clips freezing - any tips?

[mattNY]

Now that the cold weather is (finally) here, I'm noticing that my cover clips freeze up regularly.  Lately I've been taking a cup of hot water out with me to thaw them out enough to work loose.  I was debating getting a little can of lock-deicer and trying that out too.  Any tips out there for helping to prevent this situation?  

[Chad]

I had the same thing happen to me after this last ice storm. I just hit them w/ my hand really hard and that seemed to break the "ice bond" well enough for me to get them delatched. I'm going to get a tarp, like suggested in another thread, and put it over my entire tub in preperation for the next stom. So I no longer have to worry about the snow/ice on my cover or clips.

[Tman122]

Now that the cold weather is (finally) here, I'm noticing that my cover clips freeze up regularly.  Lately I've been taking a cup of hot water out with me to thaw them out enough to work loose.  I was debating getting a little can of lock-deicer and trying that out too.  Any tips out there for helping to prevent this situation?  

WD40 works real good for making the water shed off so's not to freeze. If the moisture is dripping from condesation from your cover, If it's just the snowfall thawing and then refreezing on your little clips, make sure you brush that snow off.

[Tatooed_Lady]

or you could always move to a warmer climate.....
A buddy of mine used to tell me to use white lithium grease on the rubber seals around my car doors and sunroof....the idea is it keeps the rubber lubricated (doesn't dry rot), and keeps the water from freezing surfaces together....maybe you could use something as simple as a touch of vaseline? If it's water from above, how about using a rubberband and a sandwich baggie slid onto the strap, tightened above the clip so water can't get to the clip, and make sure it covers the clip? I don't think it would be PRETTY, but hey, if it's a temporary deal, it might be worth it. :-?

[drewstar]

Now that the cold weather is (finally) here, I'm noticing that my cover clips freeze up regularly.  Lately I've been taking a cup of hot water out with me to thaw them out enough to work loose.  I was debating getting a little can of lock-deicer and trying that out too.  Any tips out there for helping to prevent this situation?  

Speaking of lock de icer, My  wife keeps her can of lock de-icer in her glove box.    

As mentioned WD 40 should work well (the "WD" stands for water displacement).  The only concern I have is aything on the clips will get on your hands and into the tub.  I've never had an issue with clips freezing.  Is something dripping on them?

[Steve]

Speaking of lock de icer, My  wife keeps her can of lock de-icer in her glove box.    

 

I wonder how long before she realizes just how brilliant that idea is....  Lemme guess... it's right beside her spare key?

[drewstar]

I wonder how long before she realizes just how brilliant that idea is....  Lemme guess... it's right beside her spare key?

You got it.

[mattNY]

or you could always move to a warmer climate.....
A buddy of mine used to tell me to use white lithium grease on the rubber seals around my car doors and sunroof....the idea is it keeps the rubber lubricated (doesn't dry rot), and keeps the water from freezing surfaces together....maybe you could use something as simple as a touch of vaseline?

I thought about vaseline, it's still on the list of possibilities.  I don't own any though, and the drugstore personnel will probably look at me funny if I go in just to order a big vat of vaseline...

Speaking of lock de icer, My  wife keeps her can of lock de-icer in her glove box.    

As mentioned WD 40 should work well (the "WD" stands for water displacement).  The only concern I have is aything on the clips will get on your hands and into the tub.  I've never had an issue with clips freezing.  Is something dripping on them?
 

I'm not really sure where it's coming from, to be honest.  We've had a lot of weather hovering above and below 32, so I think things are just melting on the cover and dripping down.  The cover is doing a good job insulating as far as I can tell, I get a nice snow cover with no visible melt on the colder days, and there's nothing above or around the tub that would drip on it.

[Tatooed_Lady]

Matt, if you get a large vat of vaseline and the drugstore personnel look at you screwy, just tell them it's for the guys at the auto repair shop.....  
The manager at Midas almost fell over when I gave him a small jar of Vaseline with a pretty bow on it...especially when I told him what it was for!