Not sure what you need? Hot Tub, Sauna and Pool Electrical Installation in Hamilton
We wire hot tubs, saunas and pool equipment in Hamilton, Burlington, Ancaster, Dundas, Stoney Creek, Waterdown and Grimsby.
- Circuit from your panel
- Outdoor disconnect
- Panel check
- ESA permit
We work 7 days a week, 7 AM to 8 PM.
"Service was to wire a hottub with preexisting panel. Great service, very professional and made sure all connections were safe and tested."
Hot tub wiring
How a hardwired hot tub hookup goes:
- Plan the routeWe check your panel and plan the route: through the house, along an outside wall in conduit, or trenched across the yard.
- Run the circuitWe run a dedicated 240 V circuit from your panel to an outdoor disconnect with GFCI protection, then on to the tub.
- Bond and testWe ground and bond the tub, including the bond wire the Ontario Electrical Safety Code now requires around a tub set on the ground or a slab, then connect it and test it before we leave.
- ESA permitWe file the ESA permit, and ESA inspects the work.
Plug-and-play tubs run on 120 V. The tub's manual says what circuit it needs; if there is no GFCI-protected outdoor outlet that suits the tub where it will sit, we add a dedicated circuit for it.
Moving the tub or replacing it? We move the circuit and disconnect to the new spot, or check that the existing circuit suits the new tub.
Before your hot tub arrives: Ontario requirements
Plan the spot before delivery day. On ESA's pools and hot tubs podcast, ESA technical advisor Trevor Tremblay sets out the main points:
Have the tub's manual handy when you call us. It lists the circuit the tub needs.
- Existing electrical equipment, such as lights and air conditioners, must be 3 metres from the tub, unless a fence, wall or permanent barrier cuts it off.
- Outlets must be at least 3 metres away, or as close as 1.5 metres with Class A GFCI protection.
- Call your local utility to check whether it has clearance requirements of its own.
- Check that the tub carries a certification label approved for Canada.
Is your panel big enough?
A hot tub, sauna heater or pool heater is a big load.
Before we wire one, we check what your panel already carries. If there is room, we add the breaker. If not, the answer may be a sub-panel or a panel upgrade, and you know which before any work starts.
Sauna wiring
Indoor and outdoor saunas both need a circuit sized to the heater. A backyard sauna often means a long run from the house, a trench across the yard and, now and then, a new panel or sub-panel.
"John took over what others were calling 'complicated,' and made quick work of this sauna install, that required a new panel, underground trenching, and the necessary permits."
Pool wiring
We wire pool pumps, pool heaters and pool lights, with timers, outdoor disconnects and a pool sub-panel when the equipment needs one. Bonding is part of every pool job. ESA notes that without it, pool users are at risk of electrical shock.
We do the electrical side. Repairs to the pump, heater or controls themselves go to your pool company.
"They took an embarrassingly unsafe rats nest of my pool operations, to a very tidy, to code, and very safe situation."
Hot tub tripping or not working?
A hot tub that keeps tripping its breaker or GFCI, or one that has gone dead, can have a fault in the circuit, the disconnect or the wiring. We find and fix the electrical side.
Service calls from $165 plus HST, first hour of labour, materials extra.
If the fault is in the tub itself, such as its heater, pump or control board, your hot tub dealer handles that part. For what to check first, see how to fix a circuit breaker that keeps tripping.
Permits and inspection
We file the ESA notification of work (the permit) for every hot tub, sauna and pool job, and ESA inspects the work.
"Couple of days later Edgar and Evan came and hooked up the electrical and had our sauna up and running with no problems whatsoever... The next day the inspector came and everything was A-OK with the job they had done."
What affects the price
- How far the tub, sauna or pool equipment is from your panel.
- Whether the run goes through the house, along a wall or in a trench.
- Whether your panel has room, or needs a sub-panel or an upgrade.
- Where the disconnect goes.
- Indoor or outdoor.
John can quote small jobs over the phone or give you a range. Bigger jobs, like a backyard sauna with a trench, need a look first.
(647) 712-8001Areas we serve
Hamilton,Burlington,Ancaster,Dundas,Stoney Creek,Waterdown and Grimsby.
Hot tub, sauna and pool wiring FAQ
Do I need 200 amp service for a hot tub?
Not always. It depends on what your panel already carries. We check its capacity before we wire the tub and tell you if it needs a sub-panel or an upgrade.
Are hot tubs 50 or 60 amps?
It depends on the tub. The maker's installation manual sets the circuit size, and we wire to it.
Does a plug-and-play hot tub need an electrician?
Not if a GFCI-protected outdoor outlet that suits the tub is already where it will sit. Check the tub's manual for the circuit it needs; if no outlet fits, an electrician adds one.
Can I wire a hot tub myself in Ontario?
ESA says homeowners can do electrical work in their own home. They must file a notification with ESA before starting and have ESA review the work when it is done. Friends, family or neighbours cannot do it for you. ESA's advice is to hire a Licensed Electrical Contracting Business.
Do I need a 240 volt line for a sauna?
It depends on the heater. The heater's manual lists the voltage and circuit it needs. If it calls for 240 V, we run a new dedicated circuit from your panel.
How much does it cost to wire a hot tub?
It depends on the distance from your panel, how the run gets there, whether your panel has room, and where the disconnect goes. John can quote small jobs over the phone or give you a range; a longer run or a trench needs a look first.
Wiring a hot tub, sauna or pool?
Call us, 7 AM to 8 PM, or send a request any time. John answers and quotes small jobs over the phone.