What are the best ways to prepare for cold weather?

Clothes: Make sure you dress for the weather in warm clothes, gloves, hat, sturdy boots, jacket and an extra change of clothes for the cold . Warmers : Pack extra for body, hands, feet. Blankets or sleeping bags: If you get stranded in traffic on a lonely road, you'll be glad to have it.

What precautions should you take during cold weather?

Wear a hat, mittens (not gloves), and sturdy waterproof boots to protect your arms, legs, hands and feet. Cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs. Follow recommended safety precautions when using space heaters, a fireplace, or a woodstove to heat your home. Keep a fire extinguisher handy.

What not to do during a winter storm?

Stay Safe During Winter Weather Only use generators and grills outdoors and away from windows. Never heat your home with a gas stovetop or oven . Stay off roads if at all possible. If trapped in your car, then stay inside.

How to survive a blizzard in your car?

The most important emergency supplies you will need to survive a snowstorm in your car include: (1) warm clothing; (2) work gloves; (3) reflective clothing in case you must exit your vehicle; (4) blankets and sleeping bags; (5) non-perishable food and snacks; (6) water; and (7) a flashlight with charged batteries.

What is most likely to cause someone to fall overboard?

Common causes of falls overboard and boat capsizing include: being caught off guard by a wave or sharp turn when moving around in the boat, carrying too much weight in the boat or unevenly distributing weight in the boat; and bad weather conditions .

How do you prepare your skin for cold weather?

Limit the use of hot water and soap . If you have “winter itch,” take short lukewarm showers or baths with a non-irritating, non-detergent-based cleanser. Immediately afterward, apply a thick cream or petroleum-jelly-type moisturizer. Gently pat skin dry.

What is the primary danger during the first 3-5 minutes if you are suddenly immersed in cold water?

Cold Water Immersion can trigger involuntary gasping, rapid breathing or hyperventilating due to the “shock” of sudden immersion. This uncontrolled rapid breathing can quickly create a drowning emergency if you inhale water and cannot stay afloat. Cold water can cause a sudden spike in heart rate and blood pressure.

How do you take precautions for a cold?

There are several steps you can take to prevent a cold, including: Washing your hands: Wash your hands frequently, especially before eating or preparing food. Also, wash your hands after using the bathroom, wiping your nose or coming into contact with someone who has a cold.

What are the do's and don'ts of a cold?

Whether its tea, warm water with lemon or broth, drinking warm liquids can be soothing, prevent dehydration and ease congestion. Avoid salty foods, alcohol, coffee and sugary drinks , which can be dehydrating. Ice chips are another simple way to stay hydrated and calm a scratchy throat. Gargle with salt water.

What is the best way to survive extremely cold weather?

Wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing, and a hat . Mittens, snug at the wrist, are better than gloves. Cover your mouth to protect your lungs from extreme cold. Try to stay dry and out of the wind.

How do you train your body to cold weather?

Dress in as little as is comfortable to maintain your body temperature rather than adding more layers than necessary . Other easy ways to build tolerance is to switch to cold showers, by slowly lowering the temperature daily, or to gradually reduce the thermostat at home which can also save on energy.

How-To Guides | Winterizing & Cold Weather Prep (2024)

Winter is a wonderful season to use a hot tub. The hot water & massage breathes life back to frozen feet and aching joints. Instead of winterizing the spa for the cold, why not make the most of your investment and enjoy it?

New,energy-saving hot tubs stay hot and ready all winter, without adding to your electric bill. Insulation and a quality spa coverkeep the heat in, so there is no need to winterize with proper upkeep.

Most freeze damage is caused by water left in the spa. Draining the spa the right way to protect it from freeze damage is important. If you do leave your spa powered down during the winter, follow our step-by-step .

Pre-Winter Prep

Don’t wait until freezing rain, snow, or other winter storms hit to maintain your tub. Draining, cleaning, and refilling the spa are much more difficult tasks when the weather is nasty.

Water Maintenance

Use Spa System Flush to clean the plumbing before draining and refilling the hot tub by the end of autumn. System Flush will clear the pipes ofbuilt-up oils, grime, and scale, making winter water chemistry simpler.

Spa Cover and Cabinet

Check your spa cover for signs of wear in early fall. If your cover is not in good shape, replace it before the cold weather hits. Wear includes faded or cracked vinyl, heavy foam cores, tearing seams, and handles. Not only will a new cover insulate better, but the lighter weight will make it easier to open and close.

If cover latches are broken, replace them with new . Straps should be snug and secure. Straps form a tight, steam-blocking seal against the spa shell.

Clean the cover using ecoTUB Spa Clean, and treat the top and bottom with 303 Protectant. 303 is the only product we recommend for protecting vinyl. Other vinyl products contain harmful silicone oil and petroleum distillates.

