What a ghastly title! But if you own a hot tub or spa, this article could be one of the most important things you could ever read.
If you start to consider all the dangers of a hot tub, you may be able to convince yourself not to use yours or to buy one if you are considering owning one. Like most physical activities, using a hot tub can be dangerous.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) maintains records of different types of accidents that occur in the US each year, including accidents that occur due to hot tubs.
Unsurprisingly, the main danger from hot tubs is drowning. Since 1990, more than 800 people have died in this way. So how does an adult drown in 3 feet of water? These are some of the ways.
- If you heat the water too much or stay too long, you could pass out. 104 degrees should be the hottest the water has been heated and the recommended soaking time is about 20 minutes.
- If you drink too much alcohol, you could pass out in the water.
- If you leave the hot tub cover on and lift only one side and do not remove the cover, then it makes a noise, it may fall and hit you on the head, possibly knocking you unconscious.
- If you use an older model spa without certain safety features in the way the drains are positioned or covered, long hair can be sucked down the drains, keeping your head underwater. Also, the strong suction in older spas, again without safety drains, can suck your body in and hold you against the bottom drain. The CPSC has a nasty-sounding name for this: body part entanglement, and people who use hot tubs have died from it.
- Failure to maintain or wire electrical parts correctly can result in electrocution.
In addition to looking at the temperature, the amount of time you soak, and your alcohol intake, the CPSC recommends that you:
- You know where the kill switch is and how to quickly operate it so you can shut down your spa in an emergency.
- If something breaks or you suspect a problem with the hot tub, hot tub cover, or electrical system, have a trained professional check it before using the tub again.
- If you have an older hot tub, check the drains, and if you don’t have two domed inlets, don’t use the spa until it has been corrected.
- You don’t use the jacuzzi alone. This doesn’t mean someone has to be with you, just be around in case a problem arises.
Of the deaths reported by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 160 were children. The dangers for children are the same as those listed above for adults, and in addition, children have poor judgment on safety issues. This is why it is extremely important to keep the hot tub cover locked so that children cannot access it without adult supervision. If your bathtub is indoors, you may have fewer worries, unless there are young children living or visiting your home. If your hot tub is outside, a cover lock is almost a must.
There are millions of hot tubs in use today, and this article is meant to help protect you, not scare you out of one of the most relaxing and satisfying experiences you can ever have. Follow a few simple rules, use good judgment, and you can have a lifetime of safe and fun times in your hot tub.
