If you have a hot tub, you most likely already have a hot tub cover – the cover that came with it. The question is, is that hot tub cover the best cover for you hot tub? Hot tub covers serve four major purposes. Three, hot tub covers help hot tubs retain heat, keeping heating bills low. Four, they protect hot tub shells from direct sun exposure, which can harm hot tubs.
So, how do you determine whether or not your hot tub cover is working for you? Make sure that your hot tub cover fits securely over your hot tub, also make sure that your cover is the right size, and that it is sturdy and durable. Over time, your hot tub cover may become heavy and waterlogged, maybe even moldy. A crease in your hot tub cover may allow more heat to escape than would be able to otherwise.
Most hot tub covers are all insulated with the same material: Expanded Polystyrene (EPS). Hot tub covers have an R-value. Hot tub covers can be very heavy, even when they are not waterlogged. If your hot tub cover is too heavy, you may want to consider getting a cover lifter. A cover lifter makes the huge ordeal of lifting off the hot tub cover much less of an ordeal.
Before replacing your hot tub cover, see if it can be easily repaired, and also check out the warranty.
Vinyl Vs Acrylic Fabric
Executive Summary by Jeff Sliger
If you own a hot tub in Texas, Arizona or at altitude in the Rockies you know what sun exposure can do to a vinyl spa cover. The reason is all vinyl are rated by hours outdoors. The great advantage to a fabric that breathes is that it won't readilty trap moisture where mildew can grow. It doesn't crack in cold like vinyl, or fade like canvas.
If you live near a marina every boat top you see out there in a bright color is this fabric. Anything else would fade out quickly, even the paint on the boat will fade before the acrylic fabric will.
Many years back a friend came by to see if I could repair his old sail cover. Typically a sail is bundled and covered with a sail cover to keep it ready for use. The sail cover is used to protect the sail fabric from damage while stowed. My neighbors sail cover was made from Sea Grass Green which is a bold, fairly bright green. I explained to him that if I patched the cover with new material it would look terrible because new bright material would stick out like a sore thumb on the faded older material.
If your spa is outdoors and your tired of replacing your cover due to sun damage you really need to get a spa cover that is offered in 100% woven solution dyed acrylic fabric.
