Hot Tub Buying Guide

Hot tub health risks?

You have a hot tub to improve your quality of life. Soaking in the hot tub provides many benefits. Your muscles are soothed, you have time to sit and relax enjoying the quiet or the company of another, you sweat out some toxins and your tensions are relieved.

But are there risks to using a hot tub? Well, like with anything in life, there are risks. If you are careful and use caution, your hot tub should not cause your or your loved ones any harm.

Water can be dangerous. A hot tub is filled with water and therefore, you should be careful around it. Drownings can occur if a hot tub cover is not secured when the tub is not in use. Children should be supervised at all times when near or in a hot tub to prevent possible issues with drowning. Also, you should not soak alone. Overheating can cause someone to grow faint. Because your body temperature is raised and you are sweating in water you may not be aware that you are becoming dehydrated. Be sure to consume water before you enter the tub so that you do not deydrate to the point that it causes issues for you. Replenish your fluids after your soak in the hot tub. If you choose to consume alcohol while in the hot tub, be careful. Dehydration can cause you to feel the effects of alcohol more quickly. Dehydration can also be an issue if you have high blood pressure or heart disease. Please talk to your doctor if you have any medical conditions that could be exacerbated by overheating. Raising the body's temperature can cause stress to the heart. Young children and pregnant women should not be subject to overheating. Again, talk to your doctor. In general, children should not be in the tub for more than 10 minutes at a time and the water temperature should not go above 102. Be sure that the area around the hot tub is safe and free from obstacles or hazards. Tripping or slipping in or near a hot tub can result in injury.

Proper maintenance of the tub and the tub's water are essential to keeping the tub a positive addition to your life and not a health risk. Water can be dangerous; electricity can be dangerous; water and electricity can be very dangerous. Be sure that the tub is connected to its power source properly and that all the components are in good working order. The water in the tub needs to be properly maintained to be safe to enter. You need to regularly check the chemical levels. Proper santiation is essential. Warm water is a perfect breeding ground for all kinds of germs, bacteria and other yuck. Make sure the maintain a healthy environment with the proper sanitizer and keep your pH levels in check. Bacteria can cause skin irriation and infections. Rashes are a common complaint of hot tub soakers when chemicals get out of line and bacteria are allowed to thrive. Also, too much of a good things can cause harm as well. If your chemicals are too high your skin can become irritated and, possibly, your respiratory system as well.

Sometimes even if your tub is safe and the water is healthy, you may have issues with the spa's jets' power. Some folks do not repsond as well to powerful jets as others. Maybe the jets' pulsating hydropower is hitting your muscles not quite where it's most beneficial. Most hot tub's have adjustable jets to change the direction and intensity of the pulse. This is one reason it's good to wet test a tub. Make sure the jets hit you where you want them to hit and that their hydrotherapeutic power is beneficial to you. We all respond differently as we are different sizes and shapes and have different muscular form and, therefore, outr hot tub needs vary.

Your hot tub is a wonderful addition to your life. Keep it from being a health risk by being careful, smart and diligent about its maintenance.