Hot tubs are a great source of entertainment for the whole family. Since people of all ages will use and enjoy the spa, it’s important to review the safety of your hot tub and your spa area.
Always supervise children for safety
The first step to family spa safety is to always supervise children when they are in or around the hot tub. Never leave a child in a hot tub area unsupervised, even if it is only for a short amount of time. Children should not be allowed into the hot tub until they are tall enough for their heads to remain completely out of water when their feet touch the bottom. Children should also avoid full-body immersion. Instead, let them sit on raised seats that only immerse them to waist level.
Regulate hot tub soak times
Different people are able to enjoy hot tubs for different amounts of time. Children that are big enough to be in a hot tub should not use it for more than five minutes at a time. Adults should take a break out of the hot tub every 15-20 minutes to cool and refresh before re-entering.
Everyone in the family should drink fresh water during their soak and afterwards to stay hydrated.
Install and use your cover latch straps
All hot tubs from AquaRest Spas come with a sealing safety cover. These covers come with tie down straps that can be secured to the spa with locking latches. Latch your spa’s cover to its shell to prevent children from opening the spa unsupervised. Use the lock and key for the latch as an additional security measure. An added benefit of tying down your spa cover is that you can be sure the cover will remain sealed, even in high winds. This keeps out debris and locks in heat to keep your operating costs low. The four latches must be installed onto your spa. Completing this step during your spa installation process ensures your hot tub is secure from the start.
Enclose your spa area with fencing
Enclosing the hot tub area with a fence and a gate that locks is a practical way to keep unsupervised children out of the spa area. Some cities and communities have codes requiring residential barriers such as fencing and/or self-closing gates on the property to prevent unsupervised access to a hot tub and swimming pools by children under five years of age. Consult your local or county building codes to determine the need for a fence or gate.
Provide steps to safely enter and exit the spa
AquaRest Spa’s Deluxe Storage Steps and Handi Steps and even a handrail will help you avoid slipping and injury when accessing the spa. Both designs are built to accommodate the height of your spa to make entering and exiting the spa safe and easy. The steps are also designed with a textured surface and grooves that prevent water from pooling on the surface, making them slip resistant.
Make walk areas around the spa slip-resistant
Some spa surfaces are naturally slip resistant. The texture of patio pavers and some patio stones allows for a good grip even when the surface is wet. Other surfaces, like sealed concrete, smooth decking, and some smooth stone surfaces are slippery when wet. Your local hardware store will provide options to increase friction on these smooth surfaces. Textured overlays or rubber mats are a quick and simple solution to create non-slip surfaces around your spa.
Follow simple safety measures to make your hot tub a much more enjoyable experience for everyone in the family.