Can hot tubs be used cold? The short answer, it depends on a few things. It may be a little off beat for us being in the hot tubbing world for 25 years, but Cold water has really been making an impact in the wellness world today. Cold plunging has been on an upward trend for the last several years mostly thanks to Motivational Speaker, Wim Hof. Wim Hof holds the Guinness Book of World Records for prolonged full-body contact with ice. Similar to warm water immersion, there are some serious benefits to immersing your body in cold water as well. Converting your hot tub to a cold plunge can be done, if you have the right tools & guide to set you up for success. In this article, we’re going to talk about which hot tubs can be used cold & how to do it right.
Best Hot Tubs To Use Cold
Hot Spring Hot Tubs compatible with the CoolZone System.
Caldera Hot Tubs compatible with the CoolZone System.
Plug N Play Hot Tubs that can be set to 60 degrees, like FreeFlow Spas.
How To Turn My Hot Tub To A Cold Tub
CoolZone
The CoolZone System can easily cool your hot tub temperature down to 60 degrees and back up to warm soaking temperatures within the day. In addition, it’s an energy efficient way to have both a hot tub and a cold tub right in your backyard. Enjoy a cold plunge in the morning to energize your body & a warm soak at night to get relaxed for sleep.
The CoolZone System is only compatible with HotSpring & Caldera hot tub models. As of right now, there’s no other cooling system on the market to make your hot tub a cold tub.
If your Hot Spring or Caldera hot tub has a salt system, it will not function in cooler teperatures. Therefore, it’s important to monitor your water chemistry while using your hot tub at cold temperatures. You must keep a chlorine reading to keep the water sanitized.
Old Fashioned Ice Ice Baby!
If you don’t own a Hot Spring or Caldera hot tub, there are options to use your hot tub as a cold tub. Follow these simple steps to turn your hot tub into a cold tub.
- Turn off your hot tub breaker.
- Empty the hot water from your hot tub.
- Refill your hot tub with cool hose water, making sure to use a pre-filter like the CleanScreen to filter out any metals or contaminants.
- Turn hot tub breaker back on. In some cases, your hot tub will have 2 breakers. One for the heater, and one for the jets & operations of your hot tub. If you are able, keep your heater breaker turned off so it isn’t triggered to turn on and heat the water.
- Set your hot tub temperature to the lowest setting. This temperature is usually 60 degrees.
- Shock your water with Di-Chlor (hot tub chlorine) based on the instructions on the bottle while running your jets.
- Add any other sanitation required for your water care system. *Salt water systems will not function in colder temperatures. So, be sure to regularly test & shock your water with chlorine and MPS.
- Go to your local ice shop & purchase bags of ice or a large block of ice (BE CAREFUL not to damage your hot tub shell by dropping the block of ice in the water!).
- Soak & enjoy your hot tub cold plunge! Remember to put the cover on your hot tub when you’re not using it to keep the temperature cool. Add more ice to cool the temperature down if needed!
Which Hot Tubs Cannot Be Cold Tubs?
Any hot tubs that cannot be set to a low temperature of 60 degrees cannot be used as a cold tub. By setting the temperature higher than 60 degrees, your heater will be kicked on to warm the water up. If you already own a hot tub, call your local dealer to ask how you can convert your hot tub into a cold tub!
Who Can Benefit from a Cold Tub?
Everyone who enjoys a refreshing cold soak (with a doctors approval, of course!). We’re not doctors here, but there are many experts today who truly believe in the benefits of cold water immersion along with warm water immersion. By combining both worlds, your body is for sure going to thank you!
Benefits of Turning Your Hot Tub To Cold
While there are different levels of cold plunging, there are immense benefits to getting your body into some cold water. Below are the long list of the benefits to Cold Water Immersion & Breathing practices from the master Wim Hof, himself.
- More Energy
- Boost Immune System
- Natural Anti-Inflammatory
- Better Sleep
- Increased Athletic Performance
- Workout Recovery
- Autoimmune Disease Relief
- Arthritis Relief
- Fibromyalgia Relief
- Migraine Relief
- Relieve Stress
- Burnout Recovery
- Improve Cold Tolerance
- Deal with Depression
- Boost Concentration
- Increase Will Power
- Increase Happiness
- Improve Mind Body Connection
- Improve Creativity
- Control Automatic Nervous System
- Boost Endorphins
