Are Inflatable Hot Tubs Dangerous? (Myth or A Fact)

Hot tubs have always been a great way to relax and let go of all the fatigue from a day’s work. If you’re on the thought of getting one for yourself but don’t want to spend too much cash? Then an inflatable one will do the job at half the price. But then, you might be thinking to yourself, are inflatable hot tubs dangerous?

No, they are not. When you first think of an inflatable hot tub, you might get the outline of a flimsy structured tub that’s about to explode! But in reality, inflatable hot tubs are not that different from their normal counterparts. If you’re unable to take care of your tub properly, you’ll face the same problems as you would have with your regular hot tub.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways your inflatable hot tub can pose a danger to you and your family. This article will go through all the issues and the possible ways you can overcome the dangers as well. And at the end, you’ll be able to make the decision on whether to purchase one or not.

Inflatable Hot Tubes Are Dangerous - Myth or A Fact?

As much as I’d like to call it a complete myth, there are still a few notions that might make the inflatable hot tub a bit dangerous. But before I get into the details, you need to understand that most of these dangers can easily be avoided if you take proper precautions beforehand.

Rashes, slipping and have itches all over the body is common if you’re not careful. You can’t avoid the rashes and itching if your tub is filled with bodily germs. So always make sure that you’re properly cleaning the tub and getting rid of all the oil and dirt residue.

So, are they a bit more dangerous than the regular hot tubs? Not quite but that doesn’t mean they’re the safest things out there. You need to understand that the inflatable hot tubs are giving up a bit more edge and a bang for the buck. It comes cheap; it is heavily mobile; so, you can take it anywhere. Furthermore, you’re bound to have a great time in it.

As a result, there might be some things that make it a bit dangerous. So, let’s look at those and try to comprehend how to avoid facing those dangers in the first place.

Heat related illness

Just like regular hot tubs, you need to steer clear of the inflatable ones if you’re sensitive to heat. The inflatable tubs will get very hot and if that makes you feel uncomfortable, you need to get away from that thing as fast as you can.

No reward in getting heat related injuries am I right? Just be cautious. You can adjust the level of heat and make it work but if it deems even the slightest possible of inflicting an injury, then you don’t have to deal with that.

Slipping

Let’s say that you’re about to get out of the tub. If the surrounding circumference of the inflatable hot tub is damn, there’s a high chance that you’ll slip and end up in the hospital with a concussion. Even worse if that happens to a guest.

So always remember that it’s your responsibility to take care and perform regular maintenance on your inflatable hot tub. Whenever someone is using the tub, it’s better to have security beside or near the tub just in case someone slips and gets injured. You need to make sure that everyone is being especially careful while entering and exiting the tub.

Flimsy walls

The surrounding walls of the tub are quite wobbly and fragile. Due to its frail build, you’ll have to be careful while going in and out of it. One wrong step and you might just get knocked out cold. Which is quite tragic knowing that you just got out of a hot tub.

Due to its built being moving and adaptable, you can put your inflatable hot tub in a number of various places. And that’s when the accidents start rolling in. The manufacturers might have built the tub keeping your safety in mind, but we can’t say the same for Mother Nature at times.

If your tub is placed in the grass yard, in a secluded jungle area or just in the middle of nowhere, then you must be extra careful on how to enter and get out of the tub. One wrong step and that’s a final destination scene right there. When you’re in a regular tub, the walls are sturdy enough to support your weight.

But you will definitely not get the exact conclusion from an inflatable hot tub. The walls are so slimsy that a slight shift in weight is enough to roll it off the side with you in it. Hence, choose the location of your tub carefully and have a friend, a family or a colleague nearby. If that’s possible. So that they can at least escort you to the hospital if something goes wrong.

Temperature

If you’re not careful, you can end up with severe burns in a hot tub. It doesn’t matter whether it’s inflatable or just a regular one. If the water temperature is too high, you might even get a third-degree burn.

The industry standard temperature of a hot tub is 40 degrees Celsius. If you go beyond this level, you’ll get injured.

The time you spend inside the tub is also very important to monitor. It’s crucial that you don’t spend more than 25 minutes in an inflatable hot tub at a time. Whether you like hotter temperatures or not is trivial if you fall asleep in your tub. You’ll just wake up to severe burns and rashes.

Rashes and itches

If you already have a rash on your skin, it’s best to stay away from the tub for a while until your skin feels healthy.

Rashes are very uncomfortable and itchy and one of the causes of this is a bacterium in the tub. In order to prevent this, proper hygiene and regular cleaning of the tub is required. If you have a cleaner tub, you won’t get inflicted with regular rashes.

Chances Of Getting an Electric Shock

You could possibly get a shock from any hot tub but that’s very improbable and would very well not happen on a regular basis. Besides, there needs to be something awfully wrong with your tub for it to give you an electric shock.

There isn't much to do with wires when dealing with an inflatable hot tub. Yes, you have to plug it into an outlet. So always make sure that the electrical cord is in pristine condition and properly grounded.

Don’t even take your tub out into the open if you know that the weather will start acting funny. Thunderstorms are a huge no if you don’t wish to get zapped by a lighting blade in the middle of your relaxing leisure time.

Is It Safe For Children?

Strictly speaking, you should never allow your babies inside an inflatable hot tub. Most notably, they have highly sensitive skin thus the heat may damage it and cause burns easily.

I’m not saying that inflatable hot tubs are off-limits to children. But there is an age limit. The manufacturers themselves suggest that children under the age of five must not be allowed to go inside an inflatable hot tub.

But at the same time, if you have proper control of your surroundings and set the temperature very low, you and your baby can very well enjoy a dip inside the tub. Make sure there are others around. And you must be with the child every second.

So, what about the kids who are allowed inside the tub? There are strict rules that need to be maintained at all times when you’re allowing small children inside the inflatable hot tub.

First of all, they should be over 5 years of age as recommended by the manufacturers. And the rest are instructed below:

Supervision

There needs to be an adult who can watch over the child as he or she gets inside the hot tub. In case of any emergencies, the adult needs to contact the child’s parents if they are not the mother or father themselves.

Having safety kits for burns close by is also a plus point if you face an accident or an injury during that time.

If your child is too small or not tall enough to support themselves above the water, then you should definitely go invest in a life vest so that there are no drowning incidents.

Temperature

When dealing with kids, it’s best to put the inflatable hot tub at the lowest temperature. As we’ve just discussed, children have highly sensitive skin. So, what’s okay for you might not be okay for small children.

Usual hot tub temperatures can burn them or at least irritate their skin. So, set the hot tub to the lowest temperature. No more than 34 ̊Celsius.

No playing

As much as this sounds like a joy-kill, safety comes first. You’re dealing with an object that might turn hazardous so it's important to take the necessary precaution so that you can provide a safe and sound environment for your kids.

Now, with pets. If we’re being completely honest here, your pets wouldn’t be too keen on getting inside the tub in the first place. Which is actually great! With dogs, if they get too excited, they might just jump in the tub and tear the walls with their claws. To avoid such occurrences, it’s best to keep it away from them or just cover it while you’re not using it.

So, are inflatable hot tubs dangerous? As you’ve learned by now, how dangerous they are completely depends on how you use them. If you are careful and take the proper precautions, they will be perfectly fine for your family to enjoy. Thanks, reading. And I hope this article has answered all of your inflatable hot tub safety related queries.