How to Use an Outdoor Hot Tub in the Winter: 12 Simple Tips to Follow

No matter what time of the year, you’ll always find a use for an outdoor hot tub. Here are twelve simple tips to follow when using your winter wonderland during this cold season!

The “what to wear in hot tub in winter” is a question that many people ask. In this article, we will teach you how to use an outdoor hot tub in the winter and what to wear.

Some people believe that nothing beats relaxing in a heated hot tub amid a light snowfall. The process of getting your outdoor hot tub ready for some winter fun can be very complex. As lovely and beneficial as a good soak during the winter months may be, the process of getting your outdoor hot tub ready for some winter fun can be rather complicated. 

For the winter, some individuals prefer to winterize their hot tubs. I was considering keeping it open over the winter. I did some research before deciding to leave my tub open for the holidays, and I discovered some wonderful advice on how to stay tubbin’ all winter long.

Twelve Tips for Tubing in the Winter

#1 Perform a routine water change as soon as possible.

Tip number one begins well before winter arrives, but it is a critical first step for winter tubing. The water in your tub should be changed every three months on average. If you want to use your tub in the winter, you should change the water and clean the cover ahead of time to guarantee clean and clear pipes throughout the season.

The only unusual aspect of this water change is how quickly you should perform it. There are servicers that will come to your house and change the water for you, but if you’re like me and want to do things yourself, you may like doing it yourself.

A typical water change will follow the same processes.

1. Locate your hot tub’s owner’s handbook and properly study the instructions. Because each tub is unique, you may need to do additional measures depending on the tub. Before you begin, contact your manufacturer with any queries you may have.

1. Remove the filter by finding it and removing it. The filter is usually located somewhere in the water path and is visible and easy to locate from inside the tub.

1. Make sure you clean the area where the filter was recently resting. Some dirt or debris may have dropped when you removed the filter and you’ll need to keep it clean up before continuing further.

1. Add a pipe purge to the water and run the jets at full speed for up to 15 minutes to flush the pipes in your tub. After that, turn off the tub and cover it for a few hours to let the filth to remove completely from your pipes.

1. After you’ve turned off your tub, open the main circuit breaker so it won’t start up again while you’re cleaning.

1. While you’re waiting for the tub to soak, clean the filter with a soft bristle brush to get rid of any large dirt deposits. Soak the filter in the cleanser overnight for optimal results. Spray each fold of the filter with a hose once it has soaked.

1. Drain the tub’s water by finding the drain valve and connecting it to a hose. If the owner’s handbook does not specify otherwise, the drain valve should be located near the bottom of the tub. If there isn’t a drain valve, a submersible pump may be used, which is typically quicker!

1. Clean the interior of the tub using a non-foaming hot tub cleaner after the tub is empty. It’s critical to use a hot tub specialist cleaning rather than regular home cleansers since they might leave filmy deposits in your clean water or harm the finish on your tub’s inner lining.

To avoid scratching or damaging the interior of your tub, wipe it off with soft, non-abrasive towels.

1. Replace the cleaned filter in the housing it came from. You shouldn’t have to force it or press it too hard to get it in the right location. Take care not to harm the filter! Check your owner’s handbook if you’re having difficulties reinstalling the filter in its housing.

1. It’s time to restock! Fill the tub with new, clean water after closing the drain valve. Close the circuit breaker and run your tub at full power for a few minutes to remove any trapped air bubbles and send any debris to the filter.

1. Check the water levels with your water testing kit to make sure they’re safe to drink. A hot tub’s optimal pH range is 7.2 to 7.8. Anything below that range indicates that your tub’s water is too acidic, while anything beyond it indicates that the water is too alkaline. 

It’s simple to resolve these concerns. To increase the pH if it is too low, add sodium bicarbonate. If the pH is too high, muriatic acid may be used to bring it down.

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#2 Put your hot tub on the freeze-protection setting.

Some hot tubs have a fantastic “freeze protect” or “no freeze” or “auto heat” option or setting. This feature isn’t available on all hot tubs, and it’s known by various names in different tubs. Another reason to save your owner’s manual is for this reason. 

This function just keeps your pipes a little warmer than normal to avoid ice formation. While this is a fantastic function, you should only utilize it approximately 25% of the time. Turn it off after around 15 minutes; if you’re still having fun in your tub after an hour or two, turn it on for another 15 minutes.

Most contemporary hot tubs have this option, but if yours doesn’t, you may want to think about shutting it down for the winter. You may be possible to improve your hot tub from the manufacturer, but it might cost as much as purchasing a new tub! 

When water freezes, it expands by at least 10%, and your hot tub’s plumbing won’t be able to handle the strain. The pipes will most certainly burst, costing you a lot of money to fix. It is not impossible to repair your hot tub when something like this occurs, but it may be quite costly and time consuming.

#3 Get a Floating Thermal Blanket and an Insulated Tub Cover.

After you’ve taken the time to thoroughly clean your tub and pipes, you’ll need to cover it. Although it may seem to be a simple chore, the sort of cover you select for your hot tub is critical. While having both an insulated cover and a floating thermal blanket is not required, I believe it is the best option. 

