How Long Do Covers Last?

[bohms]

Just curious.....should the cover last as long as the tub as long as it's taken care of properly or do most people have to order a new one a few years down the road?

[hottubdan]

If your cover is exposed to the elements, UV from the sun, rain, etc., then it will not last as long as the spa.

Depending on the quality of the cover and your care, you will need to replace it after several years.

[bohms]

  Thanks.

[drewstar]

 Thanks.

Why the sad face Bohms? Is you cover ready to be replaced?

[bohms]

No!  It's only 2 months old!!  I don't remember seeing any discussion on it and I just assumed it would last the life of the tub!  Bad assumption, I know......

[drewstar]

Invest in some 303 protectant.  Use a cover lifter.  and vent when shocking. That's what I was told as being the keys to prolonging the life of the cover.  The 303 is good stuff. I give my cover a good wipe down in the spring and and in the fall.

[bohms]

We have a hydraulic cover lifter and so far my husband is cleaning the cover once every week or two.  He's being a little OC right now b/c it's new so I'm sure that kind of care will fade sooner or later.  I'm not sure what he's using but I'll definitely tell him about 303.  Thanks Drew.

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

I hate to tell you, most spa manufacturers cut costs to the absolute bone when it comes to the cover they provide with the spa. It tends to be an item that's rarely mentioned during a sales presentation, and almost no consumer asks about it or for that matter, can even tell the differences. We make, or have made, covers for a variety of spa manufacturers. For the most part, I'm not willing to put my name on the covers that they spec and purchase from us. Let me stress though, the covers we make for them (spa manufacturers) are to THEIR exact specifications and are not (usually) anywhere close in quality to the covers we offer directly to consumers.

Most original spa covers that come with a new spa have a life of about 2 years. A high quality cover should have a life of 5 to 8 years.  Some good suggestions have already been made as to how you can care for and extend the life of any spa cover.

[Brewman]

I got 3 years out of mine.  Cover is in fine shape- not faded or worn, but the foam weighs a ton- much heavier than it was new.  
 All waterlogged.  I don't even want to think about what that does to the insulating value.  New cover time once I scrape up the bucks.

Really it's a shame in a way that it's so impractical to replace just the foam.  I hate the thought of tossing away all that perfectly good vinyl.

[hottubdan]

I have seen that Hot Spring, Marquis, D1 and Caldera provide good covers with their spas.

I have sold other brands that have cuovers as Dr. Spa described.

[bohms]

Does Artesian have a crappy cover?

[hottubdan]

Does Artesian have a crappy cover?

Unknown to me.

[drewstar]

Folks who have replaced a cover, mind telling us the brand, how long you had it, and why it was replaced?

[tony]

Folks who have replaced a cover, mind telling us the brand, how long you had it, and why it was replaced?

My cover is four and a half years old.  I am starting to see the signs of cover failure...one side is slightly heavier.  This means the foam core is starting to retain water.  My best guess is that by this summer I will be replacing thereby giving me five years useful life.  It is a cover made by Ideal for a Sundance spa.  Cover Mate I cover lifter will be replaced at the same time.

There are some parts of a spa that will need to be periodically replaced.

[Steve]

In my experience, an original cover's life span is about 3-5 years. The foam inserts can be replaced if the vinyl itself is in good condition and the cover is just saturated. This is about half the cost of full replacement but usually it's in need of total replacement by 5 years anyway.

I've never seen one of Doc's covers but generally speaking, very few get more than 5-7 years out of a cover regardless of the quality.

Steve