Will a Hot Tub Fit Through a Door? (Learn How To Determine That)


Bathing in a hot tub placed indoors has a different feeling. You feel more relaxed, safe, and you can enjoy other perks like seeing a movie or watch your team play, all with a greater level of privacy in your home, garage, or basement.

But before you can enjoy that luxury, you need to put your hot tub indoors and different problems accompany that task such as a convenient water source, if you have enough space, and if the ground is strong enough to support the weight of the tub.

However, one of the biggest problems you might experience is if the hot tub can fit through the door.

Will a Hot Tub Fit Through a Door?

The answer depends on the size of the hot tub and the dimension of your door. Some hot tub models are small and can fit through doors easily since hot tubs are moved on their sides. But if you have a large hot tub, you will likely experience difficulty in getting the hot tub through the door.

So the first thing to do is to determine the size of your hot tub and the dimensions of the door. Then you can determine if your hot tub can fit through the door.

That’s just the quick answer. What do you do if your hot tub can’t fit through the door? How do you put a hot tub through a door if it doesn’t fit? And can your inflatable hot tub fit through the door? You see there is a lot more to figure out about hot tubs and fitting them through doors. So let’s get to discover more.

Will an Inflatable Hot Tub Fit Through a Door?

Yes, an inflatable hot tub can fit through any door because inflatable hot tubs aren’t inflated by the manufacturer. You get to do that yourself. If you want to put an inflatable hot tub indoors, one problem you don’t have to worry about is fitting it through a door.

You can inflate the tub when already indoors and if the hot tub had been previously placed outdoors, you can drain the hot tub, deflate it, wait for it to get dry, and then move it in.

If you want to put an inflatable hot tub indoors, you just need to focus on the weight of the tub, the electrical setup, a water source, and the likes.

How to Determine if Your Hot Tub Can Fit Through the Door?

At first glance, you should be able to tell if your hot tub can fit through the door or not but if you aren’t quite sure, there is a way to determine if the tub can fit through. All you need is a measuring tape.

1. Measure the Length and Width of the Door

First, measure the length and width of the door or the doorway you want to fit the hot tub, and then check the hot tub for its size dimensions. Hot tubs usually have the size dimensions written on a part of the tub or you can just check the user’s guide/manual.

2. Measure the Length and Width of the Hot Tub

Hot tubs can be tilted and they are moved while on their side so you should alternate the dimensions you see in the manual accordingly.

For instance, a regular-sized 4 person hot tub has a height of 30 inches and a length of 90 inches. The size of yours can differ depending on your model. The common front door is 36 inches wide and 80 inches tall.

3. Flip the Hot Tub

Now, if you have a hot tub with the size dimension stated above, the hot tub will be placed on its side so it can be moved easily. That means the height (30 inches) now becomes the width and the length (90 inches) now becomes the length.

Fitting such a hot tub into your front door would prove difficult because though the door is wide enough, it wouldn’t be tall enough.

Again, size and model matter. To be sure your hot tub fits through, you should take the measurements. Now what if the hot tub wouldn’t fit in, what should you do?

Related Read: Does A Hot Tub Have To Sit On Concrete?

How to Put a Hot Tub Through a Door if It Doesn’t Fit?

If your hot tub doesn’t fit into the door initially, there are a few methods to try out before thinking of slamming a hammer through the door frame. Both methods will require professional help.

1. Contact a Professional Mover

It may not seem like much but chances are the person you contact would have executed a task similar to yours before. Such a person will give you suggestions on how to go about your task or connect you to the right movers.

2. Disassemble the Hot Tub and Reassemble It Later

Once again, you will need to get professional help with this. There is no denying how difficult disassembling a hot tub can be even if you are experienced. There are different types of hot tubs out there, each with its unique way of disassembling and reassembling it.

If you decide to go with this method, the hot tub will need to be disassembled into smaller parts. This will make it possible to move the hot tub through the door. Once every part is located inside, you can then reassemble the tub and place it on the prepared base.

