Hot Tubs and Healthy Living

Hot tubs are all about healthy living and melting away the stresses of a hectic life. Half the enjoyment of a hot tub is sharing it with someone. The last thing one wants to worry about is catching your hot tub partner’s germs.

Most owners of hot tubs, or users of public hot tubs, have at some stage heard warnings about bad things that can happen to you in an unsanitary hot tub. Don’t be alarmed. Micro-organisms in contaminated hot tubs and spas, causing illness, are easily prevented, especially if you are bathing in a cedar wood hot tub because the wood provides a natural defence by actively combatting bacteria and fungi.

When is one at risk in a hot tub?
When is one at risk of catching a communicable disease in a hot tub? Usually, if the water is not properly treated and maintained. The biggest risk is clearly in a dubious spa at a public resort, but it is prudent to ensure your own hot tub’s water remains free of bacteria and fungi.

To be able to prevent and treat any potential ailments sometimes associated with contaminated hot tub water, it is best to understand what causes them, how they can be treated and how they can be eradicated from your hot tub.

How do I avoid contamination of my Hot Tub?
The chemistry inside your hot tub is the most important factor in preventing the bacteria and fungi causing hot tub rash and legionella from even entering your water, or eradicating them as soon as they do enter. Neglecting to sanitise the water, or a pH imbalance, can cause harmful bacteria to flourish. If your water chemistry is off, correct it as soon as possible.
The first step is to ensure you have a red cedar wood hot tub, because the timber actively kills bacteria and fungi. It also actively repels insects, protecting the tub itself, but also helps keeping insects at bay to make your hot tub soak a pleasurable experience. These factors alone make western cedar wood a far superior choice for hot tubs, as no other material – certainly not plastic or acrylic – can achieve this. Western red cedar wood has many other health and aesthetic benefits that will be dealt with in a separate article.

The next important step is sanitising the water. Chemicals at the right balance can achieve this quite effectively, but many people suffer adverse reactions to chlorine and bromine. Northern Lights, manufacturers of Red Cedar Wood Hot Tubs, have patented an Ionizer Sterilizer that naturally sterilises the water. An ionizer is an electrical device that produces metal ions by energising copper or silver electrodes with low voltage DC current. By dispersing these ions into the water circulation of the hot tub, they have a sanitising effect, neutralising algae and bacteria.

The third step is to keep the pH balance of the water properly balanced at between 7,4 and 7.6.

Step four is to install an effective filter in the circulating system. Although the filter cannot remove bacteria, it will remove larger impurities on which the bacteria feed. Besides, it keeps your water looking sparkling and alluring. Firehouse offers a range of filtering systems in their Northern Lights Red Cedar Wood Hot Tubs range that are more than up to the task.

In addition to maintaining your hot tub chemistry properly, it is essential to practice common-sense hygiene. It is best to shower before entering the hot tub and it is recommended that you shower with soap after getting out of the water, particularly if the hot tub is used by a lot of people and in public places.

Regular steps to keep your Hot Tub pure and uncontaminated
This is particularly important in high-usage hot tubs

  1. Inspect the water daily: Assess and test the quality of the water.
  2. Maintain the correct chemical balance, or ensure the ionizer sanitizer is working effectively. This is much easier in a cedar wood hot tub as the wood itself does most of the work for you.
  3. If chemicals are used, apply regular shock treatments.
  4. Maintain the hot tub properly: Regularly clean the underside of your hot tub cover, filter hole and jets with a hot tub cleaner available from Firehouse.
  5. Wash the sides and floor of the hot tub regularly, especially when changing the water.
  6. Regularly clean the filter in your hot tub’s circulating system. If necessary, add a line-flush product, available from Firehouse.
  7. Replace the filters when necessary.
  8. If used a lot, it may be a good idea to keep the pump going longer, even 24 Hours a day. This is essential when you have applied shock treatment.