Sunrooms and Hot Tubs

Consider Space

• While a hot tub can be a great addition to a sunroom, it also requires a significant amount of floor space. Consider the size of your sunroom and how much space you are willing to sacrifice for the hot tub. If you plan to make your hot tub the focal point of the room, you can opt for a larger model that accommodates six or more people. However, if you also want your sunroom to house a sitting or dining area, you might be better off choosing a two- to four-person tub, which requires less floor space. You should also consider the placement of your hot tub. Setting it in a corner of the sunroom where it takes up the least amount of room is usually the best arrangement.

Check the Floor

• When filled with water and people, a hot tub is extremely heavy, so it must have a foundation beneath that can support as much as 100 pounds per square foot, according to Party Pools, an online hot tub resource. As a result, you are better off with a concrete slab foundation for your sunroom, because the concrete is usually strong enough to bear the weight of the filled tub. Tile is usually your best option as a floor covering for a sunroom with a hot tub. Just as a tile floor holds up to the moisture and humidity of a bathroom, it can perform well beneath a hot tub. If you are also using your sunroom for a sitting or dining area, you can add a large area rug to give warmth to the tile floor.

Provide Adequate Ventilation

• Another important consideration when adding a hot tub to your sunroom is ventilation. According to Party Pools, water in a hot tub can reach temperatures over 100 degrees, so it produces a great deal of humidity that can lead to condensation and moisture problems inside your sunroom. If there is not proper ventilation, the sunroom’s wooden frame may begin to rot, and the seals for the room’s glass windows may fail as well. In most cases, adding a couple of skylights and ceiling fans can sufficiently ventilate your sunroom.

Add Accessories

• If you plan to add a hot tub to a sunroom that you are also using for a sitting or dining area, you can create a unified look for the space by helping the tub blend in with its surroundings. Consider adding some potted trees beside the tub to give it a more decorative appearance. You can also use the hot tub as the center of a spa or home gym area by placing an exercise bike, treadmill or free weights beside it. You might also want to add speakers to the wall above the hot tub so you can to listen to your favorite music as you soak in the tub.