By covering the hot tub’s exterior rim, an insulted hot tub cover serves the same purpose as a standard cover. Normal tub covers, on the other hand, are thin and might enable heat to pass through, making them unsuitable for winter tubbing. To block heat from flowing through, insulated coverings are built with layers of high-quality foam.

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An insulated cover tub cover is not the same as a floating thermal blanket. While the hot tub cover goes around the tub’s outside rim, the water underneath it is still visible. Our is where this cool blanket comes in! The floating thermal blanket rests flat on the water’s surface and not only protects it from being too cold, but it also prevents evaporation, saving electricity!

#4 Keep an eye on your water levels

Evaporation may be an issue if you don’t have a floating thermal blanket. Your water levels will decline as the water evaporates, which is not a good thing. Check your water levels on a regular basis, even if you have a thermal blanket, but particularly if you don’t.

If the water level falls too low, it may easily freeze, destroying not just the tub’s inner lining but also the pipes and plumbing system. If the water level falls below what you desire, just add extra fresh, clean water and test the balances with your water testing kit to ensure that everything is in order.

#5 Take Care When Uncovering Your Tub

When you first go out to your hot tub location, your hot tub cover will most likely be coated in snow and ice. It’s critical to remove the lid with care. Make sure you have a small shovel or a snow brush on hand to remove the snow and ice off the cover. 

Pull back the cover cautiously after removing the snow and ice to ensure that no ice or snow falls into the water. There won’t be much of an issue if a small amount of snow falls in, but if too much ice or snow falls in, it may upset the chemical balance and reduce the tub’s temperature, increasing your energy cost as you attempt to reheat the tub.

#6 Plan to Leave Before You Enter

The most risky aspect of hot tubbing in the winter is the risk of temperature shock. Temperature shock, also known as thermal shock or cold shock reaction, is what occurs to the human body when the temperature changes dramatically and your internal temperature regulation system cannot keep up.

It’s critical to have a prepared, heated route from your tub to your house for your protection. Simply have a pair of warm gripping slippers, towels, and a robe within reach of the tub so you can swiftly cover yourself as you enter.

Make sure to shovel and salt the way to your hot tub early in the day so that you can get into your house swiftly and securely.

Another thing to keep in mind is to keep your hands protected. Before touching anything metal, such as a door handle or an exterior light switch, make sure your hands are completely dry. If your hands are even slightly damp, you run the risk of your skin freezing to the metal and being trapped, which is not only hazardous but also uncomfortable.

#7 Be Wary of Jet Travel

As we all like some bubbles in the tub while we bathe, it is not the ideal idea for tubbing in the winter. The jets generate a bubbly appearance by forcing water into the tub, which may feel nice when tubbing in the hot summer, but may actually reduce the water’s temperature. The air utilized by the jets to create bubbles is often not heated.

Simply dial down the jets to save money on your energy cost and keep your hot tub warm. Even with the jets on their lowest setting, there will be some air in the water, but not enough to significantly lower the temperature. Just don’t keep the jets on for as long if you want to get the full impact. Short increments of 10 to 15 minutes should keep the water warm while providing effervescent pleasure.

#8 Keep an Eye on Your Soak Time

People seldom sit in their tubs for more than 20 to 30 minutes at a time during the summer since it is so hot. However, since it is colder outdoors in the winter, you may want to stay in your tub for a bit longer. While your instinct may be correct, you should not act on it.

Because your head and shoulders will be out of the water and still exposed to the chilly winter weather, you may be tempted to linger in your hot tub a little longer. This may effectively deceive the internal temperature in your body. While you may think your body temperature is typical for a hot tub, your body temperature has been gradually increasing without your understanding. 

Because it may produce lightheadedness, dizziness, nausea, and heat exhaustion, this is quite hazardous. If you think you’re starting to overheat in your tub, get out quickly and carefully, and see a doctor as soon as possible.

To be safe when tubbing in the winter, limit your soak duration to a maximum of 25 minutes. Any longer time than that might lead to complications.

#9 Maintain proper hydration

It’s critical to remain hydrated when temps reach 104 degrees, but things are a bit different while tubbing in the cold. You should still drink enough of water to avoid being dehydrated, but because you’ll be outside in the cold, a lovely cold bottle of water won’t suffice.

Replace the chilled water bottles with some room temperature water throughout the summer. Also, nothing beats a nice cup of tea, cider, or chocolate in the winter, so bring that out to the tub as well! When moving around outdoors, the warm beverages will aid in maintaining a warm body temperature.

Drinking alcoholic drinks in your hot tub is also not a good idea. When alcohol enters the circulation, it is quite simple for the body to become dehydrated. Drinking in your winter tub is not a good idea even in the summer, but with all of the other elements added by the cold, it is not a smart idea.

#10 Keep an eye on the temperature of your tub.

Maintaining your body temperature is critical, as I’ve already said. When you first come out of the warm tub, your instinct may be to crank up the heat so that your body can warm up quicker, but this is not a good idea.

A hot tub’s safe temperature range is between 100 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Even while most basic hot tubs go up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, most people won’t elevate their tub past 102 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer. 

