Hot Tubs in Iceland

[phonedave]

I was thinking about hot tubs and freezing temps last night (we a due for a 3 - 4 day stretch of below freezing temps) and I started wondering how they manage hot tubs in Iceland.

I was in Iceland in 2019, and they place were I was staying had outdoor hot tubs. But they way the managed these hot tubs was different than anything I have seen elsewhere.

Iceland has a LOT of geothermal energy, so much so that many of the homes have hot water pipes. Just as you may have electric, water, and natural gas utility service, they have hot water service as well, which they use to heat their homes (it is wonderful by the way - radiant heating throughout).

When we checked in, the staff explained to us, the hot tub fills up around 5 PM each day, and empties around 4 AM. If we wanted it filled earlier, then we could just call the front desk and they would activate it. How they manage that process I can figure out. And we would come out in the morning and it would be empty, and then coming home after dinner it was full and hot.

But the thing is, it was COLD there. The hot tubs were HOT, I would say north of 103F (Where I have mine) but after soaking they would be surrounded by a sheet of ice, from the water that spilled over freezing in under 20 minutes. (they filled them to the brim).

My question is, how can they drain them and let them basically freeze all day? Maybe there is some sort of master bottom drain they use the get every last drop out? I am also not sure how this is from a sanitation process. I mean the whole country is riddled with natural spas / hot springs that everybody uses - no sanitizer, just a constant flow of water. However they are very strict about being clean before entering - you must shower, and shower naked. No rinsing off in a bathing suit, we are talking get naked and scrub yourself, before entering the spas.

 

[Jaffles]

Have to admit sitting in a hot tub with people baking off body fat, dead skin, or whatever puss from abrasions, infections or sores; then there is other
possible body secretions and it all gets pretty ugly pretty quick if you stop to think. Particularly if they are public or see a turn over of resort stayers and are just thermal hot water with no chlorine. Scrub nude and WELL makes sense to me!

I wonder if the tubs are all connected to a main fill line. That line may circulate all day with showers, kitchens, and hand basins etc, with a valve that opens to each hot tub when required.

 

[Methuselah]

 

[mknauss]

In Ouray Colorado there is one motel that has access to its own hot spring. They have 4 wooden tubs, the first one (up top) is the hottest (it is hot!), then the water flows to the next three. It flows pretty quick. I suspect turnover is in minutes. They do not use any sanitation products. Been there a couple times.

 

[phonedave]

In Ouray Colorado there is one motel that has access to its own hot spring. They have 4 wooden tubs, the first one (up top) is the hottest (it is hot!), then the water flows to the next three. It flows pretty quick. I suspect turnover is in minutes. They do not use any sanitation products. Been there a couple times.

The natural spas in Iceland are like this. The hot springs flow out of the ground and run into one end of the pool, and then out of the other. The end near the spring is the hot end.

The famous Blue Lagoon is sort of a natural spa. There is a geothermal energy plant, that was just dumping the waste water (it is just ground water that is now less hot) when somebody said "why don't we dam this up and use it as a spa".

Welcome To Blue Lagoon Iceland Resort & Spa

Home to one of 25 wonders of the world, Blue Lagoon Iceland is a place where the powers of geothermal seawater create transformational spa journeys. Find out more at BlueLagoon.com.

www.bluelagoon.com

 

[phonedave]

Have to admit sitting in a hot tub with people baking off body fat, dead skin, or whatever puss from abrasions, infections or sores; then there is other
possible body secretions and it all gets pretty ugly pretty quick if you stop to think. Particularly if they are public or see a turn over of resort stayers and are just thermal hot water with no chlorine. Scrub nude and WELL makes sense to me!

I wonder if the tubs are all connected to a main fill line. That line may circulate all day with showers, kitchens, and hand basins etc, with a valve that opens to each hot tub when required.

I believe that is how they do work, There hot water service to the hotel (and just about every house in the area) and then a heat exchanger. The tubs empty and fill each day. But there still must be some residual water in them, unless they are specifically designed for cold weather use and drain accordingly.

This is one of the hot tubs they had there at the Hotel Grimsborgir

 

[Methuselah]

Looks warm with all that volcanic ash around it

 

[Jimrahbe]

I was stationed in Iceland for a year...

I have been colder in Texas that I ever was in Iceland. It does not get all that cold there, and it also does not get all that hot either.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[phonedave]

I was stationed in Iceland for a year...

I have been colder in Texas that I ever was in Iceland. It does not get all that cold there, and it also does not get all that hot either.

Thanks,

Jim R.

I also does not get that icy there either, or snow a lot.

It does get below freezing though, which is what makes me wonder about how the hot tubs are managed.