Chances are, if you have even considered replacing your spa cover, it is past the time when it should have been replaced.
Don’t fret. We are all human and shopping for, measuring for and paying for a new hot tub cover is about as exciting as selecting between reruns of Mork & Mindy! While we know it is not exciting, it is very important to get ‘er done and below we shall detail the reasons why it is very important.
1). Health Risks: First, and most importantly, lets consider the health risks of continuing to use a waterlogged cover. A cover becomes waterlogged when the vapor barrier fails. This will happen eventually to every hot tub cover because the chemicals used to keep the water healthy eventually break down this barrier. Once this happens, the foam core inside the cover begins to absorb the moisture from the warm and humid air underneath. This creates the perfect environment for germs and bacteria to live and grow. The foam core of the cover becomes a warm, moist and dark host where bacteria is safe from the chemicals in the tub.
This image is an x-ray of lungs with Legionaire’s Disease, just one of the bacterium that can grow in a waterlogged cover. The common name for this type of airborne lung infection is called “hot tub lung”.
2). Wasted Heating Costs: The primary reason most spa owners want a hot tub 
cover in the first place is to try to keep their heating bills from running the spa as low as possible. The insulation value of spa covers is very much like the insulation rating of the “Pink Panther” insulation used in the construction of homes and it is measured in the R-value. Just like the insulation in many homes, the higher the R-value the more the cover keeps the heat inside the spa, and the less the heater runs. Once a lid becomes waterlogged, which is by far the most common failure of a cover, the water inside the cover begins to literally pull heat out of the water! This is due to the fundamental principle that water transfers heat (or cold) 32 times faster than air. What this means is you are paying to heat the spa but that energy – and your money – is being sucked out of the water as fast as you can heat it. You would be better off removing the top, unless it is a windy location, than allowing this condition to continue.
3). Reduced Use: The final reason, and we hear this one a lot, is that most folks either use their spa less, or stop using it all together, once the top becomes ugly, dirty, damaged or heavy. We hope the information we are presenting on this site will remove the hassle and fear from the process of replacing your spa cover, so you can confidently get it over with and get back to enjoying your spa, knowing you are safe from bacteria and that your cover is working to save you money once again.
Happy Tubbing!
Ethel Elliott
