Are you wondering how to move a hot tub with some help and easy-to-find supplies? It doesn’t matter if you are moving a hot tub closer or further away, if you have previous experience doing similar things, you have to know that it’ll take time and effort. But if you make a good plan and use the right tools, this process should be easier for you.
Before starting the moving process, you have to be aware that this luxury item is fragile and expensive. Transferring it from one place to another requires great physical strength and good organizational skills, so if you change your mind about it, you can always hire professional hot tub movers, and you won’t have to worry about anything. However, if you don’t have the finances but still want to do it by yourself, follow these ten moving steps below.
1. Find an appropriate hot tub moving equipment
The first thing that should be on your to-do list is a hot tub moving equipment, then comes the preparation of the workspace, and of course, don’t forget to call your friends, family, and colleagues. Your list should also include moving straps, furniture dollies, several large plywood boards, a few blankets, and cleaning supplies. You can find these things in local home improvement stores for a reasonable price.
2. Find an adequate moving vehicle
Before you begin the moving process, you’ll have to measure the size of a hot tub because of the truck you’ll use for the transfer. Of course, there are plenty of companies you can hire that will help you move a hot tub, but as you already know, everything comes with a price. Our recommendation is to rent a box truck that is at least 15 ft long with a loading ramp.
3. Gather a group of people to help you
After finding the right hot tub equipment and the moving vehicle, it is time to call your close ones to help you. The easiest way of moving a hot tub is to pay someone to do it for you while you rest on your porch and drink your lemonade. But there is another way. Before you start moving, you should measure the hot tub weight. Depending on the weight, you will see how many people you will need while moving a hot tub. It is definitely is a hard job to do, but if you make a good plan, it can be fun and easy.
4. Disconnect the hot tub
First things first, you should disconnect the hot tub from any electrical or gas supply. Carefully remove and collect all the cords, and to avoid damage, put them in a plastic box or in a waterproof plastic bag.
5. Drain the hot tub
Draining a hot tub is not as easy as it sounds, so if you want to avoid a flood in your backyard, you’ll have to follow the manufacturer’s directions. There is a big possibility that you will have to use a water pump or a watering hose. Once your hot tub is fully drained, you can use that opportunity to clean it thoroughly and check if it is fully dried before you proceed to the next step.
6. Make a moving plan
The time has come to start moving a hot tub finally. But, before that, you should make a detailed moving plan because there can be some unwanted obstacles during the process. Carefully observe whether there are any stairs from which you’ll have to descend, or maybe there is a gate that needs to be opened while you’re moving a tub, or there can be a narrow pathway that you’ll have to walk through. You should think about how you are going to carry a hot tub. In which part of the house will you move it to, back or front? These are all the things you should think about in detail to make your moving process easier.
7. Secure the hot tub with a few blankets
One of the first things that you should think about before starting to move a hot tub is to cover it with a few blankets. Why do that? Well, as we mentioned, hot tubs are very delicate items, and they can get scratched or broken easily if you don’t secure them enough. Find some old blankets or pieces of a thicker sheet with which you will cover the whole tub. Then, you can cover the blankets or the sheets with duck tape to prevent the fabrics from sliding off the tub.
8. Set the plywood boards underneath the hot tub
One of the essential hot tub moving pieces of equipment is plywood boards. Placing them under the tub while you are pulling it will help you with the smoothness of the process because the flat surface they have will provide safer dragging through the yard. Lifting the tub is very hard if you’re doing it on your own, so for this part of the journey, you’ll have to include at least three or four people that will help you.
9. Put furniture dollies under the tub
If the pathway to the truck is flat, it won’t be a problem to move the hot tub the way you lifted it, but if the path is narrow, then you’ll have to carefully set a tub on its side, of course, with the help of few more people. When you have done all that, and the tub is ready to be moved, gently slide the furniture dollies under the tub from the back and the front. Of course, be sure that the jacuzzi is placed solidly on the dollies so that it won’t fall off. To prevent some unwanted movements, hook up the moving straps to the dollies and secure the hot tub with them. It should be additionally secured by other people that will hold the jacuzzi from all sides. There should be at least four people. One in the back, one in the front, and one on each side. Now, your hot tub is ready to go!
10. Carefully roll the hot tub towards the loading ramp of the moving truck
Once you have secured the tub with the dollies and moving straps, you can start rolling the tub to the loading ramp of the moving truck, and again, always keep the hot tub weight on your mind. When you get to the truck, make sure that one of your helpers goes inside to secure that the tub is placed firmly. Check if the dollies are put in the right place and secured because you’ll need them once you reach the final destination. Also, keep in mind that you’ll need to have the hot tub stabilized on its sides while it is in the truck. That will prevent unnecessary shifting during transit.
Get help from professionals
Feel free to contact Florida Pool Patio for moving or any other pool services, and our team of professionals will solve all of your pool-related needs.