Disassembling a hot tub shouldn’t be used as the first option. If the hot tub is new, I wouldn’t advise you to disassemble the hot tub as this will violate the warranty. Asides from that, disassembling a hot tub might not turn out so good eventually as some parts of the hot tub have been installed specifically from the manufacturer.

Related Read: Is It Advisable To Put My Hot Tub In My Basement?

3. Adjust the Door Frame

Another method to try out is to remove the door frame and chip the walls. If the gap isn’t wide enough for the tub to pass through, you need to use a hammer to chip off some parts of the wall so the doorway gets wider.

If the doorway isn’t high enough, you will need to break the wall above too. After you have put the hot tub through, you can plaster the walls back with cement. The downside with this method is that your door frame might not be as strong as it used to be before the adjustment.

As a precautionary measure, do ensure to put on safety gear (goggles, gloves, and the likes). Breaking walls isn’t as easy and fun as it sounds. You will have small stones (or debris) flying around as you slam the hammer into the walls. Such stones can get into your eye, hit your face, or even hit an object close by.

How To Take a Hot Tub Apart?

You will first need to unplug the hot tub, take out the parts such as the heating element, the filters, the blower, pump, and control panel if you have a handheld model, and remove the shell or frame amongst other steps.

Though this can be done, I would strongly advise it as a last option but if you have considered other options and they can’t work, then this might work for you.

To take your hot tub apart, you will need the user’s guide or manual and a few other basic tools like a wrench, a screwdriver, a pair of work gloves, and the lot. Each of these tools will come in handy in the process of taking the hot tub apart.

Do bear in mind that you are not taking the tub apart to replace it with another hot tub, so you need to be extra careful with the handling and placement of the parts of the hot tub. Also, you need to take note of where you unscrewed a part of the hot tub from and the screws that fit into every hole since you will be reassembling the tub later on.

This might require you to write and note things down too so get a pen and paper to get accurate details.

1. Consult the User’s Guide or Your Local Dealer

Hot tubs do not have the same process of taking them apart. The manual will highlight the information and instructions specific to your model. You also need to take note of where all the cables, connections, and wires are noted in the manual.

Related Read: Is It Advisable To Put My Hot Tub In My Basement?

2. Unplug the Hot Tub

Unplugging your hot tub doesn’t mean you just disconnect the tub or shut off the electrical breaker. You need to unplug and disconnect other parts like the gas line, the blower, the heater, the control panel, the pump, and the likes.

These parts may be screwed in or attached to the frame of the hot tub. So you need to consult the manual to know where they are, what they look like, and how to disconnect them.

Some new hot tub models do not require the removal of these parts while moving it. Again, your manual or dealer will tell you what to do.

3. Drain the Tub

If it’s a new hot tub, then you can skip this step. If it’s a tub being used already, then you need to drain the tub. Hot tubs have a drainage valve on the base of the tub. The valve can be opened or unscrewed. Connect a garden hose to the drainage valve and open it so the yard doesn’t get flooded.

If you will be moving the hot tub to an entirely new destination, maybe a new house, you will need to drain the hot tub entirely.

Usually, after draining a hot tub through the drainage valve, you will still be left with about 4000 to 5000 gallons of water. You will need to empty that too. A wet-dry vacuum cleaner will do the trick.

4. Remove the Hot Tub Skirt

The next step after draining the tub is to remove the skirt of the hot tub or the hot tub paneling. Hot tubs have different types of paneling.

Some have molded plastic and some have wooden paneling screwed into the frame. The type and material of the skirt or paneling will determine the method of removal. This is another reason to have your user’s guide or manual in place.

5. Remove the Frame

This step is very tricky. Since you are taking the hot tub apart to use it indoors, you might need to remove the frame from the shell and this is easier said than done.

