Cutting thermal blanket for spa

[SuzyQ]

Will a thermal blanket work if I use the underside of the cover for a pattern or should I cut it to lay on the water (filter covered too?).  Thanks for the insights!

[leaky]

Suzy,

You need to cut it to the size of the "water".  Just start in one corner with a pair of scissors, and walk your way around.  It's pretty simple....


Leaky

[cburk0677]

What material are you using for the blanket? I've thought about using one but from what I've read they really don't make that much difference in saving $. If it could be proven that they save me $ each month I would definitely get one.

[SuzyQ]

Should it be cut a little larger than the actual spa (thermal blanket is 1/4" thick) to allow for shrinkage?  Do I cover the filter also?

[leaky]

Doing this quick, so I don't even know if it will work, but I posted these shots of my cut job quite a while back.....

http://www.whatsthebest-hottub.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1132762854/0#0

[cburk0677]

Leaky, I see your post with the pics was from 2005. In your opinion has he thermal blanket made a difference in your heating bills?

[SuzyQ]

Thanks for the photo Leaky.  Does your blanket intefere with the filter?

[leaky]

Leaky, I see your post with the pics was from 2005. In your opinion has he thermal blanket made a difference in your heating bills?

Cburk,

I've also posted about the heating bills, but in a nutshell:  I'm not sure there was much of any difference in the heating bill, but I live in So Cal, so it's not as critical as it may be in other wintery climates.  What I feel DID make a large difference was my filter cycle duration.  My Beachcomber came factory programmed to filter around the clock.  After $200+ bills month after month, we changed a bunch of bulbs out to flourescent, and I cut the filter cycle to run only 10 hours a day, and only heat from 4:00-10:00 PM.  That seemed to cut the bill almost in half.

[leaky]

Thanks for the photo Leaky.  Does your blanket intefere with the filter?

Suzy,

I didn't cut the blanket to fit within the filter compartment.  That area was left open.  I am still going back and forth, but I also seemed to find that the "pockets" in the cover tended to trap nasties floating on the surface, preventing them from reaching the filter.

[cburk0677]

Thanks for the response. I can't imagine $200 electric bills. Glad I live in Indiana. My highest electric bill this past summer with AC on and my Vanguard spa was only around $90.00 I have a 2000 sqft house.

This winter the electric bill has been around $65-$70 and that is with my Vanguard maintaining at 101 degrees. It has been in the 20's-50's outside temp so far this winter.

[Chad]

You guys need to keep in mind that almost every city's electric provider charges a different amount for kwh's. So just telling us the $ amount of your electric bill, is not that helpful.
In the coldest months of the year my tub uses 11 kwh a day to maintain 103 degree water, 1 15 minute soak, and an additional 1 hour of programmed filtration cycles that utilize pump 1 on low speed. This broke down to about a $23 incease a month during the winter as I pay $.07 a kwh. I haven't experimented in the summer months but I would guess it's probably less than half of that.

[Brookenstein]

Chad, can you stop bragging about your electric rates.... those of us who pay nearly 4 times that are getting sad and depressed.  

My last bill was finally under $200 and I was doing the happy dance.  Too bad my gas bill jumped from $19 to $60.

[Richs100]

All I know is I just got the largest oil delivery bill ever.  
$599.00.  $3.32 per gallon.
I feel like I'm filling a yacht!

With two oil men in the White House, who woulda thunk it???

[tony]

I have used a thermal blanket for the past couple of months.  Mine is cut to the inside dimensions of the spa and lies flat on the water.  It is the 1/4" foam type.  I have not analyzed for savings but the temp is always at set temp when I open the cover (just about every morning).  It seems that it is holding temp much better than without thus in theory, it should be saving money.  It has been much less of a hastle than I would have expected, does not inerfere with filtering, does not bunch and does not affect my chemical routine.

[cburk0677]

So what do you do with the blanket when using the spa? Do you roll it up or drape it over the open cover?