I'm looking to build a unique hot tub that's half buried and half above ground, right here in Zone 6B, Virginia. The plan involves having a wood stove inside the water itself. I'm thinking of digging a trench, laying down some padding, then using a pond liner, gravel, and concrete with reinforcements for support. I also want to connect a drainage hose to the tub. For the above-ground part, I plan to use concrete and rocks or bricks to create a berm and seal it. The tub will be circular, with a small area sticking out for the wood stove, which I'll make out of a sheet metal cube with an open top. My idea is to light a fire and let it heat the water for several hours. Any tips on what I might be doing wrong, or any better alternatives? Thanks a lot!
4 Answers
You might want to consider adding a pump and filter to keep the water clean; otherwise, you could end up with all sorts of algae and other growths in the tub.
If you're keeping the wood stove submerged, make sure the pipes running through it are below the water level in the tub to help it heat more effectively. Otherwise, you might just have water heating up and rising too fast without circulating properly, leaving your tub cooler than expected.
A friend of mine built something similar. They heated the sauna with an outside fire, which indirectly warmed up the hot tub through pipes using a small pump. It worked really well for them!
Just a heads-up, using copper pipes could be a good idea for heating if you do decide to go that route. It’s a great heat conductor!
I get that! But I'm looking for something simple and affordable since I'm on a budget.