Outdoor Hot Tubs in New England Winters

[hotubhotub]

I am totally new to the world of hot tubs. We just purchased a Hot Springs Aria and if all goes well, it should be installed and running by the first week of November. We having a 12 x 12 deck addition built off of our existing deck and that’s where we are putting it. It will be off the back of our house and about 10 ft off of the ground. I live in MA and the winters can be just about anything that you can imagine. Given the way that it’s gone the last few years, I anticipate at least a few heavy snowstorms.
    I’m curious to know any tips & advice as to the best way to handle the elements from other owners who live in the northeast or similar climate. I obviously want to stay on top of getting the snow cleared from the tub and tub area. Are there special snow removal tools used specifically for hot tubs so that you don’t damage the cover? Are there special tarps or something similar that I should consider as well? Removing powdery snow is one thing, but when it comes to heavy wet snow and combinations with ice storms, I get visions of a major headache along with a backache.
   Long term I’m thinking of some sort of retractable awning but that’s not in the budget any time soon. The initial cost of the tub and deck is enough to digest for now.

[Waterbug]

  Hot tubs 10 feet off of the ground, make me nervous.  I like to put extra support in the area under the tub and it can be an eyesore on a deck that is elevated that high.  I hope that the load of the tub, with additional snow load, was calculated into the design og the deck.

[hotubhotub]

Thanks for the concern. It's designed specifically for carrying the extra weight. It will have the ledger, 3 carrying beams and 9-6x6 posts with "bigfoot" footings. I don't have the calculated deck load in lbs/psf handy but I will tomorrow night when I go over the final details with the builder.

[wmccall]

Thanks for the concern. It's designed specifically for carrying the extra weight. It will have the ledger, 3 carrying beams and 9-6x6 posts with "bigfoot" footings. I don't have the calculated deck load in lbs/psf handy but I will tomorrow night when I go over the final details with the builder.

Would love to see photos when that is finished.

[Waterbug]

Thanks for the concern. It's designed specifically for carrying the extra weight. It will have the ledger, 3 carrying beams and 9-6x6 posts with "bigfoot" footings. I don't have the calculated deck load in lbs/psf handy but I will tomorrow night when I go over the final details with the builder.

  Sounds good !! That would put the posts on roughly 5 foot centers.  Those 6"X6" are necessary due to the height.  Your tub is at a height equivalent to being on the second story.  A lot of people try to skimp on the posts, to make the space under the deck more usable.  As is, it would still make a good covered storage area, if you constructed a secondary roof under the deck surface.  I'm not an engineer, but some cross bracing may be necessary between the 6"X6"s, to prevent sway.
   Sorry if I took this off topic.   

[hotubhotub]

I'll be sure to post some pics when we're finished. Now back to getting some feedback on my original post.

[Spacepuppy]

I just use a broom to push the snow off the cover and then shovel the snow away from the tub, but if you dont stay on it the snow will partially melt and get heavy then it is tougher to shovel it away as it further compacts as you push it off the cover but if you dont get rid of it you will have gigantic piles of snow built up next to the tub, at least thats my expierence in Michigan.

[Tman122]

I am totally new to the world of hot tubs. We just purchased a Hot Springs Aria and if all goes well, it should be installed and running by the first week of November. We having a 12 x 12 deck addition built off of our existing deck and that’s where we are putting it. It will be off the back of our house and about 10 ft off of the ground. I live in MA and the winters can be just about anything that you can imagine. Given the way that it’s gone the last few years, I anticipate at least a few heavy snowstorms.
    I’m curious to know any tips & advice as to the best way to handle the elements from other owners who live in the northeast or similar climate. I obviously want to stay on top of getting the snow cleared from the tub and tub area. Are there special snow removal tools used specifically for hot tubs so that you don’t damage the cover? Are there special tarps or something similar that I should consider as well? Removing powdery snow is one thing, but when it comes to heavy wet snow and combinations with ice storms, I get visions of a major headache along with a backache.
   Long term I’m thinking of some sort of retractable awning but that’s not in the budget any time soon. The initial cost of the tub and deck is enough to digest for now.

Just about any quality brand will be fine for your moderate winters in the New England area.

[Spatech_tuo]

I live in MA and the winters can be just about anything that you can imagine. Given the way that it’s gone the last few years, I anticipate at least a few heavy snowstorms.

Just about any quality brand will be fine for your moderate winters in the New England area.

"Moderate" New England winters?

LOL, a guy from the southern province of Minnesota can say that I guess.

[Spacepuppy]

 Comments like those last two make me wonder what the motives of the poster are. The first answers a question that wasent even asked and the second poo-poos the winter in Duluth Minnosota where they expierence one of the widest tempature changes in the world and recieve some 80 inches of snow every year.
 
maybe its because I was surrounded by the salesman culture for so long

[Spatech_tuo]

Comments like those last two make me wonder what the motives of the poster are. The first answers a question that wasent even asked and the second poo-poos the winter in Duluth Minnosota where they expierence one of the widest tempature changes in the world and recieve some 80 inches of snow every year.
 
maybe its because I was surrounded by the salesman culture for so long

Seriously? Um I think we were joking if you didn't catch that. This forum is about helping each other but some of us have been on here for years and actually have some fun from time to time in our posts. There is nothing wrong with a balance between answering questions in a technical manner and conversing in a lighter manner from time to time so please don't all of a sudden join up and try to immediately begin to moderate those of us who've been around awhile.

[Spacepuppy]

Put yourself in the position of someone reading your posts for the first time, people that find this place by surfing the web are not going to be in on your personal relationships and dont have the time to surf all your old posts to try and figure it out, you need to be tecnical and save the fun little jabs at eachother for a forum more suited to that kind of bnanter. I am pretty sure based on the other posts I have read that this post is likely to piss a few people off but if your goal is to help people make informed decisions about purchasing a hot tub or helping people service their tub then you should be doing in a more professional manner.

[Spatech_tuo]

Put yourself in the position of someone reading your posts for the first time,

I easily can put myself in that position and know for a fact I would have never made your original post and certainly wouldn't have followed it up with another to scold/judge us further.

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

We're not allowed to have fun around here any more? I want a raise!

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

AND, I think we need to charge people more to ask a question.