Time to dive into the world of backyard rinks and RinkMaster.  As winter approaches, the age-old hot-water rink flood debate surfaces. Our take on it:

Opinions on this abound, and there's no definitive answer. However, our experience at RinkMaster tells us something valuable. We've utilized both hot and cold water for floods over the years, periodically revisiting the question to validate our findings. From our observations, there is really no discernible difference.

Hot water is often favored due to its prevalence in arena settings, as it contains fewer dissolved oxygen and micro air bubbles, apparently contributing to a harder ice surface. The notion that hot water might freeze faster is less certain.

Yet, these factors don't exert a significant impact on the average backyard skater. Backyards lack the controlled environment of typical arenas, with temperature and humidity fluctuating, and water quality varying (hello sulphurs!). These variations wield a more substantial influence on ice quality compared to water temperature.

However, one game-changer emerges – that trusty terry-cloth towel hanging at the back of the Zamboni. It has a tremendous effect on crafting a superior ice surface, evident under floodlights even before you lace up your skates. This is precisely why our FloodMaster is a crowd favorite.

So here's your chance to experiment – try flooding your rink with both hot and cold water, see if you can spot the distinction, and let us know! We're eager to hear your insights.

The RinkMaster Team