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Spa Leveling Instructions
SPA LEVELING INSTRUCTIONS
I
n order for your Hot Spring
®
spa to operate properly, and the internal plumbing to drain completely, the spa must be level. If the spa is to be
installed on an uneven, or unlevel foundation, shimming of the spa is required.
NOTE: Due to the large size of the Landmark
®
and Grandee
®
spas, Watkins Manufacturing Corporation requires that these spas be
installed on a level 4”- (10.1 cm) thick concrete pad and NOT shimmed in any manner.
WARNING:
Watkins Manufacturing Corporation recommends that a structural engineer or contractor be consulted prior to placing the spa on
an elevated deck, or platform.
IMPORTANT:
Watkins Manufacturing Corporation reserves the right to change any specifications or design without incurring any obligation.
Approved Shim Material
• Cedar shingles
• Redwood
• Exterior rated plywood
• Exterior rated lumber
The shims used should vary in thickness from 1/4 - to 1/2-inch (0.6 cm to 1.2 cm) and should be cut into 2” x 4” (5 cm x 10 cm) rectangles.
Leveling Instructions (Vanguard
™
, Sovereign
®
Limited Edition, Sovereign
®
, Prodigy
®
and
Jetsetter
®
models)
1. Using a 6’ (2 meter) carpenter’s level (or a shorter level and a straight 2” x 4”, 8’ board, or a board 5 cm by 10 cm, 2.4 meters long), check
the spa to identify the highest, and lowest corners.
2. With one end of the level resting on the highest corner of the spa (and the opposite end resting on the lowest corner), gently raise the
lower end of the level by placing shims between the spa shell and the level, until the level itself is level. This will tell you how many shims
are needed at that lowest corner.
3. Now carefully pivot the level, keeping the shimmed end where it is, until the other end of the level rests on one of the other corners. Check
the level. Adjust the end of the level using the procedure above. Carefully pivot the level again to the last corner, leaving the pivot end at its
original location, and repeat the procedure. Whatever shims are on the three corners are the ones you will place under those corners in the
next steps.
4. Remove the level and set it aside. Carefully remove the shims and keep them together, remembering the corner from which each set of
shims came.
5. With more than one person lifting, lift the lowest side of the spa (the one with the most shims), and place a 4” x 4” (10 cm x 10 cm) block
under the spa base, at the center of the side lifted.
6. Refer to the base support diagram for your spa to locate the leveling points for the elevated corners. Place the set of shims corresponding
to each corner directly under its designated leveling point.
7. Lift the spa, remove the support block, and set the spa on the shims. Repeat steps 5 through 7, if necessary, for the opposite side of the
spa.
8. Use the level to check the level of the spa. Make any necessary adjustments.
9. Refer to the base support diagram for your spa to locate the remaining leveling points, each of which must now also be shimmed, and
carefully slide “helper” shims under the spa at their designated locations. These helper shims should create a snug fit between the
foundation and the spa’s base structure. If it is necessary to lift the spa in order to place the helper shims, use care not to kick out the
original corner shims.
The following base support diagrams for the Vanguard
™
, Sovereign
®
Limited Edition, Sovereign
®
, Prodigy
®
, and Jetsetter
®
spas indicate the
recommended shimming points.
Notice
: Though designed for outdoor installation, your Hot Spring spa is not impervious to damage that may be caused by insects, rodents, or
other living creatures. If the spa is installed in an area that is populated by rodents or other small creatures, installing a screen at the bottom of
the door will minimize their ability to access the spa’s equipment compartment and cause damage to the spa components. (Per N.E.C., any
metal surface must be grounded to the spa’s terminal box. Please contact your dealership for additional information.) Please note, the
electronics within the compartment need adequate airflow to cool the equipment and maintain the optimal temperature range. Sealing the
opening completely, or allowing debris to build-up on the screen mesh, will adversely affect the spas’ performance. Damage to the spa or it’s
components caused by an “act of nature”, rodent or insect damage is not covered under the terms of your spa’s Limited Warranty.
