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Author Topic: Good, online spa cover vendors?  (Read 6655 times)

av8r

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Good, online spa cover vendors?
« on: September 21, 2015, 11:32:33 am »
I was ready to buy a cover from an online vendor, but then found some poor reviews so I'm looking for suggestions of where to buy a cover for our Bullfrog A5L that will be here in a few weeks.  Also going to buy a Cover Valet at the same time if possible.

Thanks

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Good, online spa cover vendors?
« on: September 21, 2015, 11:32:33 am »

Racenut

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Re: Good, online spa cover vendors?
« Reply #1 on: September 21, 2015, 12:14:40 pm »
Best price I found for Covermate that looked legit and didn't require winning an auction was here - http://www.hottubwarehouse.com/hot-tub-cover-lifts

They shipped right away and I had it in 3 days.  They also do covers.

But why a cover?  Your A5L should come with a cover.

av8r

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Re: Good, online spa cover vendors?
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2015, 12:20:52 pm »
Best price I found for Covermate that looked legit and didn't require winning an auction was here - http://www.hottubwarehouse.com/hot-tub-cover-lifts

They shipped right away and I had it in 3 days.  They also do covers.

But why a cover?  Your A5L should come with a cover.

I think you're talking about lifts.  I'm talking about covers.  Bullfrog only sells a cover that folds along the long dimension. That won't work for us.  It'll require leaving the tub out away from one wall at least 12" and if you only want to open the cover and not remove it, it blocks axis to either the lounge or the other 2 seats.  Dumb design and they won't build it the other way so I'm left trying to find a cover manufacturer that doesn't have 100 horrible reviews.
« Last Edit: September 21, 2015, 12:25:48 pm by av8r »

Racenut

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Re: Good, online spa cover vendors?
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2015, 12:52:50 pm »
Ahhh, now I recall you saying something like that.  Well that place makes covers too. That said, the Cover Valet 250 or Covermate III basically flip the cover up like its on a hinge, so you don't need so much clearance behind the tub.  Almost none depending on how you adjust it.  I went with Covermate III as I thought it just looked like the nicer unit.  My tub will be in a corner and I flip the cover up against a wall/fence too. For years I've just bungeed the cover to the fence to hold it up lol.

Dr. Spa™ Ret.

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Re: Good, online spa cover vendors?
« Reply #4 on: September 21, 2015, 01:06:38 pm »
They don't "make" covers...they have them made for them.

That said, I would have to greatly question their quality as they don't bother to list ANY of the specs, other than the weight of the vinyl, and even that I would have to question for accuracy.

They do list "Breathable Underside Material", which will reduce the life of a cover due to allowing evaporating chemical to more easily contact the inside of the cover, deteriorating it more quickly.
If you can't sell it on eBay, it may not even qualify as landfill.

Retired (mostly) from the industry after 33 years...but still putzing around with a consumer information website, and trying to sell obsolete owners manuals

av8r

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Re: Good, online spa cover vendors?
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2015, 01:08:43 pm »
They don't "make" covers...they have them made for them.

That said, I would have to greatly question their quality as they don't bother to list ANY of the specs, other than the weight of the vinyl, and even that I would have to question for accuracy.

They do list "Breathable Underside Material", which will reduce the life of a cover due to allowing evaporating chemical to more easily contact the inside of the cover, deteriorating it more quickly.

Aren't the foam cores sealed in plastic and/or vapor barrier in most cases?

Dr. Spa™ Ret.

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Re: Good, online spa cover vendors?
« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2015, 01:54:31 pm »
Yes, and it's evaporating chemicals that destroy it thereby allowing moisture to get absorbed into the foam.
If you can't sell it on eBay, it may not even qualify as landfill.

Retired (mostly) from the industry after 33 years...but still putzing around with a consumer information website, and trying to sell obsolete owners manuals

av8r

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Re: Good, online spa cover vendors?
« Reply #7 on: September 21, 2015, 02:01:51 pm »
Yes, and it's evaporating chemicals that destroy it thereby allowing moisture to get absorbed into the foam.
OK, i understand that.  Any suggestions for a reliable online cover vendor?

Dr. Spa™ Ret.

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Re: Good, online spa cover vendors?
« Reply #8 on: September 21, 2015, 03:22:46 pm »
Nope. sorry. You'll have to do the research and compare features yourself. One word of caution, treat most reviews with a grain of salt. People that are unhappy will go to great lengths to tell the world, and generally exaggerate to get more pitty. The vast majority are sitting at home, smiling to themselves and have to inclination to go to the effort of telling any one about it.

You may have read a few bad reviews, but you have no way of knowing how legit they are, or what % of customers are unhappy. In the year I sold my company, I think we made somewhere around 65k covers. There were probably a dozen or so "very unhappy" customers. Most of those, the customer was at fault or there were extenuation circumstances...But, if all you saw were 12 complaints, you'd probably never buy a cover. Internet complaints have become a great resource for "blackmail".

If you can't sell it on eBay, it may not even qualify as landfill.

Retired (mostly) from the industry after 33 years...but still putzing around with a consumer information website, and trying to sell obsolete owners manuals

Tman122

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Re: Good, online spa cover vendors?
« Reply #9 on: September 21, 2015, 04:55:58 pm »
RHTubs dot com. I have purchased 8-10 from them with only one small problem. FYI Doc's old company.
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av8r

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Re: Good, online spa cover vendors?
« Reply #10 on: September 21, 2015, 06:12:45 pm »
RHTubs dot com. I have purchased 8-10 from them with only one small problem. FYI Doc's old company.

I'd order there, but they told me 6 weeks to get a cover and I can't wait that long.  :(

Tman122

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Re: Good, online spa cover vendors?
« Reply #11 on: September 21, 2015, 06:28:52 pm »
Quality takes time, but 6 weeks WTH Doc?
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Hottubguy

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Re: Good, online spa cover vendors?
« Reply #12 on: September 22, 2015, 04:41:17 pm »
Why didn't your tub come with a cover?

av8r

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Re: Good, online spa cover vendors?
« Reply #13 on: September 22, 2015, 05:09:17 pm »
Why didn't your tub come with a cover?

Please see the 3rd post in this thread.

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Re: Good, online spa cover vendors?
« Reply #13 on: September 22, 2015, 05:09:17 pm »

 

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