When the temperature drops, soaking in your hot tub allows you to stay warm while spending time outside with family and friends. Plus, you can turn down the heat and use the tub for cold weather hydrotherapy, a practice that can help boost your body’s natural healing abilities.
To use your hot tub safely in the winter, keep the following tips in mind.
Helpful Tips for Safe Hot Tubbing in the Winter
Using a hot tub in the winter requires a few considerations to ensure it works correctly and you stay safe.
Be Smart About Soak Time
Staying in the hot tub too long can cause overheating, dizziness, and more. Limit soak times to 20 minutes and keep the temperature under 104° (or 100° for pregnant women).
End Your Soak Warmly
Don’t linger outside when exiting the hot tub. Keep clothes and shoes (or slippers) nearby so you can cover up immediately. Use outdoor heat lamps to help minimize the cold air effects.
When you’re in the hot tub, keep your hair dry and try wearing a warm hat. A hat helps avoid the loss of body heat.
Hydrate Yourself During Soaks
Spending time in hot water will dehydrate your body, especially if you’re consuming alcohol. Alcohol dehydrates you, and combining it with the warm hot tub increases your likelihood of drowning.
Instead of alcohol, drink water, warm tea, or room-temperature beverages.
Invest in a Good Cover
Covers protect your hot tub from snow, rain, and outdoor debris. In the winter, the cover helps trap heat inside, increasing the heating system’s efficiency when in use.
Protect your hot tub with a high-quality cover made from polyester, vinyl, or similar waterproof material.
Keep the Right Water Level in Your Hot Tub
Maintaining the correct water level is essential, especially in winter. If levels are too low, internal components can freeze and become damaged.
Keep the water level between two and three inches above the filter. Don’t fill the tub higher than the two to the three-inch range, as the level will rise when people get into the tub.
Maintain Clean Water
Clean water provides benefits throughout the year, so change the water and filters every three to four months. Use chemical treatments to sanitize the water and maintain pH levels.
Test the water regularly to ensure the chemicals stay balanced.
Schedule Your Water Replacement Before Winter
Cold weather makes the water replacement process difficult and complicated. Plan to replace the hot tub water just before cold weather arrives. When changing the water, you can improve its efficiency by flushing the plumbing with a whirlpool rinse to get rid of any build-up.
Use Your Jets and Blowers Conservatively
Jets work by blowing air into the water, but on cold days the air will decrease the water’s temperature.
Fortunately, you don’t have to stop using jets and blowers completely. Instead, turn them off for short periods, which allows the water to warm.
Consider a Hot Tub Area Upgrade
To improve the winter hot tub experience, consider a few upgrades. Popular options include heat lamps, towel warmers, and heated outdoor flooring.
Make sure all upgrades are installed by professional electricians, as faulty wiring in a hot tub can cause electrocution.
Conclusion
You can safely and enjoyably use your hot tub all winter if you limit your exposure to cold weather, perform regular maintenance, and enlist the help of a master electrician, such as the experts at US Electric. For more questions or safety tips, contact us today.