house. Having your hot tub in your basement can be great, but when it gets too cold you might be put off making the trek downstairs and not wanting to take off your warm jumper.
Obviously, you will feel better once you are inside the hot tub, but it can still be a really uncomfortable experience if your head and shoulders are in the cold while the rest of your body is toasty warm.
If it gets truly cold, the actual hot tub could be affected. Low temperatures can damage the motor of the hot tub as it will be over-exerted. If the temperature drops below 40 degrees, your pump could freeze altogether. So, manufacturers recommend not using your inflatable tub during really cold weather.
4. Rodents Can Chew Through Inflatable Hot Tub
Rodents can be a really serious problem for any homeowner. They can get into your food, chew through wires, or even get stuck in your walls until they die and you have a really smelly fly problem on your hands.
Rodents are attracted to areas that are darker, warmer, and have a good supply of water. If you put your hot tub in your basement, you could be inadvertently putting a ‘Rodents Welcome’ sign on your door.
If the rodents manage to enter your basement, then you run the risk of them chewing through your inflatable hot tub, which not only renders it unusable, but if it is filled up, will cause a flood in your basement.
5. Plastic Can Melt if Too Close to Appliances
Another big issue can occur if you have a hot tub in your basement. If, like most homes, you have your boilers and furnaces in your basement (some people even have additional heating systems like pellet stoves), you need to make sure that the inflatable hot tub is set up a good distance away from them.
This is vitally important because if the hot tub is too close to these appliances, which are generally very hot, the plastic will melt. Forgetting flooding and the damage to your hot tub, you could potentially have a fire hazard on your hands as well!
If you happen to not be home when this disaster occurs, it could end up having drastic consequences for you as the plastic could be melted into the floor and can then be quite difficult to remove.
Sources
https://outbax.com.au/blog/post/how-to-set-up-your-inflatable-hot-tub-indoors
https://www.hottubfocus.com/can-inflatable-hot-tubs-be-used-indoors/
https://cementanswers.com/can-you-put-inflatable-hot-tub-in-basement/