Hot Tub Safety Tips For You & Your Family

As a hot tub owner, in order to ensure a relaxing and fun environment while using your hot tub, it’s important to ensure that hot tub safety is a priority. The overall goal is to prevent problems before they arise.  Below are a few tips for keeping you and your family safe around your hot tub.

Overheating

Be careful not to get overheated when you use your spa. Normal factory settings of most hot tubs do not exceed 104 degrees; however, that might be too high for some people, especially expectant mothers and young children. Limit spa sessions to 10 or 15 minutes, with less time during the summer when ambient temperatures are high. To help keep from getting too warm, keep your arms and chest above water. If you start to feel dizzy or nauseous, it’s time to get out.

Getting in and out of Your Hot Tub

Manufacturers design a safe, shallow spot where you can step down into the spa, before carefully lowering yourself in. Avoid stepping on the edge of the seat. After a soak, slippery decks and possible light-headedness can make it challenging to get out of your spa. Have a towel handy and take a little extra care getting in and out. Always use a sturdy handrail to prevent falls and lay non-skid mats around the hot tub to provide an additional safeguard against falls.

No Ruckus Around the Hot Tub

Every home hot tub needs rules that cover supervision, behavior, and dangers, such as no running or pushing. Children should be reminded not to stick their hair or fingers into drains. Keeps toys and bikes away from the spa area. These hazards cause trips and someone may fall into the water. According to the Center for Disease Control, about 10 people drown every day from unintentional drownings.

As a hot tub owner, it is your responsibility to keep your family safe around your spa, and you can count on your partners at All Florida Pool & Spa Center for all your pool and hot tub essentials.

Contamination Protection

When water in a hot tub is untreated, it can become susceptible to contaminants, bacteria, and viruses. Ensuring regular hot tub maintenance will enable you to prevent harmful health hazards to you and your family. First, the water should be tested for the proper pH levels, the amount of sanitizer being utilized and for alkalinity levels.  The proper tools for the job are water test strips which will test for those factors using a color chart as a sample. Testing the spa water should be conducted at least 2 or 3 times per week. More importantly, testing should be performed before and after heavy hot tub use. For example, if you plan to have a party, it’s recommended the water testing be done before use to ensure you reduce any health contaminant concerns. Additionally, the hot tub water should be tested after the party as well.

Safe Chemical Storage

Another hot tub safety tip deals with how hot tub owners can improve the handling and storage of pool chemicals and supplies. When storing spa supplies, it’s best not to mix your Dichloride Shock near your lawn mower supplies such as gasoline or oil. Pool shock and other hot tub supplies should be stored in a well-ventilated, dry location that is not susceptible to direct sunlight. One area of caution is to recognize that spa chemicals should never be mixed with other chemicals. When dealing with chemical substances, it’s best to utilize gloves, face mask and goggles to reduce the potential for these type of chemical irritants to get into your mouth or eyes.

Hot Tub Thermostats

Contaminants and viruses can grow and live in hot water that has not been treated.  According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, a safe water temperature for adults is between 100 – 102°F.  Many hot tub manufacturers have a maximum temperature set at 104 degrees Fahrenheit.  A recommended hot tub safety tip is to use the hot tub in 15-minute increments when the hot tub is at hotter temperatures. One sign to watch for that will indicate that a hot tub user has been in for too long is nausea or dizziness.

Heater assemblies can come in a variety of forms.  A hot tub thermostat can stop functioning for various reasons such as wear and tear, electrical or mechanical issues. If there’s a need to drain the spa, it is recommended that the thermostat is turned all the way down to ensure the hi-limit switch won’t trip. Overall, check the thermostat during routine maintenance to ensure proper heating levels.

Hot Tub Safety Tips For You & Your Family: Medical Matters

Although there are hot tub safety tips that deal with mechanical parts and the functionality of your spa, however, there are also safety recommendations that deal with the proper use of the hot tub.  If you are using prescription drugs, be sure to check with your doctor before soaking for hours in a heated tub.  Enjoying an alcoholic beverage or a glass of wine while relaxing in your hot tub can be a good time, however, be cognizant of the fact that the combination of alcohol and soaking in hot water can enhance the effects alcohol can have on the body. Contact the professionals at All Florida Pool & Spa Center for all your pool and hot tub safety tips and maintenance needs.

Posted: June 30, 2017 | Revised: July 25, 2017