How to Move a Hot Tub

Moving house can easily turn into a source of anxiety for months to come. Additionally, special items are a challenge. A hot tub is a huge appliance that requires helpers, upper body strength, and a decent amount of knowledge about disassembly and reassembly. In other words, you’re going to need some help moving it.

A standard hot tub is about 450 kilos. So it goes without saying that it’s not recommended to try and move it by yourself. Book a moving company instead and ask specifically if they move special heavy items. And don’t worry – with proper planning and the right supplies, your move will be successful.

This blog post is for those of you who:

• Are about to move house;
• Are interested in the proper way of moving a hot tub;
• Have enough helpers and are willing to move the hot tub by themselves.

What you need to move your tub safely

Getting ready for the move will take lots of preparations. It’s advisable to start about 3 months in advance. Here is what Fantastic Services recommends.

• At least 4 helpers. Moving a hot tub is definitely not a one-man job. You need at least 4 able-bodied helpers. Each of them should be able to lift a corner of the tub, while you slide a furniture dolly under it. This is heavy-duty work, so don’t forget to treat your helpers after the job is done.
• Two furniture dollies. It’s not advisable to lift and carry such a heavy item, so using a furniture dolly is a must. Depending on the size you might have to get at least two.
• Moving straps, working gloves and blankets. Lifting the hot tub on a dolly requires moving straps, so you’ll need at least 4 for each corner. And since they could leave burns on your hands, we recommend using working gloves as well. The blankets are used to cover the hot tub during transportation.
• An appliance dolly. You can rent one of these at your local home improvement store. An appliance dolly is your best friend if you need to move the hot tub up or downstairs.
• A large van with a ramp. If you’re only moving the hot tub to another location in your home, you won’t need this. But if you’re moving to another address, you’ll need the right sized van. For that, you should measure your hot tub and make sure the moving van is able to accommodate it. And don’t forget to make sure the van is equipped with a ramp, so you don’t have to lift the tub off the ground, risking injury.
• 4×4 lumber boards. You can get these from your home improvement store. They’re used to centre the dollies and help ensure no one gets their fingers squashed during unloading.

How to move a hot tub like a pro

Now that you have all your supplies and have gathered at least 4 strong friends to help with heavy lifting, it’s finally time to move the hot tub. Since this is a big project, arm yourself with patience.

1. Disconnect. Hot tubs are connected to an electrical outlet, so unplug it before you do anything. The Fantastic Services moving team always recommends to put away all cords and tape them to the exterior of the appliance. This way nothing would be dangling around and no one would trip on it. In this case, you could also place the cord in a plastic bag so it doesn’t get wet.
2. Drain the water. Find your manufacturer’s directions and see what they say about draining the water from the hot tub. You’ll most likely have to use a garden hose and drain the water directly in the street gutter. The standard hot tub can be filled with about 400 gallons of water and pouring all that in your yard could damage the vegetation. Once you’re done, clean up the surface with the proper detergent.
3. Plan the route. Walk around and make a note of the potential obstacles in the transporting route. Does the route include stairs? Should you move some items out of the way? Is the gate opening big enough for the hot tub to pass? Will you carry it from the back entrance or from the front? Make your plan according to these questions and you and your helpers will have an easier time on moving day.
4. Lift the hot tub. Finally, moving day is here. The surroundings are as clear from obstacles as they can be, you have all your moving supplies, and your helpers are ready for some heavy-duty work. Each of your four helpers should put on their working gloves and use the moving straps on each corner of the tub. They need to lift the entire tub. Always remember to lift with your knees and not your back.
5. Slide the furniture dollies under the tub. Align the dollies under the tub in a way that they would be centred and keep the tub balanced. Let your helpers carefully place the tub on top of the dollies. To ensure that the hot tub doesn’t fall off, secure it to the dollies with the moving straps. Now all that’s left is to push it to the moving van.

How to load a hot tub into the moving van

Loading the hot tub in the moving van could result in damage, so be extra careful when transporting it.

1. Push the tub with the furniture dollies towards the moving van. Once you’re certain the two dollies are properly aligned and the tub is securely strapped, you can proceed with carefully pushing the tub towards your transport vehicle. Make sure there is one person from each side to support the tub.
2. Use an appliance dolly for the stairs. If you have to go up or down the stairs, you’ll have to lift the tub on its side and use an appliance dolly. Wrap the dolly’s straps around the tub and make sure they’re secured tightly. Have 2 helpers support the dolly from the back and 2 helpers support the dolly from the front. Go up or down the stairs one step at a time. Don’t be hasty.
3. Roll over the ramp. Lower the moving van’s ramp and slowly push the dolly inside. Have two people support the tub from either side to make sure it goes smoothly.

How to unload the hot tub

Unloading carries the same risk as loading. Obviously, most of the job is done and you can’t wait to get this over with, but keep calm and work slowly.

1. Remove the moving blankets. Once you’ve arrived at the new location, the first thing you should do is remove the moving blankets. You might be tempted to keep them on the whole time, however, even if they’re taped securely, they will make it uncomfortable for the tub to be moved around the new place.
2. Roll the tub to its new location. After removing the moving straps and blankets, set up the ramp and push the dolly down along with the tub. Have your helpers support from each side, so it doesn’t fall down. Carefully roll the tub to its new location, making sure your path is clear of any obstructions. Use an appliance dolly should you need to go up or down the stairs.
3. Use the lumber boards to remove the dollies. Just like with putting the tub on the dolly, you’ll have to take it off the same way by using the lumber boards. Set up the 4×4 boards on the spot where you want to place the tub. Lift the tub from its corners and slide it over the boards. The boards will help ensure no one gets their fingers caught when you lower the tub to the ground.

Rely on the pros to take this heavy work off your hands

By now you should know how difficult it is to move a hot tub from one location to another. Not only could you damage it during the move, but you could also seriously injure yourself and your helpers if you’re not careful. What you need is a professional team of insured movers who would guarantee the success of this operation. You can always rely on the reliable movers from Fantastic Services to do the job for you!

Takeaways

• Hot tubs are extremely heavy items, so it’s recommended to leave the job to a professional moving company instead.
• Should you choose to move the hot tub by yourself, you’ll need at least 4 helpers, 2 furniture dollies, an appliance dolly if you have stairs and a big enough van.

Moving house doesn’t have to be a daunting task, even if you own a special item like a hot tub. With good planning and proper preparation, you can make the moving day a lot less stressful and enjoy your new life in the new place. 

Image source: shutterstock / Sergio Sergo

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Have you ever moved a hot tub with your friends? Tell us in the comments!

• Last update: August 28, 2019

Posted in Moving and Packing Tips