One enduring appeal of a hot tub is soaking in bubbling hot water on a cold, stormy day. The juxtaposition of the warm water and cold air can create a feeling of total relaxation and contentment. But what happens when the weather gets hotter in the summer and the temperature of the air is almost as high as the water? Could you use your hot tub to cool off when it’s hot out? Can hot tubs be cold in summer? In this article, we’ll go over some approaches to using your hot tub when the weather is getting too warm.
Morning and Night Soaks
Using your hot tub during the cooler parts of the day can allow you to use your hot tub throughout an extended heatwave. Getting up and watching the sunrise while relaxing in warm water is a pretty great way to start the day. Similarly, having a relaxing soak shortly before it’s time to go to bed can allow you to fall asleep faster and have a more restful night. By using your hot tub early in the morning and late at night you can skip out on the hottest parts of the day while still enjoying the warm water.
Lower Your Thermostat
Water that’s still quite warm can actually feel cool on the skin when it’s really hot outside. If you lower the thermostat on your water heater to below 30 degrees Celsius it will still feel cool and refreshing even if the air temperature is higher than that. It’s unnecessary to turn off your heater completely, and in some cases, it’s not recommended – read your owner’s manual to find out.
Vent Your Cover
Well, fitted hot tub covers are great for keeping dirt out of your hot tub and heat in the water. But when the outdoor temperatures are soaring you might not want to be retaining all that heat in your hot tub water. Venting your hot tub cover can allow some of the excess heat to dissipate while still keeping the water protected from debris and detritus. Allow the air to circulate by propping the cover on some blocks of wood, bricks or other stable material. You can also remove the cover completely early in the morning or late in the evening to allow the water temperature to regulate.
Just Add Ice
Adding ice to your hot tub water can bring down the temperature quite quickly. The best way to do this is to pre-freeze water in large containers such as milk jugs and allow them to float in the hot tub. This allows the water to be cooled without affecting its chemical balance.
Sunblock
If your hot tub is fully exposed to the midday sun, the water temperature can’t help but go up – even if your water heater has been turned down. Using a large umbrella or some sort of canopy can create some shade, block the sun and prevent the water from heating up too much throughout the day. As an added bonus the shade provided can make it much more comfortable to simply hang out around your hot tub.
Water Cooling Tech
Some of the newer hot tubs that have recently hit the market have employed technology that allows you to quickly cool the water down. Similar to an air conditioner that cools a hot room, these new cooling systems allow your hot tub to be quickly transformed into a refreshing plunge pool. Simply hit the switch to bring down the water temperature and you’ll have a hot tub that can be used in the hottest of weather.
Not that you know you can use your hot tub cold, find out more about other ways to enjoy it by downloading a hot tub buyer’s guide below, or visit us at our hot tub store.