Sundance Warranty from Owner's Manual

[dazedandconfused]

See below

From Sundance Owner's Manual

'Because of the combined weight of the hot tub, water and users, it is extremely important that the base upon which the hot tub rests be smooth, flat, level and capable of uniformly supporting this weight, without shifting or settling, for the entire time the hot tub is in place. If the hot tub isplaced on a surface which does not meet these requirements, damage to the skirt and/or the hot tub shell may result. Damage caused by improper support is not covered under warranty. It is the responsibility of the hot tub owner to assure the integrity of the support at all times.'

So technically, if you install their product on a surface that is not level, your warranty is void!

Am I reading this correctly?

Then, on the sale page in the manual, it says

'The hot tub must be installed in such a manner as to provide drainage away from the hot tub. Placing the hot tub in a depression without provisions for proper drainage could allow rain, overflow and other casual water to flood theequipment and create a wet condition in which it would sit.'

How would you provide for drainage, like requested, on a level surface???

Any help out there?

Thanks

[dazedandconfused]

Thats from page 8 of the manual.

[Brewman]

 Merely placing the spa will not invalidate the warranty, regardless of the base.   If your spa suffers damage because your foundation has shifted, repairs will not be covered under the warranty.  Just be sure to not skimp on your foundation.  

You should place your foundation so that the spa isn't lower than the surrounding ground.  This will prevent water from pooling around the base of the spa.  
Brewman

[empolgation]

"Drainage away from the hot tub" refers to area around the hot tub - you basically can't have the area around the hot tub higher such that water will collect around the tub. If it's level and not in a depression you should be fine. If for some reason you are in a depression you need to be sure of proper drainage around the tub - what the tub sits on.

[doodoo]

Have'nt you bought your tub yet.

The warranty issue with regard to a level surface is to ensure that you do not have a surface that will permit your tub to have a pressure point. Ie. the teeter totter effect which when filling and using your tub could crack the base/foam/shell. So yes, if you do not have a level surface and something happens, the warranty is null and void.  

My dealer took his level out prior to 'dropping' the tub in place to make certain that this would not be a problem. His point was that if the surface was not level he would note it and inform the client that the surface would nullify the warranty unless the surface was corrected prior to putting the tub in place. I want to point out that the warranty is with the dealer and not Sundance. Although should the dealer get out of business or not come through on their responsibilities Sundance would step in.

In your case if you install the tub yourself and something happens as a result of an improper level surface which the tub rests on, it will nullify your warranty with your dealer, unless he/she is really really nice.

Like others here, the drainage requirement is to ensure that you do not get pool of water at the base of your tub. Splashing will occur and rain will  drip over the edges but it needs to move away from the structure just like a house.  

Slope the areas a bit away from your tub or in the extreme provide for drainage underneath your tub (I had to do that).

[cparlf]

Thanks D&Z for starting the great string of communications.  Doodoo, when you mentioned slope away from the tub, I take it you mean the ground, and not the concrete lip around the tub?  I am considering a 1 to 2 foot lip around the perimeter for a standing / walking area.  Just on three sides, a bit less on the cover fold side.  Or is a two to three foot lip just in front a better option?

Also, I have been talking to concrete people, and did not think of getting a "must be level" clause in the contract but after this topic I will certainly do so.  Who would think you would need such a clause, but who knows these days.

[doodoo]

Like empolgation said. The slope is the area around the tub and not the pad itself. I too have a lip, on the mechanicals side only, to make things cleaner. The pad is level but i my case I had to put underground drainage. If this canot be achieved then sloping the ground around the tub becomes important. This is even more important in areas like mine where the frost can reach 4' into the ground in winter.

[dazedandconfused]

Well, I have a paver patio with a 1.5% slope.  The low end would be about 1.5 inches low.  The patio was compacted and compacted and compacted.  It is not going anywhere.

If it has to level, any ideas/suggestions to get the spa leveled on the sloped patio?

[doodoo]

Dazed.

By level it is meant to say that the pad is even throughout. So that the tub rests evenly on the pad and that the base does not end up having an area that is not being supported. You can certainly have a degree of slope to the pad.

[Lori]

Dazed,

I have a 1" slope to my patio.  When I asked my dealer (actually all the dealers I was looking at) they all agreed that this was acceptable as level.  I have enough for some run off, but not enough to damage my tub.  All also agreed that much more than that wouldn't be acceptable.

Just my experience.  Have had my tub for 10 months now with no problems.

[johnnythunders]

Guess he did not buy a spa yet..........I am not surpised.JohnnyT

[Maverick]

Catalina Spas states in the owner's manual that the PAD should have a 1" per 10' slope to allow water runoff.

[Spatech_tuo]

See below

From Sundance Owner's Manual

...capable of uniformly supporting this weight, without shifting or settling, for the entire time the hot tub is in place.

This is what they're looking out for. You want a slight slope but it must be a consistent surface!! A dip in the surface will cause stress.

[UnderTheStars]

A slight pitch (1" in 8' - 10') is standard when pouring outdoor slabs.  When the rain stops, surface water drains off the surface rather than just sitting there.  

Spatech & Doodoo are on it - an even/uniform surface that will support all contact points evenly.  If there are high & low points, the shell & frame will be subjected to a lot of force trying to "flex" them.  (Water weighs 8 1/3 pounds per gallon; 400 gallons = 3000+ pounds dead load.  If there is an unsupported section, it will flex over time.)

The pitch of the slab is controlled when the forms are built.  One side of the form is simply built 1" higher than the opposite side.  The "high" side should be the edge of the slab that is on the "uphill" side of the yard.  (Most backyards have a slight slope to them.)  That way, water running "downhill" in the backyard will run onto the slab surface, continue to flow slowly across the concrete in same direction, flow off the slab and continue "downhill" across the yard.  If the slab is pitched the wrong way, surface run-off flowing down the yard will hit the slab and "pond."

Just my 2 cents!