To whom it may concern
My name is Chris Carley, I live in Wisconsin and I am looking for a new cover for my 85 by 79 hot tub. I came across web sites offering soft covers. Would you recommend a cover like this for Winters in Wisconsin and how would you store this cover when taking it off to use. We currently have a hard shell that’s over 5 years old and very beat up, we did not purchase a lift for this (which I regret to this day) but we are looking for something different and have decided to go with a soft shell so my wife or daughter can take on and off with ease.
I appreciate your time and hope to hear from you soon.
Thanks
Christopher Carley
Hi Christopher,
This is a topic that comes up quite often. Everyone gets tired of replacing their foam core hot tub covers. More accurately, everyone gets tired of how heavy foam covers get, making them difficult if not impossible to open and creating a barrier to using your hot tub.
If your cover lasted over 5 years in the Wisconsin weather, then your cover had a full life of service. The typical life expectancy of a hot tub cover is right around 5 years. It is possible to extend the life of your cover by making sure the cover you purchase has the best vapor barrier you can find. Even with the best vapor barrier, the wear from the chemicals is relentless and eventually every cover will water log and fail.
So, is a less expensive, off the shelf soft cover right for you? The Pros will give their advice below, but first lets point out the considerations that come into play to make this decision.
There are several reasons the soft covers seem attractive, including:
- Lower cost as most soft covers come in standard sizes and does not need to be custom made.
- Lower cost as the smaller size allows shipment by UPS or FedEx instead of freight carriers.
- Lower cost as there are less materials used in the construction of the soft cover.
- The possibility of the end of water logged foam core covers.
- The ease of remove of a soft cover when compared to a hard cover.
All of these reasons can make sense in some situations. However, if your situation requires a cover to provide insulation to keep the heat in the hot tub and to keep your heating bills as low as possible, then the soft cover probably is not right for you. Soft covers have R-values of around R-10. The R-value is a measure of the ability of a cover to insulate, so the larger the R-value the better when you are looking for a cover to insulate. A 6″ to 4″ tapering foam core cover with a long steam stopper has an R-value of around R-32.
The soft covers all have some method of support, so be sure the cover you select will work for your needs. Most have an air pillow or bladder that floats on the water in the spa. You can inflate it as needed to get the cover to dome in the center so rain will run off and not pool on the cover. If you intend to drain your tub, these types of covers will not be able to be used.
If you keep your hot tub water hot all winter, The Pros would recommend passing on a soft cover as your heating bills will eat you alive. 6″ to 4″ foam core covers are available for around $350, and that includes delivery to your residence. Soft covers are available for around $180, delivered. If you replace your foam cover every 5 years, you are paying $70 per year for the best insulating cover you can buy. If you keep your tub hot all winter, you will be saving many times that amount.
Do not wait to replace your foam core cover once it begins to get heavy! As we have written in this blog, waterlogged covers actually pull heat out of your hot tub 32 times faster than air, and bacteria including Legionnaire’s Disease can begin to grow inside the cover.
Happy Tubbing!
Ethel Elliott
