Spa Covers
If you have owned a spa previously you already know the importance of, and potential frustration with spa covers. It is extremely common for a spa cover only a few years old to weigh literally hundreds of pounds and have an insulation rating near zero. This fact is substantiated by the warranty offered on spa covers. Spa covers have as little as zero warranty and as much as one year full coverage, which is in my professional opinion, insufficient at best.
Fatal Flaw Of Hot Tub Covers
A new spa cover will cost anywhere from $250 to $800 depending on the size, shape, thickness and insulation value. Almost every spa cover commercially available is built in the exact same fashion using similar materials with a similar process. It is during this process and using the standard polystyrene foam that the fatal flaw happens.A spa cover starts with a huge piece of polystyrene foam, which is the white, beaded foam pellets that have been pressed together into sheets. This type of foam is considered the lowest grade for strength, durability and insulation value and is not approved for structural uses in construction.
Why Spa Covers Get Heavier
Sheets of polystyrene foam are sometimes laminated together to give an overall thicker product. Whether laminated thinner sheets, or one solid piece of foam, the process is the same in that the sheet is cut in half and the edges are trimmed to fit the spa dimensions. The two halves represent the two halves of the spa cover that will be attached via a seam to facilitate easier handling of the cover.Polystyrene foam is considered a closed cell product and will repel water. This is due to the manufacturing process which causes an outer skin to form on the foam. The action of cutting the foam in half and trimming the corners to fit the spa cause the ultimate downfall for spa covers industry wide.
By cutting, the cell structure of the foam is opened in these areas making it possible for the foam to take on water much like a sponge. The effect is very slow at first and gradually increases until one day, seemingly, the cover is so heavy that is can barely support its own weight and sags heavily in the center.
Lost Insulation Value In Spa Covers
Lifting and removing the cover becomes less of a chore at this point, and more of a liability, especially for petite people, elderly people and children. Not to mention that once the foam becomes saturated the insulation value has been almost completely depleted.Just like insulation in a house that has become wet from a leaky roof, the insulation value is considered to be completely compromised once wet, and the only solution is replacement. Since this problem happens so commonly quite often spa owners are inclined to ignore the problem. This results in a running cost for the spa that is higher. How much higher? MUCH higher.
The Impact Of Spa Insulation
Again with the house analogy, imagine living in Canada in the winter in a house with no insulation in the roof or attic. Now imagine trying to keep your house at 104 degrees in the winter with no insulation. Poor spa cover design accounts for the majority of unnecessary hot tub related costs in the loss of energy efficiency and replacement costs.Formed Spa Covers
To solve this common spa problem you will need to find a spa dealer that does not use cut foam for the cover. This is exceedingly difficult to do and I am aware of only one company that uses an injection mold process to cast covers with high density foam preformed to fit each hot tub. These covers are incredibly efficient, long lasting and strong. Much stronger and more dense than polystyrene these covers are capable of supporting over 2000 pounds of weight and are impervious to water unless they become punctured or cut.To the end user the cover remains light after years of use and eliminates heat loss through the cover of the spa. Additionally a center baffle is added along the seam of the two preformed halves of the cover which eliminates heat loss through the seam. A common sight with a low quality cover in the winter is snow melted along the seam where heat is readily escaping.
Choose wisely with your spa cover as the cost of lost efficiency can add up to far more than the cost of a replacement cover. The lost heat could actually cost more than the monthly payment on a brand new top of the line hot tub!
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