Hot Tub Safety Tips for Your Home and Family

This article was first published online at HotSpring.com

A hot tub offers the perfect opportunity for you and your family to take some time out to relax and connect with each other. While high-quality home spas are designed to be simple to use, certain precautions should be taken to ensure a safe soak. At-home hot tub safety involves establishing a secure environment around the tub, keeping your water clean, and practicing good habits for optimal health and hygiene. By following these straightforward hot tub safety tips, you’ll enjoy peace of mind while your family experiences all the benefits of your home spa.

Features and Accessories For Hot Tub Safety

Simple accessories can make a big difference in the accessibility and safety of your home spa. At The Waterworks, we can connect you with the features that work best with your hot tub and your home environment.

• A secure hot tub cover is vital for safety as well as for insulation and energy efficiency. Keep your hot tub securely covered when not in use. A well-made hot tub cover should come with child safety locks; for the safety of children and pets, always make sure your cover is locked into place. Before using the spa, fully remove the cover and store it out of the way so it can’t trap anyone in the water beneath it.
• Consider using a cover lifter to safely remove the cover from your spa. Cover lifters free you from the challenge and strain of struggling with a hot tub cover by yourself.
• Specially-designed steps to help you safely enter and exit your spa are a critical component of above-ground hot tubs. We can help you select water-resistant non-slip steps that perfectly match the height and design of your hot tub model.
• A spa-side handrail can assist you with your balance and help you navigate steps in dim light. Steps and handrails are particularly important for children and anyone with limited mobility.

Electrical Safety Precautions

Avoid the risk of electrocution or expensive damage to your hot tub by following these simple yet essential guidelines:

• Let a licensed professional handle the installation of your hot tub’s electrical components. Due to the possibility of electrocution, wiring a hot tub is not a task that should be undertaken by amateurs. The same rule applies to lighting arrangements or any entertainment features like television monitors or audio systems you may wish to add to your home spa environment.
• Know where your spa’s electrical panel is located and how to safely disconnect the power to your tub in case of emergency.
• Never use plug-in electronic devices or extension cords near your spa. If they come into contact with water, electrocution could result. Use battery-operated devices instead, or skip them altogether.
• Never use an outdoor hot tub in a thunderstorm. Lightning could strike the water and electrocute you.

Water Care and Hygiene 

Today’s cutting-edge water quality systems work hard to keep your hot tub water clean and clear. Talk to us about the water care systems and accessories that can help ensure your hot tub is always safe for you and your family to use.

• Maintain a regular water care routine to keep the pH balance in check and to avoid contamination. Your dealer can help you determine the best practices for your hot tub model. Follow all instructions scrupulously and adhere to a faithful schedule for testing your water quality.
• Rinse off before soaking—ideally with soap and water. Make sure everyone who uses your hot tub follows this rule as well. You’ll minimize the amount of dirt and bacteria introduced into your water, which will help keep it clean and clear longer.

Personal Care and Limitations

Personal hot tub safety depends on the awareness of each individual’s sensitivities and limitations. The following tips can help ensure a safe and enjoyable soak for the whole family:

• Stay hydrated. Hot water will make you perspire, so be sure to drink plenty of liquids before and after your soak. If you drink any beverages in or around your spa, avoid glass containers—broken glass and water is a dangerous combination. Durable plastic glasses or bottles are a safer choice.
• Talk to your doctor about hot tub safety if you are pregnant or have any medical conditions that can make you sensitive to increases in body temperature, such as diabetes, circulatory problems, heart disease, or high blood pressure. Additionally, if you’re taking any medications, particularly those that can cause drowsiness, ask your doctor if it’s safe for you to use a hot tub.
• Children should always be supervised in a hot tub by a responsible adult. Hot tubs pose special hazards for infants and toddlers, who are at a greater risk of drowning or suffering the effects of dehydration or overheating. Your doctor can advise you as to whether your hot tub is safe for your children to use.
• Stay out of the hot tub if you have any skin conditions, wounds, or sores. To avoid infection or contamination, or to reduce the risk of spreading contagious conditions to others, wait until your skin is completely healed before using your hot tub. In a similar vein, if you’ve recently undergone surgery, check with your doctor to see when it’s safe for you to use your spa.
• Monitor the water temperature for safety. The United States Consumer Product Safety Council (CPSC) recommends keeping your water temperature set to no higher than 104 degrees. Most new hot tubs are specifically designed to never exceed this limit. Keep the temperature set at a level comfortable for you and your family; for children or anyone particularly sensitive to heat, you may wish to lower the temperature to under 100 degrees.
• Do not consume alcohol before or during your hot tub soak. Particularly when combined with a heat source like a hot tub, alcohol can dehydrate you, raise your body temperature to dangerous levels, and impair your judgment.

We would love to help you better understand your hot tub and the best safety practices for your home and your family. We can show you ways to optimize the lifestyle benefits of your hot tub, develop a water care routine, and establish a safe environment around your spa. Contact us today if you’d like to learn more! By following these safety tips, you can help ensure that your spa experience will be relaxing and worry-free for you and your family.