Tips to Help You Throw the Perfect Hot Tub Party

1. Numbers Matter

Your tub can only hold a certain amount of people comfortably, so don’t invite too many people to your party. Don't leave anyone out!

Or, have your guests get into the hot tub in shifts, which will allow you to maximize the space.

2. Dip before you drink

If you’re going be drinking alcohol at the party, it’s best if you have your drinks first. The warm water in the hot tub can speed up the process of inebriation, and can even up your chances of a hangover.

Provide plenty of water and other non-alcoholic beverages too.

Christmas Hot Tub Soak

With snow falling around you, what is the best medicine? A Hot Tub. Be the ultimate Santa and buy your family a new Hot Tub from HydroCare.

In genera Winter is typically the slowest time of the year for some hot tub dealers, you, the consumer benefits and find good deals on spas and accessories.

How a Hot Tub will improve your life

latino hot tub relaxing from casual patio in houston tx

A hot tub can last up to 20 years or more; that is the time your life will be improved. Cheaper hot tubs made with lower quality materials won't last long. If those hot tubs are not well maintained, they may not last more than 5 years.

At first, the installation of a hot tub may appear simply for fun and leisure. It won’t be long before you realize the true magic behind soaking in the warm water on a regular basis. A hot tub can have a positive impact on your life in many ways, from eased muscle pain and reduced stress, to weight management, headache relief, and more. Let’s take a closer look at some of the wonderful ways that a hot tub can change your life for the better.

Time in the tub may improve your immune system

You get a fever with the flu because it is your body's response to activate the immune response. You can create your own fever by subjecting your body to a very warm environment, like your hot tub.

Hot Tub do not get you all the way there, but warming up in one is a start. You can then put very warm towels around your neck to help with the immune response.

There is also evidence that switching between a warm bath, then a cold shower ramps up immunity.

This is NOT medical advise and you need to consult your physician.

Below is a video from a doctor talking about fevers and its effect on COVID-19.

Hot Tub vs Hurricane

Spas and Hot Tubs that sit aboveground have a lot to compete with. Rain, Sun and Snow take their own toll on your spa cabinet and spa cover, but hurricanes are on a whole new level.

Hurricane winds have been known to toss hot tubs across the yard or even into your house! Flooding around your spa or tub is also common from down pouring rains that last for days.

For our customer in Houston, here are some tips to keep your Hot Tub safe during hurricane season

Protect your hot tub from hurricane winds

DON'T DRAIN THE HOT TUB: The weight of the water inside the spa is important to keeping it in one place.

DO ADD EXTRA SANITIZER: Load up a spa floater with bromine tabs, or add granular sanitizer to hold the water in the event of power loss.

STRAP DOWN THE SPA COVER: Check your spa cover clips for proper tension, you should need to push down on the cover slightly to release the clip, they should be taut and fairly tight, to prevent heat loss and prevent wind from getting under the spa cover skirt. For extra protection for spa covers, use our High Wind Straps for spa covers, also known as Hurricane Straps, coincidentally. These over-the-top straps can hold your cover down even in the strongest winds, which have been known to rip spa cover straps and send a spa cover flying, damaging it beyond repair of course. To protect your cover from damage from flying debris, you can place a sheet of cut plywood over top of the spa cover, but you must hold it down tight with Hurricane Straps, or a heavy webbed strapping at least 2" wide.

REMOVE PROJECTILES: Anything that is not strapped down can become a projectile when those hurricane winds come through. Even heavy planters and steel patio furniture can become airborne or be thrown against your spa or the sliding glass door to the house. If there is time, pruning trees and removing downed branches quickly to a safe area can help reduce the chances of damage from flying tree branches.

Protect your hot tub from hurricane flooding

SHUT OFF THE POWER: On the main breaker, cut all power to the hot tub by shutting off the circuit breaker for the spa or hot tub. This step can prevent electrification of the tub and nearby spaces, and could save a life when hot tubs flood.

SAND BAGS: An old school, but effective method of keeping a spa from flooding. Build a wall around the hot tub with bags filled with sand. Another option is to fill heavy duty plastic garbage bags with 50-100 lbs of soil or gravel. Don't build a wall with lumber, block or brick, which don't work well, and could be blown away in strong winds.

SUMP PUMP: A submersible pump can be used to pump out water that seeps through a sand bag wall and prevent a flooded hot tub. Larger pumps are powerful enough to keep encroaching flood water levels from rising.

Can I get COVID-19 from my pool or hot tub?

