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Hot Tub Cover and Spa Cover Buying Guide
There are many hot
tub covers & spa covers available on the internet and in
your local stores. This guide is designed to educate you on the
attributes that make up a hot tub cover and spa cover, so you
can choose the best spa cover for you, at the best price
available.
Foam thickness
All spa covers these days are tapered so that the rain, snow and
ice will runoff much like the roof of your house. You will find
covers ranging in thickness starting at a 3" x 2" taper to a
5" x 4" tapered spa cover. The difference in the
thickness of the foam is not only size but also load capacity,
and that is the most important part of the thickness. The
thicker the foam the more load the cover can withstand. For
example a 4" x 2" tapered cover can withstand approximately
75lbs. of load capacity before it will break whereas a 4" x 3" spa cover can withstand 125lbs. of load.
And lastly a 5" x 4" tapered hot tub cover can withstand a
load of 250lbs. As with everything there are tradeoffs the more
load capacity the heavier the cover. The most important thing to
look at is your climate, the more snow load the heavier the
cover you require. If your spa is at deck level and people are
possibly going to walk on it you will need a 5" x 4" hot tub cover. If your spa is indoors you
can get away with a 4" x 2" taper. The best cover for most
conditions is the all season cover, the 4 x 3 hot tub cover taper which is manageable
weight and great load capacity.
Foam density
Foam density plays a vital role in your insulation value and
again the load capacity that your cover can endure. There are 3
levels of foam density being used today 1lbs., 1.5lbs., and
2lbs. The foam density is measured by pound per square inch. The
lower the foam poundage the more open the cells of the foam are.
This results in lower R-value, lower weight capacity and higher
saturation points. These three points are important to the
performance of your spa cover. The density of your foam will
enviably determine the years of service your hot tub cover will
provide. The higher the density the longer it will take for the
cover to become waterlogged. The higher the density of foam, the
lower your operational cost will be. For this reason alone
always go for the highest density foam available 2lbs.
regardless of your location.
Vinyl
The vinyl used in today's high end spa covers is 32 oz. and is
treated with UV and mildew inhibitors which allows for more
hours in direct sunlight and keeps mildew from building on your
cover. Always look for covers with marine grade vinyl. With the
new treatments available on marine grade vinyl fading is minimal
and you can choose the darker colors to accent your yard.
Scrim
The
Scrim is the material used on the underside of your spa
cover. The primary function of the scrim is to protect the foam
core from moisture. There are many different types of scrim
available ranging from cheap mesh to the latest and greatest
reflective full backing. We recommend only full scrim for the
underside and protection of your foam cores. There are different
types of full scrims as well. Some are water repellent and some
are not. The best scrim out there is the reflective scrim which
deflects the radiant heat from your spa back into the spa
reducing your heating cost, but more importantly this material
is water repellent saving your foam core and adding years of
service to your cover.
Poly wrap
Poly wrap is moisture barrier around the foam core. Most poly
wraps are 3 mil. and are vacuum and heat sealed. The first thing
to look at is the thickness of the poly wrap do not accept
anything less than 3 mil and if you can upgrade to 6 mil or a
double vapor seal, it is well advised to make the investment.
Look out for poly wraps that are taped, these will not stand up
to the moisture in your spa and cause your hot tub top to become
waterlogged.
Locks
This is very important as there have been increased reports of
accidental drowning among small children in spas. There are
options available 2 locks or 4, we highly recommend 4 locks, 1
in each corner for as stated safety, and as well to keep your
spa top in place due to wind. Remember to always insure that new
hardware is installed for your locks as the plastic will wear
over years of use. Try to replace your locks in a different
location from where they were originally as the original
location will be worn.
Reinforcement
All spa covers should have a reinforcing c-channel either
aluminum or galvanized steel. Either one is fine with the
galvanized steel being slightly stronger but a little heavier.
This is a minor tradeoff and either is sufficient.
Cover Protection
There are many ways to protect your spa cover. The best way is
to use a Spa Cover Cap which is a tarp like
cover with an elastic hem that goes over your cover and protects
the cover during the winter months. Floa
ting solar or thermal covers will also protect you spa
cover from harmfull chemical filled condensation that will eat
away at the underside of your spa cover. Hot
tub & spa cover lifters not only make removing your
cover a one person job, they help save your cover by reducing
the wear and tear on them. Lastly keep your cover clean and
conditioned with special formulated hot tub cover cleaners and wipes.
The Cover Guy
About the author:
Jay Labelle is the owner of www.thecoverguy.com and
has been in the pool & spa industry for over 20 years.
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