Hot Tub inside house on a tiled floor - What to put underneath ? and other tips

[Peterpack]

Hi everyone

I am looking at getting a small hot tub to put inside in a large room which has a tiled floor. What should i put on the floor on top of the tiled floor for the hot tub to sit on ? A tarpulin ?

The room does not have a drain, should i try get a drain installed in the room ?

Any other tips when putting a hot tub inside ?

thanks

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 A drain if possible would be nice, curious what is under the tile, cement, subfloor, basement? 

[Peterpack]

Thanks

It's a cement foundation. nothing underneath

I do have two nice smallish windows just about where i intend to put the hot tub, but i realise i do need to install an exhaust fan and dehumidifier and watch what chemicals i use

[Jacuzzi Jim]

  With that I would say just put it right on the tile, should be fine.   If something happens and it leaks you will have a nice mess to clean up, odds are low that will happen.   I'd say your fine, water changes just run a hose out the door. 

[Peterpack]

Thanks Jim, i am thinking of seeing how hard it is to install a drain, not for draining the tub, but for splash overflow. I would still drain the tub with a hose out the window

[Beck0101]

I'm not sure I'd invest in the drain myself.  If the floor is tiled any "splash" should be easily  manageable with a mop or towel?

Getting a drain that has any amount of meaningful drainage for the entire room would likely involve removing all tile and reinstalling in such a way that proper slopes are achieved to get the water to the drain.  This would likely be a significant project.

My two cents only.

[The Wizard of Spas]

The only remaining potential hiccup thats been unaddressed is what is the base of the tub you are looking at?  If it is wood, the non-drain + standing water + likely unslanted floor could be a long term issue.

Most tubs either have a pan or ABS plastic on the base of the tub but there are still a few out there that are exposed wood.  Be mindful in the off-chance that there is no protection between the floor and any perishable material.

[BullFrogSpasMN]

^^I agree, look for something that has a maintenance free base on it...skip the tarp, that just allows for more cracks and crevices for water to sit which of course causes mold to grow.  Put it directly on the tile and if the room is big enough to allow for it you can always use 2-3 guys to shift the spa to the right/left/front/back to allow for cleaning then move it back in the future.

[Peterpack]

Thanks for the tips guys

[tlippy]

A horse stall pad is an excellent insulator for any hot tub.

[TheSunshyn]

We've had an indoor hot tub for 16 years and have found that the main point of water pooling comes off the opened cover from condensation dripping down. So while an overall drain for the entire room might not work out, consider something to catch that water.