After investing in your hot tub, it’s likely you’ll want to do everything in your power to keep it in prime condition…and keep your energy bills low.
Hot tub covers play a significant role in both of these aspects, along with others.
They’re a natural partner of hot tubs and for good reason.
This makes it imperative to care for them properly and be aware of the signs it’s time to buy a new one.
In this article, we’re going to cover everything you need to know about hot tub covers, from five reasons they’re a vital aspect of your spa, how long they last, and ways to maximize that lifespan, as well as share some warning signs it’s time to replace yours.
Read on to learn everything you need to know!
Why Hot Tub Covers Are So Important
Hot tub covers play various roles in your spas day to day health, affecting far more than the surface of your water.
1. Energy Efficiency
The inside of your cover is made of dense insulation designed to trap heat beneath it so it’s unable to escape your spa.
That, paired with its snug fit around the lip of your hot tub, your system can become incredibly energy efficient, requiring minimal run times to maintain the temperature of your water.
While you’ll naturally lose heat while you enjoy a relaxing soak in the water, your circulation system and heating element work hard to replenish it.
Once you step out of the water and close your hot tub cover again, your system will bring your water temperature back to its set point.
As your system runs, it’s using energy and influencing the cost of your energy bills.
By keeping your hot tub cover firmly in place any time you’re not in the water, you’re reducing the runtime of your system, ensuring that minimum energy is used.
Essentially, it’s saving you a significant amount of money on your electricity bill each month.
2. Water Evaporation
This is another natural occurrence each time your water is exposed.
As the steam drifts off its surface, water is slowly evaporating from your spa, requiring you to top it up every week or two depending on use.
Your cover traps in that steam each time it’s in place atop your spa, keeping water loss to a minimum.
This not only reduces the extra water you need to add to ensure your spa is running effectively but also reduces your time spent maintaining your hot tub day to day.
3. Maintenance
Keeping your water clean and safe to use requires a mix of the right chemicals to kill bacteria and balance your water chemistry.
Your cover not only ensures debris doesn’t enter your spa while it’s not in use but also that your chemicals aren’t evaporating too quickly.
As your treatment products evaporate, they need to be replaced, which can become costly if you’re leaving your hot tub open for extended periods of time when not in use.
Furthermore, the reduction in debris for your filters to strip from the water helps minimize the work your system needs to do to keep your water crystal clear.
4. Safety
This is one of the biggest factors when it comes to hot tub covers.
Children are naturally curious and, while playing outside, are likely to be drawn to the hot tub, especially if the cover is open.
A well-fitting cover ensures children and animals can’t climb into the hot tub unattended.
To increase the safety of your spa further and gain some peace of mind while your kids play in the yard, you can add some cover straps or hot tub cover locks to your spa.
5. Protection
Lastly, your cover serves as a protective layer between your hot tub and the outside elements.
Not only does it maintain the quality of your water and reduce the work your system needs to do, but it also keeps your shell in pristine condition.
Additionally, it protects your jets from any unnecessary stress or damage that can be caused by being left exposed to the elements and potential animals climbing into the water and up the sides of your shell.
How Long Should a Hot Tub Cover Last?
How long your hot tub cover lasts depends on three things:
- The quality of your cover
- How well you care for it
- Your location and environment
A good quality hot tub cover can last up to five years when properly cared for, however, when not maintained, you could find yourself needing a replacement after just 3 years.
With quality covers costing a few hundred dollars, you’ll want to minimize the replacements needed throughout the lifetime of your spa.
How To Properly Maintain Your Hot Tub Cover
With that said, maintaining your cover isn’t difficult and will only require a few basic steps spread throughout the course of the year.
Clear Debris
Each time you head out to use your spa, quickly wipe away any debris that’s gathered on your cover.
If you don’t use your hot tub often, you’ll want to make sure you set aside time to do this at least once a week.
During the winter, you’ll want to brush off any snow thats built up to keep the extra weight off your cover.
Wipe It Down
Not only is the topside of your cover exposed to the elements day to day, but the underside is in constant contact with moisture and the chemicals in your water.
Cleaning both surfaces once a month is an important step in keeping your cover in good condition.
Using a damp cloth, gently wash the top of the cover with warm water.
To clean the underside, take your cover off, lay it down flat, bottom side up, and use a diluted mixture of one part bleach to nine parts water to wipe off any mildew or chemical buildup.
Use UV Protective Spray
The harsh UV rays from the sun can damage the surface of your cover over time, leading to color fading or cracks beginning to form.
To avoid this, treat the exposed surface of your cover with a UV protectant after you’ve finished cleaning it.
We recommend doing this at least once a month.
Signs It’s Time For a New Hot Tub Cover
With your hot tub cover playing such an important role, knowing when it’s time to reinvest in a new one is crucial.
Here are some of the most common warning signs it’s time to retire your cover.
The Surface is Cracking
As mentioned above, this can occur over time as the sun damages the surface of your spa.
By using a UV protectant, you can avoid this from happening, but if you do notice it’s become cracked, it’s time to consider a new one.
Cracks in your cover will allow water to soak into the insulation below, causing water damage.
It’s Ripped or Torn (and unable to be patched)
Rips and tears can happen for various reasons over the years.
Luckily, they’re usually small enough that they can be easily repaired with a patch kit.
Unfortunately, larger damage won’t be as easily fixed and can cause extended damage to the rest of your cover, minimizing its ability to properly protect your spa.
It’s Waterlogged
If your hot tub has any minor tears in the underside, moisture can slowly seep into the insulation, making it wet and heavy.
You’ll know your cover is waterlogged if it’s become heavy to lift, sags, or has developed a strong odor.
Hot Tubs and Hot Tub Covers in Roseville and Northern California
For over 30 years, All Seasons Pools & Spas has been serving the communities throughout Northern California and has expanded to include five convenient locations, from Granite Bay, North Auburn, and even Grass Valley.
With our team’s expertise and wide range of top-quality hot tubs from Sundance®️ Spas, finding your dream spa or a replacement cover is as easy as walking through the doors of your nearest showroom.
Contact us today or visit us in-store to find all your hot tub needs!