Is this surface good enough?

[Adobes]

My hot tub has been leaking (repairs and other efforts have been unsuccessful), and I think it's on its last legs. I'm thinking of moving it farther away from the house until it eventually dies.

Is this surface good enough for the tub's last days, do you think? The tub is a smallish 2 or 3 person unit.

I don't want to go through a major project to build the perfect pad, as the tub might not last long. But I also don't want to destroy the tub immediately with a bad surface. This is basically crushed granite (I think) with some larger rocks. It's been in place for over 10 years.

If the tub can sit here for another year or three, I'll be happy.

*Obviously, I won't blame you for my laziness if you say it might work just fine. I'm just wondering if it's almost certainly doomed to fail.*

Thank you.

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

What do you have to lose from moving your tub there and seeing how it goes?

 

[Adobes]

Thank you! There's not much to lose, really. I guess I'm wondering if it's worth getting some gravel or something and tamping it down for a more solid base. But if that surface doesn't seem like it'd instantly destroy a tub (DimensionOne Triad), I'm thinking I just see how it goes, as you say.

 

[ajw22]

I would not disturb the base. Tamping it down will not accomplish anything. Either that ground will support the tub or it won’t.

 

[Mdragger88]

So long as that area has good drainage it should be ok .
Especially if your tub is leaking as pooling water could cause it to wash away underneath.
Is it the shell or the plumbing leaking?

 

[Newdude]

Also, to be clear, that area won't destroy the tub. At worst, the tub will destroy that area. If the tub sank too far on one side, you'd simply drain it and move it again.

 

[Adobes]

Thank you all, very much appreciated!

Mdragger88 it's the plumbing that's leaking (somewhere). The tub/shell itself seems to be fine.

 

[Mdragger88]

Thank you all, very much appreciated!

Mdragger88 it's the plumbing that's leaking (somewhere). The tub/shell itself seems to be fine.

Depending upon the kind of insulation you have it can be a booger bear to find the leak.
@RDspaguy can probably give you some tips - he’s the tub rehab master!

 

[RDspaguy]

(DimensionOne Triad),

Heavy full-foam tub. The old ones were very well built, the new ones not so much from what I hear.
You'll want something down on that. Odds are very good the bottom frame is rotted so it's already sitting on foam, and it might just sink onto that surface enough to do some harm depending on how it settles. Some cement pavers should do the trick, level them with sand.
Your light fitting is leaking. There may be more than that, but I've never seen a D1 that wasn't. You cannot access it from the equipment bay without cutting out the back bay wall or going through the vent tube (both very easy to say). Otherwise, you have to stand it up and go in from the bottom (also easy to say). A bead of caulk around the flange can band-aid it for a year or 2.

worst, the tub will destroy that area.

I disagree. It will take some time, but uneven settling can crack spa shells. As I always say, flat is more important than level, and that's not flat. It could do fine, but I've seen many cases where it did not. Do not put your spa on gravel for long, and make sure it's flat before you do if you must.

Depending upon the kind of insulation you have it can be a booger bear to find the leak.

Not the phrase I would use, but definitely more family-friendly.
This is full foam, but soft, unlike hot springs.

it's the plumbing that's leaking

Bold statement! How do you know?
Post details on the leak.