Its the most vulnerable part of your hot tub and most long-term spa users will know that it can be one of the first things to be damaged after warranty expiration. Despite steel reinforcement and double layered protection over the foam inserts, most spa covers start to feel waterlogged or the foam physically damaged after about two to three years of ownership.
So we all know that its not worth having a hot tub if you cannot enjoy it, but if you take care of your spa cover from the offset, you can ensure it will not become damaged and should last much longer. The first thing to ensure is that you have an easy method of removing the cover for spa use, without it being dragged along the floor. The best method to stop this is a cover lifter arm, which attaches the hot tub and lifts the cover back to be stored on one side of the spa, this prevents the cover ever touching the ground and also adds to ease of removal.
The other issue with spa covers is damage through the foam protection polythene, which is used to prevent moisture entering the high-density foam. Once a split in the polythene has occurred, moisture begins to get into the foam and this is the reason for a heavy-waterlogged cover. This can also occur through broken zips on the seam, which are a tight fit. We recommend to never remove the foam inserts, as zip problems can mean your spa cover becomes faulty.
Another common issue with hot tub covers is where lock-down storm straps pull off in heavy wind. This is caused by stitching weakening gradually over the spas lifetime due to exposure to the elements. Even though lock-down straps are sold as heavy duty wind prevention, these should not be relied upon and we recommend placing something heavy like a garden chair upon the hot tub cover to preventing it blowing off, rather than relying on weak lock-down straps that could easily rip off once the cover catches the win.
And our last tip is....replace your spa cover before it becomes a huge hassle. Not only does a broken or waterlogged cover result in the loss of spa heat, it can also become so heavy that its removal becomes a draining and long-winded process. The best way to dispose of an old spa cover is to use a Stanley knife to cut the cover up and the take it to your local recycling center.
Remember.....replace your cover NOW ! Whilst you still can !
Happy Hot Tubbing !
