How To Childproof Your Hot Tub The Right Way
Once your child starts crawling and knows what a door is, you should start thinking of the best way to keep them off dangerous areas, even a hot tub. Although many people focus on childproofing the house, one can easily forget to ensure that the hot tub area is in check, especially if it is close to the main house. Even if the water is not that hot, different accidents can still occur around the tub.
There are two main ways to look at this.
- Firstly, is there a kid living in the house?
- Secondly, is the child old enough to be in the pool?
One thing for sure, you will need to keep the tub safe for children either way. To do this, here are the most important ways and items to pay attention to.
Door Security
You could do all you could to keep your children indoors, but this only increases their curiosity about what is on the other side of the door. If your kids are already crawling or walking, use a latch to keep the doorway to the tub locked at all times.
You will not always be at home to ensure that your kids keep off the backyard. Your sitter might not always have their eyes on the kids as well. A latch will keep your young ones out of restricted areas when no one is looking.
While at it, make sure that the latch is high enough, such that even if the child manages to stand, they cannot reach it. Better so, keep that door locked with a key whenever no one is using the tub.
Fence your tub area
Having an enclosure or a fence around the hot tub area keeps the children from getting too close. You might find it a bit safe for your children to be out in the backyard when playing, but that doesn’t mean they know that getting close to the tub could be dangerous, especially when the tub is on.
Fences are an ideal choice for tub areas in the house’s private corner or the ones that are a part of the deck. If possible, have safe security sensors around the fence to be extra careful. Some households opt for a foldable staircase that is railed up once everyone is out of the pool. This, too, could be an option if you are not in for the fencing idea. Having both could also work.
Check the walkways
The hot tub’s surrounding begins from the walkways towards the tub. One can easily forget to childproof this area. It is possible for a child to slip and fall, hurting themselves badly around slippery walkways. Remember that this is an area with water almost always as people carry residue from the tub.
To childproof the walkways, use slip-resistant mats. If possible, cover every area around the tub with this to keep everyone safe from a slip and fall accident. Ensure that the carpets remain dry by using absorbent towels often. Fencing the walkways and having a gate at the end is also an option to keep kids off them at all times.
Invest in Quality Hot Tub Covers
You will need a hot tub cover for many reasons. Other than energy saving, keeping off unwanted debris, and heating the tub fast, your kids will be much safer with a tub cover on the tub. As you shop for one, think more about quality and how well your choices could serve as a baby proofing item.
A quality cover should be locking straps that firmly hold every corner of your tub. The straps keep the cover in place and from flying off. If you are within related areas, ensure that the cover is ASTM approved.
Teach your Children Safety Rules Around the Hot Tub
It comes a time that your kids get old enough to know what they are doing. At such times, you could try to have any other item in place to keep them off the tub area with no success. This is when you need to sit them down to help them understand how to take care of themselves around the hot tub and its environs.
For starters, no kids should be in the hot tub without an adult or at least the supervision of one. Secondly, only certain types of games should be allowed in the tub. Otherwise, anything that involves going underwater shouldn’t be encouraged. It’s quite easy to drown even if a tub’s water might not be as deep as a swimming pool.
To keep a better eye on this, only allow kids to the tub on specific days, especially when schools are not on. Finally, ensure that they know what to do in case of an accident. Teach them how to remain calm, how to reach the closest adult, and how to dial an emergency number. This way, you will be sure that they can handle the situation in the midst of a panic.
Once you have children old enough for the hot tub, do not keep them in the tub for more than five minutes at a time. Else, lower the tub’s temperature to at least 95 or 98 degrees. Also, make sure they avoid full-body immersion. Their skins are still delicate, and you do not want the chemicals to affect their eyes or nose in the name of having fun. Always use floaters and swimming suits to get a better grip on the situation.
What Age is Safe for a Hot Tub?
A public hot tub has different rules from a private one. However, it is essential to note that kids have tender skins and should not be exposed to adverse temperature conditions. For this reason, it is recommended that you keep children below five years off the hot tub. The chemical levels are also not exactly ideal for their tender bodies. Public spas have higher standards, and most keep the restriction age at twelve years.
Can you Take a Baby Into a Hot Tub?
According to the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (APSP), babies should not be allowed into a hot tub. Their skins are too gentle to withstand such high temperatures. Also, with the steams from the pool, it is unclear if infants as young as one year can stand the conditions. This makes it worse if a tub has not been adequately checked for chemical levels.
Although you are advised to wait until your child reaches five years before introducing them to a hot tub, ensure no medical conditions that could claim otherwise. Better so, ask your baby’s doctor for better advice before you decide you want to enjoy the hot tub with your toddler.
