What do you have over your hot tub?

[honeypot]

Hello everyone.

My Tempo was installed last Friday and the electrician did his work on Monday.  Woo Hoo!  Lovin' it!

I failed to take into account that the new patio and hot tub sit in the sun from noon on.  The tub cover is burning hot to the touch.  Now I'm thinking "maybe this can't be good for the cover or the spa"?  What do you have over yours if it's on the side of your house that gets the hot afternoon sun?

Thanks.

honeypot

[rick_in_cleveland]

Mine is in the sun from 10AM to 5PM.  I'm on my second cover as the first lasted 6 years.  As long as you  treat it periodically with something like 303 Protectant you should be fine.  Enjoy your tub

[Spatech_tuo]

Mine is in the sun from 10AM to 5PM.  I'm on my second cover as the first lasted 6 years.  As long as you  treat it periodically with something like 303 Protectant you should be fine.  Enjoy your tub

I agee, I prefer the open feel with nothing overhead of the spa. I know it will cause my cover vinyl to wear sooner than if it was covered and I don't expect 6 years from my cover but if you use a good protectant I think you can get 4+.

[honeypot]

Wow, have I put myself through all of this worry for nothing?  When the guys delivered my spa they said that since I have the 'pearl' interior I shouldn't let it bake in the sun because it may eventually crack... that freaked me out  .  That's just great...what about my parties where I plan on having the tub open all day?   Then I went out and felt how hot the cover was and thought that just like you put a shield in your car window to protect the interior, maybe I should put something over my tub.  I looked at the gazebo things which are really nice looking, but way out of my budget. 

I was thinking about getting one of the tent like structures and securing it to the ground?  Of course, then when the stars are out at night I'll be looking at vinyl.  ugh that's not appealing.

Do you sun worshipers put sun lotion on before entering your spa?   Does that mess up the filter or water or?

Remember, I'm a newbie and need all the advice I can get. 

Please.

Thank you.

pam

[Bonibelle]

HI Pam,

I have an inexpensive off- set umbrella. You can find some real expensive ones, but I found my in Ace Hardware several years ago and as long as you bring it in during the winter, it lasts. I like the umbrella because you can take it down to see the stars and if it is so hot, it does allow you to still soak without out frying. And I can even turn it around to shade my dog if she wants to lay on the deck during the day...my point being that it is portable opposed to a gazebo structure. I also purchased one of those fabric covered gazebos for a party last summer (out in the yard, not over the tub) and it is a piece of junk. It came from K-Mart and it is a rusted piece of trash..so don't go that route.

I think your delivery guy probably meant not to leave the dry tub uncovered for long periods in the sun.  I am sure you will be fine partying in the tub during the day.

The downside of the umbrella however is that you will have to remember to close it up when storms are predicted or it will take off...mine almost did last summer!!

Good luck ( if you have an Ace Hardware..they have an off-set on sale right now for 59.00)

[BNMac]

Hot Tub Noobs here - hi fellow soaker folks!

We currently have nothing over the tub, but living in the great northwet, we'll eventually put an awning over the entire patio including the area where the tub currently sits:





The awning will be (optionally) open on the sides so we'll stlll be able to gaze at the stars when we have no cloud cover.

Yes, we are sun worshippers as well - and we wear nothing in the tub including sunscreen.  The less that goes in, the less that has to be extracted back out.  We shower before entering the tub, 'cause the tub is for soaking, not bathing. 

We've had the tub for a couple months now, and it's been quite an experience fussing over water chemistry and lots and lots of other issues.  But as of last night, we've soaked 21 times, and had exactly one guest, whom wore exactly the same as us.

We tend to prefer natural hot water to this artificial thing, but beings we are about 3 hours away from a respectable natural hot water soak, we finally decided to break down and buy one. 

It's a Columbia Spas Teton, 25 jets, 5HP motor & full time recirc + ozone. 

--BNMac...

[ejf The Spa Guy]

Up in our area most of customersup here in the Spokane area leave them open to the sun, best time to enjoy the openness is when the snow is falling... just do not leave your spa empty and the cover open . thats were you will have the problem.... just make sure you use a cover conditioner on the cover it will last longer, my personal spa is in the sun all day no shade to it at all. and no problems...

[Spatech_tuo]

Wow, have I put myself through all of this worry for nothing?  When the guys delivered my spa they said that since I have the 'pearl' interior I shouldn't let it bake in the sun because it may eventually crack... that freaked me out  .  That's just great...what about my parties where I plan on having the tub open all day? 

You should keep it covered when the spa is EMPTY. If the spa is filled with water you're fine to leave it open for parties during the day.

[Zep]

Hot Tub Noobs here - hi fellow soaker folks! It's a Columbia Spas Teton, 25 jets, 5HP motor & full time recirc + ozone.  --BNMac...

Looks like a great set-up!

[BNMac]

Thanks!  That spot has changed a lot since we bought the place 8 years ago - it was a mud hole with a real crappy set of stairs/landing and junk doors.  We still have a long ways to go, but it feels like home now.

I'll contribute to other topics in the days to come - I have a clear pale green water issue that I believe is related to the blue dye in the "clarifier" solution we use when the water is cloudy.  The tub is cream colored with small dark specks.  I'll get a snap one of these days and will post it.

Cheers, Naturally!

--BNMac, SoakersForum.com (for you natural hot springers out there)

[rick_in_cleveland]

I think that as you use your tub it will be used in the early AM or at night and not during the day

[Vanguard]

All I've ever had over my spa are the stars at night that are big and bright, here in the heart of Texas!! 

[ejf The Spa Guy]

Vanguard,
 that sounds good but i don't think you can beat sitting in the spa and lightly snowing....in the Northwest

[Bonibelle]

Ok, so one of the soaks that stands out in my mind was during a fairly heavy rain at about 40 degrees.  Typically that is the weather that I really really hate...We put on hats and pulled the spa blanket so that it could hang off the opened spa cover well over our heads like an awning ..It was so awesome being nice and warm in a cooold downpour!

I do think soaking in a snow is the amazing though!

[Chas]

The title of this thread caught me off guard - I don't "Have anything over my spa," other than some blurry photographs in a compromising situation with a much-younger Jacuzzi, but that's been forgiven and we have moved on.