According to the CDC regular maintenance and disinfection with chemicals such as chlorine and bromine should remove or inactivate the virus that causes COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend this precaution even though there has not been any evidence the virus can spread to humans through the use of pools and hot tubs.

It is always important to maintain your hot tub or pool to prevent unwanted chemical compounds in the water that will cause red eyes, rashes, respiratory problems, and skin irritation. This is especially important for public pools and spas where dirt, pee, and even poop can be present.

There are some simple prevention steps to take when making sure your pool or spa is safe for you and the kids now and beyond the Coronavirus 2019 Pandemic:

Pick up some test strips at your local pool supply or hardware store to test the disinfectant level and PH. This is relatively inexpensive and you can do it as often as you like

Never let children swim when they are sick with symptoms like diarrhea

Make sure you don’t have any bleeding wounds

And probably the easiest, shower before entering. A few simple minutes to rinse off dirt and sweat will make a huge difference in the water quality of your pool and hot tub.

Keep unwanted pests out of your hot tub

Hot tubs are incredibly relaxing and attract people to them frequently. Owning a hot tub means that people will always want to come over and enjoy the soothing and healing powers of the heated water.

Just like hot tubs attract people, they may be a magnet for unwanted bugs and critters. Let's go over some of the most common hot tub pests and give you some tips on preventing them from becoming a drain on time, money, and resources.

Spa Repair After the Flood

Prepare Insurance Information - Take Pictures

Take photos of the spa from all angles. Email these photos to your insurance agent.

Turn off the Power

Be safe - turn off the power to the unit. Turn off the circuit breaker. If the spa is 120v, unplug it from the outlet. Contact a professional electrician if you have any doubt.

Assess the Damage

Take a look at the electrical connections. Check for burn marks and places that look corroded. Replace anything that looks damaged. Contact us to complete any repair - we have access to all parts no matter the make or model.
Here is a list of parts that can be affected by water damage:

Spa Packs
Ozonator
Blowers
Pumps

Be sure to dry out the spa

Before you even think about turning on the power, all the equipment must be completely dry. If some of the electrical equipment is wet, a power surge can damage it further. Use a shop vac to remove any excess water in any of the compartments. Immediately spray the insides with a Mold and Mildew remover.

Leave the door to the equipment area open with a fan blowing inside during dry days to allow moisture to evaporate, and prevent mildew. After it is dry, spray it again with mildew remover - and dry again.

Create a Cool Tub In A Few Hours

After a long hot day this summer a hot soak might not seem very appealing. There is a quick and easy way to make your Hot Tub a refreshing Cool Tub.

Dial down the temperature gage. It doesn't need to be all of the way off but 10 degrees or so should do the trick. Sine hot tubs are insulated it can cool down by the time you get home from work.
Another trick is to turn on the jets for a while. The jets will help circulate the cool air with hot air cooling it faster.
Don't make the mistake of thinking removing the cover will help cool down your tub . Actually keeping the cover on helps keep the cooling water insulated.

When you're ready to heat it up follow these steps in reverse and there you go!

Contact Casual Patio - get a spa upgrade, repair, or chemicals Call or Tap 281-599-3378

Hot Tub Safety in the Summer

Are Hot Tubs Safe To Use In The Summer?

If you follow a few simple tips you and your family can stay safe while using your hot tub in the hot summer months...

1) It's a good idea to wait until the sun goes down and there is time for the temperature outside to cool a bit. Using the hot tub in the daytime hours while the sun is high and so is the temperature could be a dangerous idea

2) Always stay very hydrate before, during, and after your tub use. Also, steer clear of large amounts of alocohl while soaking in the tub since alcohol is likely to dehydrate you

3) Turn the temperature of the tub down. Most tubs have a top out temp of 104 degrees. Dialing this back even a few degrees will help. Better yet make your tub a cool tub for the summer

Happy Hot Tubing!

Keep Your Hot Tub From Freezing

Hot Tubs Get Cold Too

In the Mid West it is very important to take precautionary measures so your hot tub doesn't freeze. Temperatures can dip fast and uncirculated water can freeze fast. This could lead to broken pipes, cracked motor, and leaks anywhere through the system.

If you don't use your hot tub in the winter the best plan is drain and winterize your tub. However, if you enjoy a brisk night soak then here are a few things to keep in mind.

