3 girls in hot tub

So, how safe are hot tubs anyway? You might be surprised.

June 13, 2017

June 13, 2017 – So, how safe are hot tubs anyway? Well, they’re safer than you’ve been led to believe. Good news travels fast, but bad news travels even faster. On the rare occasion someone gets injured in a hot tub, news stories tend to turn heads, and that in turn perpetuates the myth that hot tubs are unsafe. We beg to differ and here’s why.

According to hot tub injury reporting that surfaced in 2009, many injuries could have been avoided by simply using a little common sense. More specifically, adults need to do a better job of properly monitoring children when they’re in and around hot tubs.

Hot tubbing is all about fun and safety. Follow these simple tips to enjoy a safe and happy soak:

  • Never, ever, ever, ever leave kids alone in a hot tub. An unsettling number of hot tub injuries occur because children are left unattended in a hot tub.  The good thing is, residential hot tubs (especially Hot Spring Spas) are designed to eliminate the powerful suction fittings that cause some of the entrapment issues reported in the media.  The filtration systems in most residential hot tubs are proportionate to the jet pump size, and that removes the suction issues from the equation.
  • Forget those cannon balls and swan dives. Other reported hot tub injuries result from kids jumping or even diving into hot tubs. (To a little kid, a hot tub can look just like a little pool). Creating and stressing some ground rules regarding the dos and don’ts of hot tub use—before the child gets into the tub—is essential to avoiding a lot of these types of injuries.
  • Get in and out the safe way. Slipping and/or falling when exiting or entering a hot tub is to blame for a large number of other hot tub related injuries. In many cases hot tubs have exterior steps that lead to the lip of the tub (also called the bar top).  Rather than stepping up over the bar top to enter the tub (which can be precarious), you can use the bar top as a seat. Once you’re seated, it’s safe and easy to just swing your legs up and over the steps and onto the cool down seat. From there you can simply lower yourself into the water. Just reverse the process when exiting the tub. Another safety measure to use when getting in and out of the hot tub is a hand rail.
  • Don’t let kids get in over their head. Be mindful of the height of the child in relation to the depth of the hot tub seating. You never want them to try and sit on a seat that’s too deep in the water. It’s really easy for water to enter their nostrils, or for them to be tempted to drink the water.   If kids in your hot tub is the norm, we suggest you keep a couple of hot tub booster seats  They put the kids at a safer level when they’re sitting in the tub, and that can take a weight off your mind. Try one yourself—you might like it!
  • Avoid getting overheated. A fair number of hot tubs (including most of those we sell) have an area designated as a cool down seat. These are typically a raised area with a flat surface inside the hot tub that can also be used to step in and out.   As the name suggests, they’re also a special place to cool down within the tub when you start to feel overheated. The seat is high enough that it lifts your torso out of the hot water, allowing you to get some relief from the heat.
  • Keep the water flowing. When you soak in a hot tub you rid your body of toxins by sweating, which is wonderful. But you have to replenish those lost fluids or you can become dehydrated, which is way less than wonderful, especially in a hot water environment.  This can happen if you’ve planned a long soak, or you’re having a hot tub party.  It’s essential to keep plenty of refreshing non-alcoholic beverages on hand when soaking. Pick your pleasure…iced tea, lemonade, juicy fresh fruit like grapes and strawberries, and of course refreshing water. They’re all excellent choices.

So, are hot tubs really safe? You bet! Just make sure that common sense is rule #1 for anyone using your hot tub, kids are properly monitored by responsible adults and that you keep those body fluids replenished.

Then…it’s nothing but safe fun, fun, fun! Enjoy!