If you have a wooden spa cabinet, treat the wood each fall. Use a weatherproof sealer or linseed oil to prevent the wood from warping due to moisture. For synthetic cabinets, remove dirt and other residues using ecoTUB Spa Clean.

Cold Weather Maintenance

Once temperatures drop, hot tub use is even more fun. If you are closing your tub, look out for potential issues that could cause freeze damage.

Energy Efficiency

An inefficient spa can be costly to run in winter. Since most heat is lost through the top of the spa, a high quality spa cover is very important.

Reduce energy costs and prolong the life of your cover with a spa bubble blanket. The floating blanket sits on thewater's surface, reducing steam up to 95%.

Maintain a constant water temperature. Keeping the spa cool and raising the temp before use uses more energy and puts a strain on the pumps. A higher temp protects the tub from freezing as well. In the event of power loss, it takes longer for 100°F water to freeze than a lower temp.

Air induction lines increase jet pressure when the spa is in use, but also lower the water temperature. After each use, close the air induction control knobs.

Avoiding Spa Freezing

Monitor the water level of the spa regularly. Leaks can lower the water level enough to stop spa pumps and heating, causing potential freezing conditions.

In the event of a power outage, keep the spa cover in place to keep the heat sealed in. If the power is out for a while or it's very cold, run a generator to keep the pumps cycling. Follow the winterizing steps below if a generator is not available to run the spa.

Winterizing Guide - Closing your Spa

Sometimes winterizing is the only practical solution to a spa that may sit unused for months during freezing weather. Emptying the spa is not enough. As much as 6 gallons of water can remain in the pumps and plumbing after draining. This water could easily freeze, expand, and crack valuable plumbing and equipment.

If you can't winterize or have an in-ground spa, a spa technician can close the hot tub for you. Look for an experienced technician that guarantees their work against freeze damage.

To Winterize, You Will Need:

Spa System Flush
Shake-A-Vac or drain pump (optional)
Filter Cleaner or New Filters
Wet/Dry Vacuum with blow setting
ecoTUB Spa Clean
Soft, Absorbent Towels
Non-Toxic RV Antifreeze – 1 quart for the spa + 1 quart for each pump
Gel Gloss Polish
303 Aerospace Protectant
Ratcheting Straps (optional)
CoverAll orheavy-duty tarp

Add Spa System Flush to the spa before draining, thoroughly cleaning the plumbing to avoid bacteria and mold growth. Allow to circulate for a few minutes (up to overnight).
Shut the power off to the spa at the service panel and disconnect the breaker.
Fully drain the spa. A Shake-A-Vac or drain pump may be used to speed draining and remove grit and debris from the foot well.
Remove the filter(s). Any filter older than a year should be discarded. Clean newer filters using Filter Cleaner, dry and store them in a clean, dry location. How to Clean your Filters
If you have a blower, unplug the heater at the pack or disconnect the heater terminals. Power the spa on & with the spa cover on, turn the blower on in 15-30 second intervals. Repeat until all water is purged from the air lines. Turn the spa off at the panel and breaker again.
Loosen unions and drain plugs, allowing water to drain from the pump(s) and heater. Retighten all except the pump discharge unions.
Close the air control knobs for your jets. Open each jet all the way (if you have adjustable jets). Use a wet-vac to blow air into each jet face, moving around the spa from top to bottom twice.
Clean the spa shell with a non-foaming,pH-balanced cleaner such as ecoTUB Spa Clean. Rinse all spa surfaces thoroughly.
Use a wet-vac to remove anyleftover water in the foot well and seats.
With a soft, absorbent towel, dry all surfaces of the spa. Include the inside of the filter area, cup holders, ice bucket, etc.
Apply Gel Gloss or 303 Aerospace Protectant to the spa shell, and clean and protect the spa cover.
Dilute non-toxic antifreeze as directed on the bottle. Pour one gallon prepared antifreeze into the filter area, and one gallon into each pump discharge. Tighten pump discharge unions.
Replace cabinet panels and secure all cabinet screws or latches, including locking the cover buckles.
If winter storms are severe in your area, use ratcheting straps for extra protection against the cover blowing away.
Cover the spa with a CoverAll or weighted tarp to keep water from seeping back into the spa.

Winterizing a Wooden Hot Tub

Wooden hot tubs are winterized differently due to their organic nature. Thefloorboards and wood slats, or staves, must stay saturated with water to avoid shrinkage and leaks.

Drain the wood hot tub of water except for 2-3” of water in the bottom. IMPORTANT: Add non-toxic RVantifreeze to prevent freeze damage which could otherwisesplit the wood floorboards.

Follow the above instructions for blowing water out of the jet lines or blower, if present. Purge all water out of the pump. Cover and tarp the tub, checking monthly to make sure there are several inches of water in the tub.