This part of the task will surely require more than your hot tub manual. I strongly advise you to contact the dealer or a professional for this. The shell is an important part of the tub. If it gets broken or damaged while removing it, then you will most likely need to get a new hot tub.

Again, only take a hot tub apart as the last option and if you must, contact a professional or your hot tub dealer for help. The hot tub has many working parts, some of which should not be tampered with.

You will also need to put all the parts back the same way you met them while reassembling the hot tub. This involves even the smallest parts like the screws and nuts.

Not to mention the fact that taking apart a hot tub will violate the warranty so if it’s a new hot tub, you shouldn’t even try taking it apart by yourself.

Related Read: How Do You Hook Up A GFCI To A Hot Tub?

Can I Put a Hot Tub on the Second Floor?

Yes, you can put a hot tub on the second floor of a building. Many buildings have second floors strong enough to support the weight of a hot tub but if your concern is if you can put a hot tub on the second floor of your building, then that needs to be determined by a building contractor.

If you just bought a hot tub and are wondering can I put a hot tub on the second floor? Then the answer is yes you can. But, before doing that you need to determine if the hot tub can fit inside your doors or not.

So much goes into putting a hot tub on a surface. You need to ensure the floor is in good condition, make sure the floor is waterproof so you wouldn’t have to deal with leakages, and a whole lot more. The biggest factor however is the weight of the hot tub.

The smaller 2-4 person hot tubs will weigh over 3000 pounds while the bigger 6-7 hot tubs can weigh over 6000 pounds when filled with water and the maximum capacity of bathers. If the floor isn’t strong enough, the hot tub can fall through, and having a hot tub crash through the 2nd floor can result in thousands of dollars in damages, life-threatening injuries, and even death.

If you are planning on having your hot tub installed on the second floor of your building, a building contractor will be your best bet. He or she will assess the floor to the weight of the tub and will tell you if you can go ahead with your plans or if you will need to reconsider them. If it’s possible to reinforce the floor to support the weight of the tub, the contractor will also let you know.

What Should You Consider Before Putting a Hot Tub Indoors?

Getting your hot tub through the door isn’t the only factor to consider when planning on placing your hot tub indoors. Below are other factors to consider.

  • Ventilation. Hot tubs produce a lot of steam. If the room isn’t well ventilated, the steam has nowhere to escape through. This will lead to a build-up of moisture on the walls, floors, and ceiling. If this continues, the paint on the walls, ceiling, and floor will start to come off and this will also weaken the walls gradually.

The room will also become unsafe for you to breathe in because of the odor that results from the paint being stripped off mixed with the excess steam in the room. So if you want to put a hot tub indoors, you might want to include opening more windows in your plans.

  • Water source. Hot tubs need a constant water source for times when you want to fill or refill the tub. Luckily, a garden hose can solve this concern. Connect a long garden hose to a tap located anywhere in the house and run water through that into the tub.
  • Power source. The electrical set-up of a hot tub needs consideration. If you are putting the hot tub indoors, chances are the wall socket and power outlets inside the house will not be capable of carrying the electrical load of a hot tub. You will need a few tweaks to the electrical workings in your home if you want to put a hot tub indoors.
  • The water-resistance of the floor. Getting into the hot tub, getting out of the tub, bathing in the tub, and refilling the tub will most likely lead to water spills on the floor. Sure you can clean the spillage but when water splashes on the floor consistently, that can damage the floor in your home. Asides from damages to the floor, the water that spills on the floor can also cause you to slip and fall. So you might need to use a carpet to cover the floors
  • Drainage. A hot tub will require drainage at least every 3 months. If the hot tub is placed indoors, draining the tub might not be as easy as if the tub was placed outdoors.

Related Read: Can You Put An Inflatable Hot Tub On Grass?

I hope you found this post useful. Let me know if you have any questions or comments about fitting your hot tub through the doorway or about placing your hot tub indoors. Have a good day.

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