FAQs

It is very simple to set up. We will provide simple instructions to you along with your warranty via email. Essentially two pipes require connecting between the bath and the cooler and the power needs plugging in. You will need access to a hose (either via garden tap or standard tap with hose connection) and power source. We recommend if you are filling the bath from a garden tap that a filter is always used and before use filling the bath high up and releasing the water before filling it up again for use. This is in the event that dust has managed to get in during packing, delivery and moving it into the final location.

Our Ice Bath kits arrive in a protective plywood box on a pallet delivered to your door or kerb. As every customer has different requirements we do not offer delivery to the final position of the bath or installation. As our Ice Baths, cooler and steps are not integrated they can be easily moved though we would recommend a minimum of two people for moving the bath. The cooler is easy to set up yourself.

Yes! We deliver to nearly every country in the World. Please check out the very friendly delivery prices below the slides on the Design Your Ice Bath page. 

The bath and cooler are designed to live inside and outside. 

Outside it’s helpful to be under a canopy, this is more for helping to protect against direct sunlight on hot days and weathering as well as allowing the cooler to run more efficiently. The cooler and bath should be in an unexposed position sheltered from extreme temperatures less than -5°C and over 30°C. 

Otherwise all you need: – a solid and level floor, a power supply near (standard 230v) and a hosepipe/water source.   

As of February 2024 for UK mainland our lead time is approx 12 – 14 weeks from receipt of dunds with Emperor arriving to your door or kerb. We aim to turn it around quicker. For other countries delivery times vary by a week or so depending on delivery country and location.  

The Ice Bath and Cooler are designed for indoor and outdoor use.  

MAIN REQUIREMENTS: 

You will need an accessible hose or tap so you can fill your bath with water. If using a tap you will need a tap to hose connector which you can purchase on Amazon.  

Our coolers operate on 220-240v power and you will need a standard UK 3 pin 10amp household power socket. If you are international you would need the relevant adapter. Some international customers, such as those in the United States, will need to use a voltage converter, which can easily be purchased online. The power cord provided is 3m long however you can also use an extension lead. We’d ask that you keep the plug socket 1m away from the bath, just incase you accidentally splash water on the plug socket, this would trip or damage your house-hold electrics, though you’d still be safe in the ice bath itself.

You will need to have a suitable area in mind to drain the water when replacing the water or moving the bath. The bath comes with a standard hose tap at the end of the bath. You will need to purchase a standard garden tap to hose connector (if you don’t already have one) and purchase a hose with a suitable length for the stretch you need to cover.  

The location needs to have a strong firm horizontal flat base large enough to accommodate the bath and cooler as well as provide more than enough room to safely get in and out of the bath.  

The area should have good drainage and not be somewhere water congregates, such as a site with poor drainage or directly next to a swimming pool or shower for example. We do offer a drainage mat to assist with this however we would recommend also avoiding unsuitable areas as well.

The cooler requires to have a minimum of 60cm of space on all 4 sides of the cooler so it can have adequate air flow. 

If multiple coolers are near each other than 120cm of space is required between the coolers.

OUTSIDE

We recommend the bath and cooler are located in a sheltered position and under cover when outside. This will mean the system is not sitting directly in the sun so working consistently on overdrive in the summer. It also means the timber and the cooler will not be affected by the elements. A suitable location outside could be under a gazebo, awning, roof, tent, umbrella, next to your house, anywhere not in full sun or full exposure.  

The Ice Bath and Cooler should not be outside in prolonged cold spells of below freezing / 0°C. The odd days below 0°C is fine providing not colder than –5°C and that you keep the Ice Bath on at all times to keep the water circulating. For long freezing spells we recommend draining the water out of the bath and cooler and ideally bringing it inside. 

Likewise the cooler and bath should not be operating in a location where ambient temperatures consistently get over 30-35ºC. This is because it will not run efficiently. If the cooler and bath is kept outside it requires being sheltered from the sun on hot days.

Roof terraces and balconies are popular. It is important to check with your a structural engineer or building control officer to verify the load rating and whether it can take the weight of the bath full of water. To fill up, there are two recommended ways. You can either use a faucet to garden hose adapter to attach a garden hose to your sink. You can also purchase a submersible pump and attach a garden hose to the pump and drop it into your bathtub to fill up that way. For draining if you don’t have access to somewhere to drain the water we recommend utilising a submersible pump to drain through a bath or sink indoors.

Other considerations is picking a location that is convenient for you to use and ideally in a tranquil, clean, safe, comfortable environment. 

INSIDE

Some customers locate their Emperor in a garage, garden room, gym, annexe, inside their house or in their bedroom or bathroom.

Customers often move their ice bath from an outside location during the warmer months to an inside location during the colder months (or vice versa) and take their Ice bath with them when moving home. Our Ice Bath fits through standard UK door frames and as our cooler is not integrated it is fairly easy to move once you have drained the water, though you will need a friend to help. 

