Hi Pros,
I need to replace my hot tub cover – again. I live in Boston. What cover would you recommend so I can keep the cost to a minimum?
Thanks,
Jeff – Boston Mass
Cold locations + hot water = thickest hot tub covers
Hi Jeff,
Did you paaak your caaar in Haaaaavad Yaaaaad? I tease my Boston friends!
The answer to your very simple question is not so simple. When the time comes – again – to replace your spa cover, the cost of the spa cover itself turns out to be a minimal factor if you consider it over the life of the cover. The Pros should state up front that the big assumption in this post is that you keep your hot tub hot all the time. When this is the case, the performance of the spa cover becomes much more critical than the cost of the cover itself.
This concept is captured by the term Total Cost of Ownership or TCO. The TCO for hot tub covers MUST include the cover’s impact on the heating bills over the life of the cover. Typically covers last around 5 years. Typical covers cost around $300 and include free shipping. This makes the monthly cost of buying the cover around $5.00 amortized over its 5 year life. That is the first component of the TCO.
The next components that must be figured is the efficiency with which the cover insulates AND the environment or climate the spa resides in. For example, the performance of a hottub cover must be dramatically different for a spa in Denver compared to a spa in Miami. The correct cover for the spa in Denver is a much more critical choice and can have a substantial impact in the heating costs for the spa. If a $300 lid can save $10 per month, then spending $5 per month to buy the cover will actually put money back in your pocket! If this scenario fits your environment, you would actually have a NEGATIVE TCO! This implies you are saving money and that there is actually NO OPERATIONAL COST for the spa cover. If you pay $300 for a top that saves you $600 in your electric bill, the spa cover is actually putting $300 back in your pocket!!!
With this in mind, The Pros strongly suggest replacing your hot tub lid as soon as it starts to water log. A waterlogged cover actually pulls heat out of the hot tub 32 times faster than air alone! Your TCO would change from saving you money every month to having to spend more every month due to the accelerated heat loss! Once your cover begins to take on weight gain, replace it.
With the TCO in mind, shop for a top that will suit your environment and do not hesitate to add upgrades that increase the R-value of the cover. Every gain in R-value will add up in more money back in your pocket!
Happy Tubbing!
Ethel Elliott
