Absolutely, Highly recommended!
(Everything I know on how to protect and give added years of life to your expensive Spa Cover.)
HOW TO ATTACH A SPA BLANKET TO YOUR HOT TUB COVER. I used strips of
Velcro about 3/4 inch wide by3 inches long. I spaced four of them out on the outside edge of the cover. You may wish to use more depending on the length of the cover.
The adhesive on the velcro does not stick to the vinyl cover very well so I used
Clear Silicone. Apply the hook side of the velcro on the cover, the rug side on the Spa blanket.
Remove the Spa Cover and lay the spa blanket over the tub. I cut the blanket to the
OUTSIDE dimensions of the tub. Then install the Spa Cover and Silicone the velcro strips onto the blanket and Cover while they are in place.
Let the silicone set and you are ready to go.
I have a cover lifter and when I flip the first half of the cover over, the Spa blanket goes with the cover.
BTW, I left the other end of the spa blanket loose, but you could do the same thing on the other end too, but make sure you have left enough length so there is an allowance for the folding cover.
Whether you attach the other end or not when cutting the Spa blanket be sure you leave extra length for allowance of the fold of the cover when it opens. Approx 8 - 12 inches, depending on the thickness of the Spa Cover. By using Velcro when it is time to replace the Spa Blanket, just apply velcro on the new replacement and away you go.
To seal and protect the top and underside of the vinyl and stiching of your Spa Cover it is a good idea to spray it with
303 Aerospace protectant (
www.303.products.com). Beyond being a sunscreen, it also helps prevent mildew growth.
Do Not use ArmorAll or Black Magic!A Spa Blanket is Cheap Insurance, and it will save you money on keeping the heat in the tub, helps prevent the cover from absorbing water and getting heavy to lift, and keeps the Chlorine and chemical gases from attacking the underside of your Spa Cover.
I have found that if you do not attach the Spa Blanket to the Spa Cover it can be a real pain in the ass to handle and store.
I also use Steve Russell's Cover Saver ( Email: srsb@shaw.ca)
which takes the stress off the stitched Spa Cover Hinge when using a Cover Lifter. It could also add years of service to the Cover.
A word about
Cover Lifters. A Good Idea!If you do not use a cover lifter, over time your Spa Cover will get damaged in handling it on and off the spa and will suffer abrasions and cuts which will allow water to enter and water log the insulation.
A cover lifter affords an easy way to effortlessly move the cover on and off the spa and keeps it in good shape.
If your Spa is not in a Gazebo it is also a good idea to put a plastic tarp over the Top of the Spa Cover in Winter to protect it from rain, ice and snow. Just pull it off along with the accumulated snow before opening. It is just that easy!
Hope this helps,
Happy Hot Tubbing . . . .
Ps before I decided to attached the Spa blanket to the Cover, I used two plastic potato chip bag clips( looks like a bulldog clip) which I attached to one wall of my gazebo to hang the blanket when I used the hot tub. It got the blanket out of the way but wasn't as convienent to handle.
Badback; $95.00 sounds like 3 - 4 times the going price for a simple 8 x 8 spa blanket. I suggest you shop around.
Regards, Zz