Make sure your water stays between 100-104 degrees
Hot water can last 2-3 day if covered tightly
Keep the cover snug
Check your insulation in the cover and around the tub panels before the first big freeze
Keep the water circulating

Stop Smelling Like a Hot Tub

Nobody wants to smell like a hot tub after a relaxing soak. That smell can last a full day sometimes. One easy solution is to shower immediately when you get out. Try using an exfoliant or louffa to scrub the chemicals off the skin's surface.

A few other best practices for hot tub owners:

Make sure to dry the cover out as much as possible as often as possible. Zipping down the cover and exposing the foam to fresh air and sunshine helps.

Watch for moldy or dark spots on the cover and edges of the tub and make sure to disenfect and scrub these areas right away. Also a spray bottle of diluted bleach for cleaning tools, and any items used in the tub works wonders.

Keep a close eye on the PH Balance to make sure it is not too high. A good PH is 7.4 - 7.6. Also, check the recommende use of sanitizing chemicals. To high PH and too low chemicals could cause an unpleasant odor in your tub.

Put your tub on a draining/cleaning schedule. When empty clean and sanitize the filter and pipes. Scrub the interior surfaces to disenfect as well.

Keep Your Skin and Hair Beautiful

Hot tubbing is so relaxing and has wonderful health benefits but our hair and skin can suffer if we don't implement so me basic skin and hair care steps.

Alway stay hydrated before and afer your hot tub soaks. Drink plenty of water. Adding lemon slices makes it tasty and refreshing.

It might not be a good idea to have lotion on before you jump in however a slathering of lotion after will keep your skin cells plumped up minimizing the appearance of dipply skin. Some products around the house work wonderfully such as olive oil and cold pressed coconut oil.

Using a quality leave in hair conditioner is key to keeping those locks moisturized. Also, make sure to pin up your hair so it isn't soaking up those chemicals.

Lip balm is one often forgotton skin care product. Peeling and dry lips are not so attratctive or comfortable.

Last, you may want to condider purchasing a water conditioning product to help offset the effects of the chemicals.

What are the health benefits to hot tubs?

Hot Tubs - Relaxation

They could be the same words. Although the don't occur together in the Thesaurus, there many benefits to sitting in an hot tub. You don't need a research study to understand the health benefits to a good soak in a spa.

Muscles and joints

Ask any athlete in training - Hydrotherapy is a staple in the training room. One magazine article in Tennis Magazine said it best: “Your skin and muscles loosen and relax from the increased blood circulation” adding that, if muscles are injured: "Soaking in a hot tub with a whirlpool increases blood flow to the injured area, bringing nutrients to help repair the damage."

Arthritis

According to the Arthritis Foundation "Hydrotherapy is one method of using water to help treat arthritis. The soothing warmth and buoyancy of the water makes it a safe, ideal environment for relieving arthritis pain. Using a spa adds another component to the therapy - massage."

Two Things Missing from Super Bowl 51

Texas hospitality was on display for the world on Sunday February 5, 2017 where the Patriots and Falcons entertained us for several hours. There were, however, two things missing.

1) A Texas Football Team!
2) You sitting in a hot tub while watching the game.

Those pesky Packers took away number 1, but you need to call Casual Patio so you don't miss watching the game next year in the comfort of warm swirling water.

Go see our hot tubs, or stop on in to visit and schedule your installation.

We offer installation, service, repair, supplies and accessories for our line of hot tubs.

Super Bowl Fun Facts:

The first Super Bowl was held on January 15, 1967. The Green Bay Packers defeated Kansas City 35-10. It was played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Attendance was 61,946. Bart Starr, the quarterback for Green Bay, was named the MVP.
The average cost is $2.8 million for 30 seconds of air time. In 1967, when the first Super Bowl was played, commercials only cost between 75,000 and 85,000 for a one minute commercial.
Every year there are 72 footballs used for the Super Bowl. There are more than 700,000 footballs purchased for the NFL each year.
Super Bowl Sunday is the second-largest day for food consumption in the U.S. Thanksgiving Day is the first.
On Super Bowl Sunday there are approximately 8 million pounds of guacamole eaten. To dip in the guacamole, approximately 14,500 tons of chips are consumed.
The Lombardi Trophy, given to the winning NFL Super Bowl team, weighs seven pounds, 21" high, and worth $25,000. Vince Lombardi was the coach of the Green Bay Packers who won the first Super Bowl in 1967. The Vince Lombardi Trophy is made from sterling silver by Tiffany & Co.
Roman numerals are used in the Super Bowl (such as Super Bowl XV) because the football season falls in two calendar years. Also, children are not taught Roman numerals in school any longer.
Lady Gaga performs during the Super Bowl halftime show. Luke Bryan sings the national anthem.

