Spa Rules & Requests

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We have a spa (hot tub). It's a Hot Spring Prodigy, which is rated for 5 adults. We're happy to share it with our friends and family. However, we ask that everyone using our spa observes our rules, to help ensure everyone's safety and enjoyment.

Safety

Regardless of what might or might not be on this list, everyone who uses the spa has a responsibility to be safe, and not do anything you think might be dangerous.

Some of the inherent dangers of spas are:

Drowning

Spas, like swimming pools, the ocean, lakes, and even bathtubs, contain enough water for someone to drown. Most of the same safety precautions that apply around these other bodies of water also apply to spas.

Hyperthermia

Prolonged immersion in hot water can result in hyperthermia (a dangerous condition which occurs when the core body temperature becomes elevated above its normal temperature). Hyperthermia is particularly dangerous because several of the symptoms actually make it more difficult to counteract the problem. Symptoms include unawareness of the impending hazard, falure to perceive heat, failure to recognize the need to get out of the spa, physical inability to get out of the spa, and unconsciousness (which can lead to drowning). Some safety tips for avoiding hyperthermia include:

• Monitor your time in the spa and plan your "cool-down" breaks in advance. If the spa is hotter than body temperature (98 degrees Fahrenheit), move to the "cool-down" seat (the one that's higher than all the others) for at least a minute or so every 10-15 minutes.
• If you're feeling sleepy or lightheaded, get out of the spa and wait until the feeling goes away before getting back in.
• Being in hot water can dehydrate you very quickly, and dehydration increases the risk of hyperthermia. Make sure you drink plenty of water before getting into the spa and while you're in it.
• Alcohol and other depressants increase the risk of hyperthermia. If you're taking medication, check with your doctor before using the spa. Note that alcohol, in addition to its depressant effects, can also cause dehydration.
• If you have a history of heart disease, circulatory system problems, or high or low blood pressure, check with your doctor before using the spa.
• Children are particularly susceptible to hyperthermia, so it's especially important for them to take a "cool-down" break every 10-15 minutes. Parents/guardians should keep track of how long their children have been in the spa and make sure they take enough "cool-down" breaks. This is easier when all of the adults set a good example.
• Hot water can cause permanent fetal injury. If you are pregnant, or suspect that you might be, please:
  • Check with your doctor before using the spa.
  • Never get into water hotter than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • If the water temperature is above body temperature (98 degrees Fahrenheit), don't stay in the spa for longer than ten minutes at a time.

Slipping & Falling

Wet surfaces can be slippery. Be careful while getting into and out of the spa. Because of the potential danger of someone falling, hitting his/her head and drowning, no one should ever be in the spa unless there's at least one other adult in the room (who may be either inside or outside of the spa).

Electrocution

Keep electrical devices and anything else that's plugged in out of reach of the spa.

Adult Supervision

Children are welcome to use the spa (subject to the hyperthermia limitations above) as long as a parent (or other adult who has the parents' authority to take charge of the child in an emergency) is supervising.

Recklessness

Don't jump or engage in other reckless behaviors. Any number of bad things could happen, including slipping & falling, twisting an ankle on the uneven bottom of the spa, or cracking the spa.

Comfort & Convenience

The following additional rules & requests are for the comfort & convenience of your fellow bathers, as well as to make life easier for Nancy & Jeff.

• The spa is generally "clothing optional". Please keep the curtains closed and/or shades down when people are in the room without clothes on.
• Please refrain from having sex in the spa. It may be tempting, but it clogs the filters.
• Keep the water in the spa as much as possible. There's no drain in the floor.
• If you forgot to bring a towel, you may use one of the clean towels from the upper brown cabinet. Dirty towels should be placed in the yellow hamper to the left of the brown cabinets.
• If there are people waiting to use it, please limit your time in the spa to 20 minutes. You can always get back in later. If you're waiting to use the spa, please make sure the people in the spa know that you're waiting, instead of just being there to talk to them.
• The spa is on a 20-amp circuit, which means the heater is disabled when the jets are on. If you have the jets on for a long time, the spa will cool down. If this happens, turn the jets off for a while and let the spa heat back up.
• The spa is sanitized with chlorine. (We use a silver ion cartridge to help reduce the amount of sanitizing solution necessary, and the cartridge is incompatible with bromine.) During large parties, we may need to shut down the spa occasionally for ten minutes to add chlorine.
• Keep an eye on your fellow bathers. Help remind each other to take frequent "cool-down" breaks, and watch each other for signs of hyperthermia.

Trespass Notice

Because this page is publicly accessible on the web, it's important for us to include a trespass notice. Please note that these rules do not in any way constitute permission from Nancy or Jeff for anyone to use the spa without our explicit permission. Using the spa without our permission constitutes trespassing, and will be dealt with in accordance with local laws.

Thanks for helping us keep the spa fun and safe for everyone!

Jeff Bigler's home page / send email
Last modified: Sat Sep 13 23:45:22 2003