Some people say the orangutan is the smartest primate. Other people say it is the chimpanzee. That’s why we don’t bring up the subject during Christmas dinner – we don’t want to start a screaming match that tears the whole family apart.
But for our money, the most intelligent primate is the snow monkey. Do you know what snow monkeys do when it’s cold and snowy and horrible outside? They take a relaxing, extended soak in a thermal spring, where the water is naturally over 100 °F. Here: watch this and then try to honestly tell us you don’t wish you were born a snow monkey.
You – a human being, who is much smarter than any monkey – can enjoy a relaxing, extended soak anytime you like during Sioux Falls’ cold and snowy and horrible winter. All you need is a hot tub and a few tips to elevate the experience to perfection.
1. Don’t Shovel a Path to Your Hot Tub
If you shovel a pathway to your hot tub, it’s going to turn into a sheet of ice within seconds of hot tub water splashing on it. Slipping and falling is not going to enhance your hot tub experience one bit. You know what will? A heated, electric mat which provides a warm, comfortable walkway to and from your hot tub. It’s just the ticket for bare feet.
2. Set up a Screen
Once the winter weather has stripped away surrounding foliage, your hot tub probably becomes exposed to frigid breezes and neighbors’ prying eyes. Our advice? Install a screen. Whether it mounts to the side of your hot tub or stands on its own, you’re going to appreciate the extra protection and privacy while your worries melt away.
3. Stay Moisturized
Cold air, low humidity and hostile wind are all reasons why your skin dries out during winter. Maybe you already use lotion so you can stay smooth and soft, but a little extra protection while you’re soaking in your hot tub certainly couldn’t hurt. Buy yourself a hot tub moisturizer, add a few drops to the water before you submerge, and let those vitamins and extracts fortify your skin against the cold!
4. Set the Mood
It feels like the sun sets at 11 o’clock in the morning during wintertime. That’s okay, because you can create your own glowing ambiance by surrounding your hot tub with lanterns and candles. If you really want to go wild you can drape string lights around your privacy screen, but at that point you risk becoming too cozy.
5. Keep Towels Handy
Unlike the snow monkey, you are not a fur-covered wild animal. There is no worse way to conclude a hot tub session than sprinting back to the safety of your home with an ice cold bathing suit clinging to your legs. A nearby towel cabinet will spare you such discomfort, and unlike a towel rack it will keep your towels dry and otherwise unruined by the harsh elements.
6. Drink Hot Chocolate
This is good advice regardless of whether you are using a hot tub or not. Some people recommend hot cocoa. They might mean well, but they aren’t to be trusted. Real wintertime hot tub enthusiasts make real hot chocolate with whole milk, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, sugar, and vanilla extract. Try it – you’ll never go back to Swiss Miss again.
7. Cover Your Hot Tub
Heating a big tub of water outdoors during winter is necessarily going to require a lot of energy. But it can require significantly less energy if you cover your hot tub when you aren’t using it. Make certain your cover is clasped tightly to the top of the hot tub. If you see icicles trailing down from the cover, it isn’t secured correctly.
8. Keep Your Filters Clean
Spend extra care cleaning your hot tub’s filters during the colder months. Your hot tub will automatically shut down if its water flow becomes too restricted. Once it stops heating its contents, the hot tub’s pipes are at risk of freezing and bursting. Sadly, enjoying a hot tub in that condition simply isn’t possible.
9. Maintain the Water at 95 °F When Hot Tub Is Not in Use
Your hot tub’s water temperature doesn’t strictly have to stay at 95 °F when you aren’t using it. But by keeping its temperature a little higher, you won’t have to wait as long for the water to heat up. Nothing’s worse than waiting one second longer than you have to when your heart is set on a soak.
Of course, all of these winter hot tub tips aren’t going to do you a lick of good if you don’t own a hot tub. If you don’t already have a hot tub, we have just the solution: a hot tub, provided by the greater Sioux Falls, SD area’s premier patio, pool and spa store. We welcome you to come visit Paradise Patio, Pool & Spa’s showroom at 1200 W 41st St in Sioux Falls, or contact us today to learn what we have in stock for you!
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