How You Can Claim Your Hot Tub as an Expense on Your Tax Return

CAN YOU DEDUCT YOUR HOT TUB ON YOUR INCOME TAX?

A bad day for all: April 15th. It's always wise to be aware of possible deductions that will reduce your overall tax bill.

There are IRS regulations to allow a deduction for your hot tub purchase. If your doctor recommends hot water therapy for a medical condition you are clear.

Many people suffer from RLS, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, arthritis, back pain or other medical issues. Soaking in hot bubbling water can relieve those aches and pains. There are many medical conditions when a hot tub purchase may qualify for a medical deduction.

Remember that a written recommendation is the first and most important step in the deduction process.

A doctor's prescription turns your hot tub into deductible medical equipment. Just satisfy a few IRS conditions.

IRS Publication 502 covers medical expenses. Medical expenses are the costs of diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, and the costs for treatments affecting any part or function of the body.

These include the costs of equipment, supplies, and devices for these purposes. They do not include expenses for beneficial to general health. Be sure your doctor agrees that the medical care expenses (i.e. hot tub) must be primarily to help or prevent a physical or mental defect or illness.

Click Here For the Complete Listing of
Medical Expenses from IRS.GOV.

Should you buy a new or used hot tub?

Is buying a used hot tub worth it?

Short Answer: Maybe

Of course if you purchase a new hot tub from us, you can be confident that it

works
has a guarantee
no leaks
zero "unkown mold" problems
will be installed correctly

If you are looking on Craigslist or other websites - Be careful - Here are some tips:

The seller should identify problems
When you first see it, the hot tub should be filled with water.
The water should be hot, with pumps and blowers running
Look for water pooling around the edges of the tub. If you see some, there may be a leak
Do all the buttons work? Push them and see what they do
Look at the filtration system - is it relatively clean?
The seller should be open to having a professional look at it (like Northcoast Spas)

Also, you will need to be able to transport, position, and level your used hot tub.

Or, buy new from Casual Patio and eliminate any worries.

Top 4 Hot Tub Accessories

Here are the top 4 Hot Tub accessories to enhance your fall soak time.

1. Hot Tub Caddy

Enjoy to cooler air with a warm drink. Cool evenings and warm drinks go together like A Spa or Hot Tub Caddy adds luxury and convenience. It attaches to the side of your spa and has a hook for your towel.

2. New Filter

Not only for the fall, change your hot tub filters on a regular basis. Even if you use an ozone system, it may be time to renew and replace. New filters keep the hot tub water clean and you won't have to adjust the chemicals as frequently.

3. Hot Tub Cover

Check you cover - purchasing a new cover will help reduce your electric bill and keep your hot tub warm. Your heater won't turn on as often, improving the element life. The cover does more than anything else to make your hot tub more energy-efficient. It conserves heat by forming a close seal around the edges. That means it takes less time to heat up every time you want to relax. Even though Hot tub covers are made to last, they will wear out.

If your hot tub cover has dips, if it looks weathered, or has deteriorating vinyl - replace it. Save time, save money, save stress.

4. Deluxe Spa Headrest

When you are completely relaxed in your hot tub, set your head back on a headrest. We have many to fit your tub and you head.

Contact Casual Patio Pools Spas and More has these accessories and more. Stop into our Katy TX location and find an add on that will help you enjoy your hot tub this fall.

Hot Tub Buying Tips

How to Buy a Spa

Buying an Hot Tub is a big decision. Like shopping for anything else, the more you know the better. So you don't get soaked (pun intended) do a little research, ask the staff at Casual Patio of Houston TX a lot of questions.

Here is a list of issues to consider when buying an hot tub:

Toddler Safety & Hot Tubs

Rule: If a child cannot stand in the tub and have their head entirely above water, they should not be in the hot tub. If they are tall enough, they should not be in the water for more than 5 minutes at a time (with the water temp. at 104). Good thing toddlers are not teenagers. A teen would ask, "If I can't get into the tub, then how do you know my head will be above the water?"

From the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), drowning is the main hazard associated with hot tubs. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has recorded more than 800 deaths in spas since 1990. About four in twenty were children under the age of five. Hot tubs should be covered with a locked safety cover when not in use and children should be kept away unless there is constant adult supervision.

Hot Tub Specials

Doughboy Above Ground Pools for 2023 are now in stock ready for installation in your backyard!