Has your hot tub cover bit the dust? Here's how to tell.
Canada’s weather takes its toll on the vinyl of our hot tub and swimpool covers. The harsh UV rays of the summer sun weaken the material. Winter snow, especially if it starts to melt, can be heavy. Simple maintenance tasks—provided we perform them regularly—will extend the life of our covers by years, but all covers eventually wear out. Here are 6 signs your hot tub cover needs to be replaced.
6 signs that it’s time for a new hot tub cover
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1. The vinyl is in poor condition
Flaking, brittle, cracked, torn and dirty vinyl is a sign that it’s time for a new cover. You can fix small tears in the vinyl exterior with a vinyl repair kit. Tape or patch small rips in the plastic lining inside the cover. Fix handles with a heavy duty sewing kit or use stainless steel staples. But there comes a point when your cover is probably doing more harm than good. Eventually your water will get dirty and the cover will lose its insulating value—all adding to your costs of operating and maintaining your hot tub.
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2. It’s losing its shape and sagging
If water pools in low spots on your cover or the cover no longer fits properly, it’s time for a new one. The pools of water will get deeper, the cover will sag more, and the problems will just get worse. If the sags are causing the cover to bow, creating gaps at the corners or sides where heat can escape and the elements can get in, you’ll be upping your maintenance costs.
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3. It’s gained weight
Once your hot tub cover starts to absorb water, it’ll get heavy. And probably smelly. Your cover will lose all its insulating value and you’ll risk problems over the winter. Getting it on and off will be impossible for one person and may break your manual or automatic cover lifter. Time for a new cover, folks.
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4. The water is murky, dirty or smelly
If you’ve been diligent in properly maintaining your spa’s water chemistry and your cover is old or in poor condition, you’ve probably found the culprit.
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5. It’s costing you more to run your spa
Chances are your cover isn’t insulating your spa anymore, either because it isn’t sealing properly or the foam is waterlogged. Nothing you can do to fix that except get a new cover.
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6. The locks and straps are broken
These are important safety features for your spa—if the cover can’t be properly secured or lifted, it’s time for a new cover.
Once you've bought a new cover, take care of it. Here are 8 things you should never do to your spa cover.
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