Which Thermal Blanket?

[iceno9]

So i am looking into getting a thermal blanket to cut down running costs....but there are plenty to choose from.

A 'Bubble wrap' style one are  available in 400 or 500 micron version and are typically between £30-60. Whereas a closed cell 12mm thick foam version is about £120.

Wondering if the latter is worth the investment or not as its 4 times the price of the bubble-wrap versions.

What are peoples experiences with these thermal blankets?

Thanks
Matt

[Vinny]

I don't know if the expense is worth it but I have had a couple of thermal blankets in the past. Here's my observations - if your tub runs any type if jets during a clean or purge cycle you need a really stiff blanket. Cheap bubble wrap or cheap foam is not good.

The best foam blanket I have purchased is from RH Tubs, it was thick and stayed put. The problem is it deteriorates and it needs to be replaced every 3 years and I don't know if the savings = the cost. I would think a thicker cover with higher density foam would be the way to go but I also can't say the additional cost = savings.

If you want to try a blanket I would look at the RH Tubs one and either see if they can ship it to you or get one locally. But I would always keep in mind how much you'll pay vs. how much you'll save.

[icenogle]

Have come to any conclusions about the thermal blanket?  Does your iceno end with gle?

[Quickbeam]

I use a thermal blanket, but have used it since we first got out tub a little over a year ago. Since we’ve always used the blanket, I’m not really in a position to make comparisons on cost savings.

Another supposed advantage to thermal blankets however, is that it is supposed to extend the life of your spa cover, which makes sense to me. Whether the extended life of the spa cover, plus whatever heating costs are saved equals the cost of the spa blanket over the time period I really don’t know.

One word of caution with the blanket though. If you use one be sure to cut some kind of channel in it so you can keep your water feature running. You need to keep your water feature running so sanitizer gets through. If you don’t do this, you will end up with biofilm in your tub. I learned the hard way!

Oh, almost forgot, the spa blanket we use came from RH Tubs. Very happy with it. Don’t bother with the bubble wrap ones.

[av8r]

One word of caution with the blanket though. If you use one be sure to cut some kind of channel in it so you can keep your water feature running. You need to keep your water feature running so sanitizer gets through. If you don’t do this, you will end up with biofilm in your tub. I learned the hard way!

Oh, almost forgot, the spa blanket we use came from RH Tubs. Very happy with it. Don’t bother with the bubble wrap ones.

Forgive my ignorance, but aren't these floating blankets used with the regular cover at the same time?  If so, how does a water feature operate with the cover on?

[Quickbeam]

One word of caution with the blanket though. If you use one be sure to cut some kind of channel in it so you can keep your water feature running. You need to keep your water feature running so sanitizer gets through. If you don’t do this, you will end up with biofilm in your tub. I learned the hard way!

Oh, almost forgot, the spa blanket we use came from RH Tubs. Very happy with it. Don’t bother with the bubble wrap ones.

Forgive my ignorance, but aren't these floating blankets used with the regular cover at the same time?  If so, how does a water feature operate with the cover on?

I can't speak for other water features, but ours is a waterfall, so it comes out horizontally, and does not interfere with the cover. The tub we have is a Jacuzzi J-345. Also, you don't need your water feature going full tilt, you just need some water coming out to prevent any biofilm from forming.

[watson524]

Quickbeam - this is interesting for me. Given we've seen higher than expected (tho consistent) FC usage, I started thinking about this after seeing your response. We run the waterfall when we're in the tub but shut it off when we get out. So you keep yours at a trickle? I'm wondering if because we don't, things build up in there and don't get cleaned up, so we're putting more into the water when we run it but that seems extreme since you'd think when we're in it, that would come out into the tub and get cleaned up by the post soak bleach.

[Quickbeam]

Quickbeam - this is interesting for me. Given we've seen higher than expected (tho consistent) FC usage, I started thinking about this after seeing your response. We run the waterfall when we're in the tub but shut it off when we get out. So you keep yours at a trickle? I'm wondering if because we don't, things build up in there and don't get cleaned up, so we're putting more into the water when we run it but that seems extreme since you'd think when we're in it, that would come out into the tub and get cleaned up by the post soak bleach.

I’m not sure about your situation, but I’ll tell you what happened with us. We have our hot tub at a summer cabin. We were using our tub quite a bit when we first got it, and were doing the same as you. That is, we would use the waterfall when we were in the tub, and have it shut off when we were finished. This was working out fine and I didn’t think anything of it. When winter came we didn’t spend near as much time at the cabin, so we therefore didn’t use the hot tub as much. As we weren’t using the hot tub as much, the waterfall didn’t have a chance to run. Because the waterfall wasn’t running, we ended up with biofilm.

We now leave the waterfall on, so whenever the circ. pump runs the waterfall comes on. We don’t have it on full, but we do have it set so there is a decent flow comes out. I’m told you only need to have a trickle come out, but because of our previous experience, I’m being extra careful. In any case, since we now have our waterfall left on, we have not had any further troubles.

Hope this helps you.

[av8r]

I’m not sure about your situation, but I’ll tell you what happened with us. We have our hot tub at a summer cabin. We were using our tub quite a bit when we first got it, and were doing the same as you. That is, we would use the waterfall when we were in the tub, and have it shut off when we were finished. This was working out fine and I didn’t think anything of it. When winter came we didn’t spend near as much time at the cabin, so we therefore didn’t use the hot tub as much. As we weren’t using the hot tub as much, the waterfall didn’t have a chance to run. Because the waterfall wasn’t running, we ended up with biofilm.

We now leave the waterfall on, so whenever the circ. pump runs the waterfall comes on. We don’t have it on full, but we do have it set so there is a decent flow comes out. I’m told you only need to have a trickle come out, but because of our previous experience, I’m being extra careful. In any case, since we now have our waterfall left on, we have not had any further troubles.

Hope this helps you.

Interesting and makes sense.  The problem for people like me is that the waterfall in some tubs retracts when not in use and is restricted from opening when the cover is on.

[watson524]

I’m not sure about your situation, but I’ll tell you what happened with us. We have our hot tub at a summer cabin. We were using our tub quite a bit when we first got it, and were doing the same as you. That is, we would use the waterfall when we were in the tub, and have it shut off when we were finished. This was working out fine and I didn’t think anything of it. When winter came we didn’t spend near as much time at the cabin, so we therefore didn’t use the hot tub as much. As we weren’t using the hot tub as much, the waterfall didn’t have a chance to run. Because the waterfall wasn’t running, we ended up with biofilm.

We now leave the waterfall on, so whenever the circ. pump runs the waterfall comes on. We don’t have it on full, but we do have it set so there is a decent flow comes out. I’m told you only need to have a trickle come out, but because of our previous experience, I’m being extra careful. In any case, since we now have our waterfall left on, we have not had any further troubles.

Hope this helps you.

Hhmm... we have a spa blanket (a piece of bubble pool cover) so I think if we left our waterfall going, it'd come out with the water on top of the cover. Perhaps if it was just a very little trickle tho, it'd go straight down. Worth a shot to see if it changes FC usage.