Proper Installation of a Jetted Bath Tub

Planning

• Before you begin your jetted bathtub installation, plan where you want to place it. If you install it in place of an existing tub, measure the area where the old tub sits to ensure it will fit. Tear down a surround wall, or rearrange the bathroom to fit the bathtub before you install it. Consult the manufacturer’s instructions that come with the tub, if you plan on making the tub free-standing, for guidance on constructing a frame for the tub.

Wiring

• Since your tub uses an electric motor to circulate the water, supply electricity to the pump with electrical wiring. Electricity and water create deadly conditions in the event the bathtub leaks around the pump or the wiring, so plan accordingly. A ground fault circuit interrupter switches off the electricity to the tub’s wiring if water comes into contact with it, keeping anyone in or near the bathtub safe. Also, ground the tub’s motor to the metal in the tub to prevent electrical shocks.

Setting the Tub

• Your jetted bathtub, like a regular bathtub, must sit level when you install it. If the tub is not level, then some of the tub's jets may spray water into the air and out of the tub. Your jetted tub also has an internal slope to aid with draining the tub, which will not work correctly if the tub does not sit level. Place shims under the tub to level it out. With some tubs, the manufacturer directs you to place the tub in a bed of mortar, so piling mortar higher in certain areas can help level it. Once the tub sits level in its spot, you need to drive the screws that came with the tub through the holes in the top edge of the tub and the wall studs.

Access Panel

• Every jetted bathtub comes with an access panel that allows you access to the tub’s mechanicals, including the pipes, at any given time. Without this panel, if your tub experiences problems, you cannot service the motor or other mechanical components easily. The location of the access panel is not the same on every model of jetted tub, so plan accordingly. If the panel must sit against a wall, cut an access door on the other side of the wall and install a door on the wall so you can access the tub’s mechanicals at any given time.