Hot tub covers may seem like an unnecessary expense but they’re crucial if you want to maintain your hot tub’s functionality and keep your family safe. The hot water, air and general conditions under the cover, can cause serious damage to your hot tub parts over time. This can lead to major repairs or replacements that will leave you with an expensive bill if you don’t take precautions to avoid it. Here are some of the best reasons to buy a hot tub cover, along with helpful tips on how to take care of your investment for years to come.
Safety
A hot tub cover is designed to prevent people from accidentally drowning. It may sound silly but according to CDC statistics, as many as 50 people die every year from unintentional drowning in a hot tub or spa. When you’re relaxing and enjoying your spa, it’s easy to be lulled into a false sense of security, which can make accidental submersion easy for anyone — especially kids. Safety covers are designed to prevent that from happening by covering up your hot tub when not in use, and by locking it with an industry-standard key lock.
Keep the “Hot” in Hot Tub
Despite being constantly soaked in water, hot tubs can be susceptible to heat loss — which explains why they are constantly being topped off with fresh warm water. Without an insulating cover on your hot tub, the heat can escape into your air-conditioned home and give you a chilling surprise when you get in for a soak.
Preventing Contaminated Water
One of the main reasons to cover your hot tub is that it prevents contaminants from getting into your hot tub system. This includes things like dirt and leaves, as well as animals like mice and birds that can be drawn to an uncovered spa in search of a warm bath.
Private and Coziness
A hot tub cover can also help create a private area where you can soak and relax, free from prying eyes or chilly winds. With a solid-color or tempered glass spa cover, it’s like having a portable spa room in your backyard. Some models even have space for two, four or even eight people. You and your partner, family and friends can create lasting memories in your private mini spa. Not to mention that when covered and turned off during bad weather, or when it’s not being used, the hot tub is much less likely to be damaged by nasty items like leaves and twigs.
Keep Water in the Tub
A hot tub cover helps keep your water clean by keeping air, dust and other contaminants out of your hot tub. If you have a run-of-the-mill spa cover, you’ll still see dirt accumulate over time. The buildup of grime can pose health hazards and make it difficult to care for your water properly. Without proper care, you won’t enjoy as many benefits from your hot tub as you could. That is why hot tub covers are recommended for both home and commercial spas; they prevent bugs and dirt from contaminating your water quality.
Lessen Chemical Loss
All hot tubs emit some of their chemical content into their environment. If you have an uncovered hot tub, these chemicals are simply lost to evaporation. A quality cover can help you reduce evaporation by 90% or more! That means your chemicals will last longer between refills. An unexpected benefit of less chemical loss is that many homeowners report feeling better when they swim in water with lower levels of chlorine gas — even though they are already exposed to low levels of chlorine gas overall. In other words, chlorine is being absorbed through other mechanisms besides air. Therefore, using a quality hot tub cover can be beneficial for more reasons than just preventing evaporation.