Know When to Replace Your Hot Tub Cover

While hot tubs look nice with the cover on, your hot tub cover serves a very important purpose.

Its job is to hold in the heat when you aren’t using your spa. This reduces your energy consumption and keeps your costs low.

Hot tub covers also prevent excess water evaporation, which helps you conserve water. Your cover also prevents dirt and debris from getting into the hot tub and clogging your filters.

For these reasons, you want a hot tub cover that’s in great condition. After all, it benefits not only your hot tub but you!

Let’s look at how you know when to replace your hot tub cover.

Look for the Signs

Hot covers are designed to last a long time. But, just as with anything that’s left outside, your spa cover will eventually show signs of wear. This is due to the sunlight and the weather.

Replace your hot tub cover if:

You see breaks, cracks, tears, fading, or sagging. These Deteriorating conditions and changes in shape could cause the cover to let heat and water vapor out and dust and debris in. If you see a dry or brittle texture, holes, and other visible signs of breakage, you definitely want to replace your cover.
Your hot tub cover is waterlogged. The inner foam absorbs water, creating a perfect environment for growing bacteria and mildew. When the vapor barrier fails. Not only is a waterlogged cover a health hazard, but it could also lead to accelerated deterioration of the other parts of your spa.

How to Extend the Life of Your Cover

You can take some steps to increase the life of your hot tub cover.

Clean the cover regularly. To clean the cover, remove it from the spa and lightly spray the outside surface with a garden hose. Use a very mild soap solution (1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap to 2 gallons of water) or baking soda and a large sponge to gently scrub the cover using a circular motion. Work in sections and rinse each area before the soap dries on the vinyl. Then, condition the cover with a thin film of Hot Spring Cover Shield™. On the inside surface, use water only and wipe it clean with a dry towel.
Let your spa breathe. After treating or cleaning your spa water, leave the cover off for about half an hour right after. Water purification agents need air to mix properly. If you cover the spa immediately after adding chemicals, you can trap vapors inside that work against the longevity of the vinyl.
Don’t set things on the hot tub. This means objects and people. Your cover is not a table. Anything with weight could cause the cover to stretch and sag, speeding premature deterioration. Remove snow in the winter. If ice accumulates on your cover, loosen it with warm water before removing it. Prying or chipping it off could tear the vinyl.
Treat your spa cover gently. They are heavy and large, so ask someone to help you remove yours or get a hot tub cover lifter.