Winter Spa Issues

[David66]

Hi everyone,

I've now enjoyed our new D1 Nautilus for a couple months. I was wondering how the experience changes when the real cold of winter comes. My spa has a deck around it, and it's not too far from the patio doors to the spa. Last night after using it, I was looking at the water accumulated on top of the deck boards, which are stained and resist water penetration. I was thinking how nasty that was going to be when it's really cold and it freezes and turns to ice.

Are there any tips or products out there I should be considering? I was thinking that maybe some type of heated runway exists that could keep the ice from accumulating? Maybe like that "pipe tape" you use that keeps water pipes from freezing....maybe placed underneath some type of weatherproof material, like thick rubber or a cement-board like material?

How do people handle the cold winter conditions and their accompanying issues like ice and snow when it comes to getting in and out of the spa?

Thanks,

David

[dave nh]

Going into my first winter as well, my spa is just outside a porch door, then about 6-7' of trex to the spa. I was thinking of getting a small roll up indoor/outdoor carpet to throw out there as a pathway, but also take it in before snowstorms, etc. I noticed the trex gets a little slippery when the water starts to freeze.

[dbrock]

We live in Michigan and neither rain, sleet or snow has kept us from enjoying our hot tub. Out tub is sunk in the upper portion of a 14' x 20' deck. It is sometimes a hassle keeping the deck free of snow and ice during the winter months but the reward is so well worth it. Our biggest enemy is black ice on the deck. My poor husband was on his way back into the house one winter night after a therapuetic soak for his leg that he was 8 weeks into recovery with after a fracture, slipped on the black ice that had covered the deck and broke the same leg again. We have not found anything that solves the black ice problem but do use extreme caution when going to and from our tub now. I hope we have to worry about going to and from the tub this winter as we are still waiting for Vita (have been trying to obtain a resolution since July 07 ) to replace our tub due to the numerous blisters that developed in the acrylic.

[felix6]

There are some organic ice melts on the market that will not be harmful to wood and trex decking. They can be applied by spray and usually last for up to 3 weeks after application. They are normally good for up to approx. 3 inches of snow and work at temperatures way below freezing. Something to look into. Check out gardensalive.com I believe they carry one brand.

[104 Degrees]

[

How do people handle the cold winter conditions and their accompanying issues like ice and snow when it comes to getting in and out of the spa?

Thanks,

David

To get in your spa, walk barefoot threw the snow hop in. To exit the spa, jump outwalk barefoot back to your house.

The colder the better

[TonyF]

The organic ice melt would also track into your spa, and may not be good to introduce more into your water. When we got our first spa 18 years ago, I remember the ice getting pretty sharp in some spot and rough to walk on. We used boating shoes or slippers with a good gummy non-slip sole and that was ok until ice built up in between thaws. We finally went barefoot on a 12' length of 26'" outdoor carpet which we rolled up and put by the fireplace to dry between uses. Just got back into spas last month and will probably go with the rug again.

Tony

[David66]

The organic ice melt would also track into your spa, and may not be good to introduce more into your water. When we got our first spa 18 years ago, I remember the ice getting pretty sharp in some spot and rough to walk on. We used boating shoes or slippers with a good gummy non-slip sole and that was ok until ice built up in between thaws. We finally went barefoot on a 12' length of 26'" outdoor carpet which we rolled up and put by the fireplace to dry between uses. Just got back into spas last month and will probably go with the rug again.

Tony

All good ideas in these replies. Thanks!

I'm still interested in something a bit more high-tech, I guess. A heat source that would keep the ice at bay. I'm wondering if there are any weather-proof heat strips, or maybe a heated version of the rug that I could unfold.

These would work, but they're really pricey:

http://www.anderson-bolds.com/Merchant2/me...ategory_Code=HM

Rod W.

[RickJ]

I'm really leery of using electrical things around the hot tub. But they do show using those eletric mats around a hot tub.

http://www.heatersplus.com/heattrakmat.htm

http://www.heattrak.com/index.htm

I'd think about a patio heater, or some kind of space heater. Warm the area, which will hopefully melt the ice on your deck.

http://www.fire-science.com/patiomodel22-buy.htm

[David66]

I'm really leery of using electrical things around the hot tub. But they do show using those eletric mats around a hot tub.

http://www.heatersplus.com/heattrakmat.htm

http://www.heattrak.com/index.htm

I'd think about a patio heater, or some kind of space heater. Warm the area, which will hopefully melt the ice on your deck.

http://www.fire-science.com/patiomodel22-buy.htm

I think the heattrak mat products would be awesome. If the things can stand snow buildup which then melts and there are not issues with the electicity, I don't see a problem of dripping some water on them from a wet swimsuit. The wires appear to be all enclosed in thick rubber. But, for one 4 foot mat (for the entry area into the hot tub) and one 6 foot mat for the run from the house to the tub, I'm looking at close to a thousand dollars! I sure wish there was something less expensive than that, because at that price I think I'll just take my chances. I saw some heater mats that are a bit less that go underneath a normal mat, but I'm still looking at around $600.