The Ice Bath comes with a drain tap at the end of the bath. You simply need to attach a garden hose and turn the tap to release the water. The garden hose will need to be sufficiently long enough to reach a suitable drainage point.

To clean the surface of the water for anything floating that might not get sucked through the under water outlet and caught in the filters, use a high mesh net. This is particularly important for outdoor use when the lid is off, as debris such as leaves, insects, pollen etc might land on the surface. It is also recommended for commercial use as part of a daily routine.

This really depends on the use! How many people, how long they bath for and how clean they are.

However, for home use you should fully replace the water 2 times a year as a minimum. For commercial use we would recommend every bi-weekly as a minimum. In a very busy commercial space then this could be every week. You can also replace one third or half the water in between if you wish. The dual steel filter system removes debris (like the lint remover in a tumble dryer) and the Ozone Filtration (or chlorine or similar if you have not selected Ozone) breaks down viruses, bacteria and other organic material such as dead skin. This means you don’t need to waste water and have to drain and refill the bath too often.

Our steel mesh filter is reusable so does not require changing unless damaged. Depending on use the pleated filter should be changed once a month for commercial use and a couple times a year for residential. It is important you keep a visual on both filters.

This really depends on use. We would recommend keeping a visual eye on your filters, particularly the first filter, and wash as you see it getting dirty. But as a general rule, assuming daily use we would recommend washing the first filter filter every 2-4 weeks and the second filter every couple of months.  For commercial (depending on use) we would recommend washing the first filter every other day and the second pleated filter every week.

Unfortunately Epsom Salts and other additives are not recommended as they are corrosive and would damage the heat exchanger in the Cooler. This will invalidate the warranty.

Your bath, steps and lid should require minimal maintenance, general cleaning should be done using a soft cloth, soft bristle brush and baking soda (1 cup of baking soda diluted with 4 litres of warm water – not boiling). Otherwise spot cleaning for the timber and cooler can be done with a soft cloth and warm water.

You should use a Polyurethane Matt Varnish every couple of years or as you see fit as every location and exposure is different. This helps to retain the lustre.

Cold plunging is a unique and challenging feat. Before you step into the bath, prepare yourself mentally and physically. 

Getting used to cold showers first can help you understand the primary psychological responses you will experience. When your body is already tuned in to the cold water, you’ll get better at managing your reactions. 

Here are some ideas for getting ready for that first cold plunging: 

Start deep breathing techniques. Alternate breathing with each nostril for 1-2 minutes each to help you relax. Do powerful inhales and exhales through your nose for 1-3 minutes. When you are ready, hold your breath on exhale to reduce the shock, and step into the tub. 

For beginners we recommend starting out at around 15°C if it’s your first time, and then slowly lowering the temperature each time to eventually aiming to reach 2°C. Some people can handle lower temperatures better than others so do listen to your body. 

For beginners start off with 1 – 10 minutes at 15°C and with each session lower the temperature and shorten the duration eventually aiming for 2°C for 1 – 5 minutes. There is no real need to be in the ice bath for more than 5 minutes at a time. However, everyone is different and do what feels right for you. 

Whilst cold showers are a great start to your Cold Water Therapy journey, ice baths are the best way to unlock the ultimate benefits. Ice baths create a more intense and effective experience by causing all your skin’s receptors to fire in unison. This intensity triggers a “protection response” from your body which releases feel-good hormones and lowers cortisol. Furthermore, the hydrostatic pressure helps your body conduct heat transfers more efficiently than a shower or cryo-chamber, given the water density. Studies have shown that cold water immersion is the most beneficial cold therapy medium when it comes to exercise recovery. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-022-01644-9

After about half a minute or so your body tries to insulate you by developing a thin thermal layer of very slightly warmer water that hugs your body. If you wish to stay in longer and or feel less cold, simply hold as still as possible to allow the layer to thicken and warm up. If you wish to feel colder and maximise the CWT affects simply stroke your body with your hand or move around a little to break the thermal layer – this could be simply swaying your arms, bouncing your legs a little and moving your body back and forth. This will remove the warmer layer of water and make you feel colder and get the most out of your Emperor Ice Bath.

Consult your doctor if you have any worries or concerns before taking your first ice bath at home especially if you are sensitive to the cold or have cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes. 

We want you to be 100% satisfied with your purchase – that’s why we offer a 30-day Satisfaction Guarantee. If you’re not happy with your product, please get in touch with us at support@emperoricebath.com so that we can do our best to rectify the situation or arrange a return (fee’s apply). The product must be received in like-new condition without damage for a refund credit to be issued.

If the standard warranty period has elapsed, and something goes wrong, please send us a message and we will work with you on repairing any damaged components to get you up and running ASAP.

We are always here on hand and happy to help. Please send us a note using our CONTACT US form. We will endeavour to get back to you within 24 hours or sooner.