Preparing Your Spa Pool Site

Indulgent soaks in your brand new spa pool are just around the corner! However, before you start sending out invites to your new spa pool social club, you want to have a clear understanding of where your new relaxation station is going to live and make sure the site is fit for purpose. In this article, we will touch on what technical considerations need to be made in order to protect your new asset, make sure it can run smoothly, and how to keep its componentry accessible.

A couple of considerations to start with include:

✓ Do you have a view you wish to overlook while relaxing in your Spa Pool?

✓ Is your chosen spa pool area sheltered from the wind?

✓ How far is the spa pool from your changing area for getting in and out on those colder nights?

Location and Foundation

Once you have decided which direction your spa is going to face and where it will sit, you can start assessing the strength of the foundation it will sit on. A spa pool can weigh between 1 and 3 tonnes when filled with water so it’s essential your chosen foundation will be able to hold that type of weight, as well as some inevitable water spillage. We say the ideal surface is a concrete pad with a minimum depth of 100mm. Your spa pool also needs to be placed so that all of the internal components can be accessed to allow for servicing. Please allow 600mm of clearance around the perimeter of your spa so that all four sides/cabinets can be accessed. If this is not possible, you will need to be prepared to move your spa into an accessible position for servicing. If you plan on building a deck around your spa or sinking your spa into a deck, we recommend allowing ample room for all spa panels to removed if necessary.

Power Requirements

Most spa pool models will require an outdoor 15A electrical socket, which you will plug the spa straight into. If you already have an outdoor power socket, we recommend double-checking it is capable of servicing 15A, as most household sockets are capped at 10A.
You can check this by having a close look at the earth pin, as a 15A plug has a significantly larger pin.

If you do currently have a 10A socket, check with your electrician to see if there is ample power being provided for a 15A socket to be installed. If the answer is no, you will need to get a fresh 15A socket installed.

We also recommend double-checking with your electrician that the power supply is protected by an RCD. Now connect your spa’s plug to your new electrical socket and your spa will be powered.

If you’ve chosen a spa pool that requires a 25A power supply or higher, you will need a dedicated line run from the main switchboard to your spa pool along with an RCD and isolation switch, which an electrician is also required for.

Drainage

Every so often your spa pool water will need to be drained and replaced with fresh water, and overflow of spa water is inevitable when the kids are moving around or a few extras climb in.
For these reasons, you will need to make some considerations to prevent water from pooling around the spa pool. We recommend incorporating drainage channels into your foundation to direct water away from the spa pool.

With these considerations made and the requirements actioned, you are just days away from putting your feet up and soaking in total tranquility. Prepare yourself for new levels of relaxation!
For more details on preparing your site – see our “pre-delivery guides” here.