I don't think a patio heater would work...it's the walk from the house to the tub on a the deck that I'm worried about, and it's not necessarily snow that'll be the problem. It'll be ice build up, especially near the tub due to exiting and dripping water.

David

[Tom]

How do people handle the cold winter conditions and their accompanying issues like ice and snow when it comes to getting in and out of the spa?

David, our spa was under an awning connected to the house so snow wasn't a problem. We had a rubber mat just outside the spa. It was thick enough to give good traction while stepping out. If ice started to build up, we pried up the mat, took it aside and whacked it to break the ice loose. The ice only seemed to build up in that area where we got out of the tub and dried ourselves off.

Some ideas, then, are

1. Wear beach thongs or water moccasins to and from the spa

2. Keep the path to the spa carefully shoveled or scraped clean of snow and ice buildup

3. Step out onto something that will contain the water but that you can easily pry or move so it won't freeze down (several people have suggested a mat)

4. Consider installing a (temporary) railing along the path between house and spa.

Stay safe!

[homerandpooh]

This is something I was thinking of as well. We will be walking on a wooden deck back in to our house as well. How about something like this:

http://www.matsmatsmats.com/commercial-ind...k-step-mat.html

[David66]

This is something I was thinking of as well. We will be walking on a wooden deck back in to our house as well. How about something like this:

http://www.matsmatsmats.com/commercial-ind...k-step-mat.html

That's an idea. Certainly a lot less expensive than the heated ones. I think it would prevent ice accumulation, but my concern would be how to shovel snow off of it. Wouldn't the shovel just keep getting "stuck" on it? Maybe a loose shoveling, then use a broom for the remainder?

David

[David66]

How do people handle the cold winter conditions and their accompanying issues like ice and snow when it comes to getting in and out of the spa?

David, our spa was under an awning connected to the house so snow wasn't a problem. We had a rubber mat just outside the spa. It was thick enough to give good traction while stepping out. If ice started to build up, we pried up the mat, took it aside and whacked it to break the ice loose. The ice only seemed to build up in that area where we got out of the tub and dried ourselves off.

Some ideas, then, are

1. Wear beach thongs or water moccasins to and from the spa

2. Keep the path to the spa carefully shoveled or scraped clean of snow and ice buildup

3. Step out onto something that will contain the water but that you can easily pry or move so it won't freeze down (several people have suggested a mat)

4. Consider installing a (temporary) railing along the path between house and spa.

Stay safe!

Thanks for the information from someone who has been through a winter facing these issues. If the ice only accumulated where you got out of the spa, I guess one of the smaller heated mats might work. Still kind of pricey, but it would certainly do the trick there. Then maybe just some type of runner mat between the spa and the house? Something that could be shoveled off, maybe black so as to catch the sun's rays and provided some radiant melting action?

Thanks,

David

[104 Degrees]

Thanks for the information from someone who has been through a winter facing these issues. If the ice only accumulated where you got out of the spa, I guess one of the smaller heated mats might work. Still kind of pricey, but it would certainly do the trick there. Then maybe just some type of runner mat between the spa and the house? Something that could be shoveled off, maybe black so as to catch the sun's rays and provided some radiant melting action?

Thanks,

David

Get boots you can slip on easily and take off easily. you can use sand to stop the ice from being slippery.

[homerandpooh]

This is something I was thinking of as well. We will be walking on a wooden deck back in to our house as well. How about something like this:

http://www.matsmatsmats.com/commercial-ind...k-step-mat.html

That's an idea. Certainly a lot less expensive than the heated ones. I think it would prevent ice accumulation, but my concern would be how to shovel snow off of it. Wouldn't the shovel just keep getting "stuck" on it? Maybe a loose shoveling, then use a broom for the remainder?

David

Black ice and snow are 2 different things. Snow on that mat proabably wouldn't be slippery, snow in general isn't slippery. Hopefully the water would pass through so that it wouldn't ice up. Whatever you decide on, let us know. I may do the same.

[gcgalt]

*Barefoot*

My strategy as well for our cold Canadian winters.

[Bookedup]

My tub was just installed in Sept. I put patio stones around the paremiter I never got around to securing the spa steps to the patio stones. I think for this winter, I will bring the steps in after each soak. That will cure one problem. Now I just have to get to the tub!!!

[M3Woody]

We have had our Hot Spring vangard for 3 years now in Northwest Ohio. I keep the 30' walkway that is a combination of Treated/sealed deck (20') and slate type stone (10') clear of snow for the most part. and just use caution when making the trip to the Hot tub. I either wear a slip on type sandel or go barefooted. I have found that barefoot is just fine.

[SmilinBare]

Before I actually got my outdoor tub I considered running a radiant heat loop from the house hydronic boiler under the brick patio before I laid it down but decided it was too much of a bother and ridiculously expensive. As it turns out, I always shovel immediately after snow has accumulated and the southern solar exposure heats the brick mass and melts/evaporates any leftover snow and dripped spa water. For safety, I got a couple of cheap rubber door mats from the hardware store and put those on the patio just below the redwood stairs to the tub. I ALWAYS wear Crocs footwear to and from the tub and hasve a few extra pairs of Crocs on hand for guests to use as well.