hot tub temperature in summer
Quick Answer: Yes, you can use a hot tub in the summer! Read below as we cover the details you will need to know.
Lowering the temperature of your hot tub below 95 degrees is a wonderful way to enjoy it during the hot summers. The last thing you want to do is buy a hot tub that you have to keep a cover on all summer long, especially if you live in a climate with extreme heat.
Luckily, there are ways that you can combat this heat so that you can enjoy the crisp and relaxing sensation of your spa during the warmer months of the year.
Come dive in as we explore the ins and out of using your hot tub in summer.
Can You Use A Hot Tub In The Summer?
Yes, you can absolutely use your hot tub during the summer months.
If you want to use your hot tub on a hot summer day, it is essential to lower the hot tub to 95 degrees or less. If you live in a very hot climate where the summer heat gets unbearable, 95-degree temperatures may still be much too hot for you to enjoy.
If that’s the case, you might want to consider putting your hot tub into “sleep” or “economy” mode. Using these settings allows you to enjoy your hot tub at temperatures that are much lower than the typical setting.
Hot Tub Temperature In Summer
You will likely keep your hot tub at around 104 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the majority of the year, as this is the standard hot tub temperature.
If you can’t handle high temperatures or have young children that enjoy using the hot tub, you might want to consider setting it a bit lower at around 98 degrees Fahrenheit.
With lower temperatures, you can soak for much longer without having to deal with the risks of soaking in a very hot spa.
However, if you live in an environment that has extremely warm summer months, such as the American Southwest, you might end up with temperatures that are much hotter than what you set it to due to the fact that the sun provides extra heat.
Even in summer, there are many spa users that like it hot. Of course, any smart spa user knows that the higher the temperatures, the less time you can enjoy a refreshing soak.
In the summer, it is best to set your water temperature to 98 degrees Fahrenheit or below to stay cool and give yourself more time to enjoy your spa.
If you don’t have any sort of covering or shade atop your hot tub, the sun will beat down on the cover and heat up the water inside. The best way to obtain a cool water soak is by jumping on the cooler temperature settings before the day rolls along.
How Do I Keep My Hot Tub Cool?
Once the hot summers roll around, a lot of spa users will cover their spas up. You’re here because you don’t want to let any precious spa time go to waste.
While many people will just cut the power on their hot tubs and let the temperature drop, we highly recommend against that. Without your jets, pumps, or circulation, you end up with a big tub of stagnant, lukewarm water. The water just sits there.
If you end up sitting in the tub, your body oils and dead skin cells are bound to get in the water, which can make your tub a large petri dish of bacteria without proper circulation. Adding more chemicals won’t make a difference if the water isn’t able to circulate.
One of the best ways to cool your hot tub down during the summer is by switching to sleep mode or economy mode. Do note that not all hot tubs will have this option, so it is important to talk to your local dealer if you want to buy a new hot tub in the summer. Some hot tubs even come with a unique summer mode for cold water.
Spas that do have this mode will typically provide access to it through the control panel.
Typically, these modes will keep temperatures at around 15 degrees lower than what they normally are. While these designs exist to help people save money on electricity, they can be very helpful for those who want to keep their hot tubs at around body temperature when the weather is too brutal for a normal soak.
Use In The Early Mornings or Late Nights
If your hot tub is still too hot to use during the day, you might consider sticking to a soak during the early mornings or late nights.
Early mornings, especially in hot desert environments, are typically much cooler than the rest of the day.
Plus, there’s no better way to start your day than with a healthy, relaxing soak.
You can do the same thing in the evenings or nights as well. When the sun goes down, you can relax those tight muscles and unwind without having the sun beat down on you.
Helping Sore Muscles During the Summer
If you aren’t able to keep your hot tub cool during the summer or use it during the morning or evening, you can still use it for water circuit therapy to help with sore muscles. This unique form of hydrotherapy has plenty of health benefits, perfect for those who don’t want to shut down their hot tubs during the hottest parts of summer.
The idea with water circuit therapy is that you alternate between 10 minutes of cold water and 10 minutes of hot water. To do so, you can start with a session in your spa before moving to your cold shower or vice versa.
There are plenty of benefits that you can take advantage of in each ten minutes, including:
- Reduced Fatigue: If you often feel tired throughout the day, using this technique can help you feel fresh and revitalized.
- Reduced Muscle Soreness: If you work in a laborious or physically challenging environment, you can use this form of therapy to reduce muscle soreness.
- Pain Relief: -For those who deal with debilitating physical conditions, such as arthritis, or for those who are in recovery from medical procedures or injuries, having your spa and a cool shower to use year-round can help keep you in top physical shape.
- Improved Range of Motion: If you’re currently going through physical therapy or you just want to optimize your range of motion, this unique method can help improve your flexibility and range of motion.
The great thing about this method is that you time it out, giving yourself 10 minutes to sit in your spa, meaning you never have to worry about overheating. Because you give your body that 10-minute break, you can return it to normal temperature while taking advantage of reduced inflammation and nervous system stimulation.
You can even do the same thing if you have a pool. A simple hop between your warm hot tub and your cool pool can provide the same health benefits for your body.
Helping With Summer Allergies
People often deal with allergy symptoms throughout the summer. Beyond the heat, this is one of the other local factors you might, unfortunately, have to deal with.
The great thing about having a spa is that you can control and reduce your allergies with warm water therapy.
Remember, hot tubs produce steam, and according to the Journal of Integrative Medicine, steam is great for reducing certain symptoms, such as nasal itching, congestion, or sneezing, as it is very similar to an herbal steam bath. Soaking during the sunny days to get rid of your allergies is far better than having to sit inside all day or stuff yourself with side-effect-ridden allergy medication.
Need a Hot Tub?
Utilize Shade
One of the main reasons that your pool or spa might get hotter during the summer is the sun. If you can find a way to shade your water, then you can keep it from getting hotter than usual. This can be as simple as getting a portable canopy that you can place atop your spa in the summer to keep the sun from beating down.
You can even install lights underneath so that you can enjoy your spa in the evening!
There’s nothing quite like soaking in your spa in the evening or night, especially after a long day.
You and your family don’t have to forego your hot tub use during the summer just because it gets a bit warm outside. Running your hot tub during the dog days can help manage stress, pain, allergies, soreness, and much more. Plus, you can relax during the early mornings before a long day of work or hang with friends and family at night when the day ends.
We hope that you’re able to stay cool and have fun this summer with your cool tub!
A lawyer never retires. So I would just say that I am not as active as I used to be. Now I simply dedicate myself to fishing, my hobby, and my grandchildren. For Business Finance News I write about legal aspects of mortgage policies, mostly regarding the rights of policyholders. I also have articles about personal injuries.