When tubbing in the winter, you may be tempted to put the hot tub up to its maximum setting, but this may be risky. The issue is once again overheating and heat fatigue. When you raise the temperature of the tub, you are also boosting the temperature of your own body. It is advisable to avoid this at all costs in order to be safe and healthy.

#11 Keep an eye on things while you’re on vacation

It wouldn’t be the holidays without a family trip, but what about your hot tub, which you worked so hard to keep open all winter? If you’re gone for more than a few days, there might be a variety of issues that could cause your tub to break down if you don’t keep an eye on it. It is feasible to just empty the tub and clean the pipes before leaving on vacation, but this is time-consuming.

There are numerous applications and services that might help you keep an eye on your tub while you’re gone. Among the applications available are:

• Insta-Link Water Testing is a free tool that helps you manage your pool by using a unique pool test strip. The app takes a picture of the test strip and then informs you precisely which chemicals you’ll need! There is no hardware required, however the test strips may be found at the website above.
• Nimbus Pool Doctor keeps track of the treatments you’ve done in the past and helps you balance the chemicals in your pool.
• Pool-Calculator does exactly what it says on the tin. It takes care of the difficult pool computations for you. Simply input precise information about your pool (size, chemical readings, etc.) and it will calculate how much of each chemical to use.

While these applications may help with certain tasks, I discovered a monitoring system that can handle them all. The Cennextion ® messaging system notifies you and your tub dealer when anything is wrong with your tub. Other controls and functions offered on the website included:

• Remotely monitor your spa’s system from anywhere in the world with your smartphone or tablet.
• System for sending out alert messages
• Spa controls are easily accessible.
• Cleanliness of the filter
• Remote locking and unlocking of spa controls
• Link to the dealer’s contact information
• Temperature should be set.
• Pumps with Jets
• Cycle of cleaning
• Timer for the summer
• Temperature control
• Spa lock

12 Beautify Your Bathtub Area

Create a welcoming atmosphere around your outdoor hot tub. By just adding a few items to the area surrounding your hot tub, you can immediately transform your drab patio into a toasty winter paradise.

Heating lights and towel warmers, for example, may make your return home considerably warmer and safer. Adding candles to the area might help you relax as you soak. After stepping out of the tub, having a waterproof mat to dry your feet on might make the trek back in your slippers more pleasurable.

Having all of these wonderful gadgets and gizmos in your hot tub area will make it a much more enjoyable place to relax or entertain. If you do decide to include any of these items, make sure the electrical gadgets are either battery-operated or placed far enough away from you, the tub, and, most importantly, the water.

The Advantages of Winter Tubing

When you tell people you go through all this work to keep your hot tub open during the winter, they may wonder why. Many individuals are unaware that there are several advantages to utilizing your hot tub in the cold. 

Among the advantages are:

Staying Warm – As the weather becomes colder in the winter, everyone wants to take advantage of the season while avoiding turning into a popsicle! You can easily accomplish both in the winter while your hot tub is open! Simply turn on the tub and relax while watching the snow fall. This may be a terrific technique to warm things up as long as you keep an eye on your body temperature.

Healthy Skin — People tend to have more dry skin and blocked pores in the winter, which is never a good thing. Your pores will be open and unclogged after a soak in your winter tub and some moisturizer, and your skin will remain soft and smooth!

You may also add a bath bomb to your soak to add some additional fun and benefit your skin even more! Just make sure the bath bomb you choose doesn’t include any flower petals or confetti, since these can block your jets. You will also have to clean your tub more often as a result of this exercise. Go for it if you don’t mind the additional labor!

Cold Relief – A cold or two is a common occurrence throughout the winter months. A brief dip in your hot tub will clear your sinuses and calm your breathing if you find your sinuses are a bit clogged. But be cautious! Sitting in your tub if you have a fever might make you dizzy and make your temperature worse! Before you decide to soak your cold away, speak with your doctor.

Winter Workout – You may not always want to wrap up and shovel snow off your vehicle just to go to the gym. You may instead perform some workouts in your hot tub! At home, you may receive a full-body exercise! When you’re finished, relax your muscles by soaking in the tub.

Make sure your workouts are as low-impact as possible. Heat exhaustion may be caused by the heat your body produces while exercising mixed with the heat from the tub.

Holiday Celebration – A winter hot tub wouldn’t be complete without some holiday fun. By asking your guests to enjoy hot cocoa or cider with donuts and cookies, your Christmas party will undoubtedly be the most enjoyable of the season! Install a fire pit a safe distance from the tub to cook smores to boost your wintertime hot tub party!

Stress Reduction – We all know that the holidays are one of the most stressful times of the year! With all of your gift-giving, party-planning, and vacation plans, you may not have time to make a spa session to relax. You may enjoy your own peaceful spa session in your back yard by leaving your hot tub open throughout the winter. And don’t forget about the money you’ll save!

There are so many more advantages to hot tubbing in the cold! If you’d want to learn more about the advantages of winter hot tubbing, check here for some extremely interesting information!

The “hot tub installation” is a summertime favorite, but it can be enjoyed all year long. Here are 12 simple tips to follow when using an outdoor hot tub in the winter.

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