Dipping in the hot, bubbling water after a long day of work is so relaxing, and what most hot tub owners look forward to. But, if the water is not at the right temperature for you, setting and waiting for the temperature to your preferred degree can ruin the whole point of relaxation.
People have been enjoying hydrotherapy for centuries; ancient Egyptians have taken a bath in hot water for optimal health and to treat medical conditions. Modern technologies have allowed us to buy a hot tub and have a hydrotherapy session right in our backyard. Hydrotherapy, for centuries, has played the role of a remedial tool to heal joint and muscle pain, and even spinal pain.
If you’re a new hot tuber or are still fidgeting with your spa temperature sometimes, then you’ve come to the right place. Read on further to know the right temperature for your spa, safety measures, and have an excellent hot tubbin’ experience.
Our body temperature is typically around 98.6°F or 37°C and water little above this temperature makes us feels relaxed and good. But excessive high temperature or very low temperature is harmful to you and as well as your hot tub.
Your body is susceptible to heat-related conditions like Hyperthermia if you stay too long in hot water or if your body temperature increases, you can get:
The right temperature is also critical for children, elderly people and pregnant women whose bodies are less resilient to excess heat.
Temperature also plays a pivotal role in the make or break of your hot tub. If you want to maintain your hot tub longevity, it is crucial for the water to be at the appropriate temperature. Excessive hot water puts extreme strain on the water heaters of your spa. During winter, if your spa water is not hot enough, the water can freeze, which in turn can freeze the internal pipes. This can bring damage amounting to a huge amount of bucks.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), water temperature shouldn’t exceed 104°F or 40°C. Anything exceeding this temperature puts your health at great risk.
Nowadays, you can change your hot tub water temperature settings through a dial pad or an app or even through a voice command. The ideal range of your hot tub water temperature is from 98.6°F to 102°F or 37°C to 39°C. This temperature setting will ensure that your body stays relaxed and warm and won’t overheat your body. You can also have a thermometer handy to make sure the water temperature is correct and hasn’t risen than intended.
The CDC recommends that the hot tub water temperature for kids should be 95°F or 35°C and advises that all children under the age of five should refrain from going in the hot tub.
Everybody has their personal choice in what temperature they want to soak in. Mostly preferred is 104°F or 40°C during winter, but some like their water to be at 102°F or 39°C temperature. While in summer, you can set the temperature to 97°F to 99°F or 36°C to 37°C.
The right way to know which temperature suits you best is to test out the waters yourself. You can experiment at different temperatures; slowly increase the water temperature to find your ‘sweet spot’. In any case, do not exceed the temperature than the limit to avoid any health damage.
Remember: It is advised that each hot tub sessions should be limited to 15-30 minutes and max 45 minutes in lower temperatures.
It really depends on various factors like the temperature of the water you started to heat it with, the efficiency of your spa, the quality of installation and the weather.
Most spas usually take around an hour to increase the temperature by 3 to 6 degrees, so it can take anywhere from four to twenty hours to reach the temperature you want.
Pro Tip: Keep the cover on for a faster process so that the heat doesn’t escape.
The electricity that your spa consumes depends on the hot tub itself. Some hot tub heater works on 120 volts and some works on 240 volts, drawing around 1500 watts and 6000 watts accordingly. We would recommend for you to go for a hot tub that works on 120 volts because the higher the voltage level is, the more the hot tub will consume current.
So to save some bucks, best go for a hot tub with 120 volts.
You can set the temperature as per your own preference, but a 104°F during 20-degree weather will be very relaxing.
Reducing the temperature to a very low degree will not save on your electricity bill instead you expose your hot tub to a major risk of freezing over because of the weather which in turn will do a whole lot of damage to hot tub equipment.
If you’re going on a vacation, then it’s better to shut off your hot tub completely and drain the water.
It is recommended for a pregnant woman to first consult a doctor before using the hot tub. That being said, you can set the hot tub temperature to 100°F or 37°C and soak in for about 10 minutes or less. Exceeding this limit can also result in birth defects in the unborn child.
Have a great and safe hot tubbin’!
