New covers that do not absorb water?

[East_TX_Spa]

A spa blanket is a beautiful thing,
it keeps your cover dry and makes the varmints sing.

Ol' possum, skunk, woodpecker, too,
Spa blanket saves the day from all that critter poo.

[wmccall]

Let's clear the air. The foam does not absorb water. The small air spaces in the foam are displaced with water at the molecular level. It happen through a term we've all heard before-----OSMOSIS.

But that doesn't change the fact that a cover still weighs 500% of the original weight and breaks a cover lifter or becomes unusual for the owner.

Some people also think emails is the plural form of email.

[wmccall]

Nice before picture............Can I offer you a floating blanket for an after picture?

We did visit my friend with the 4 year old Cal spa this weekend and my wife mentioned to him, "I see you got a new cover for your hot tub" I knew better that it was a 2 year old cover he ordered from RH.   It does look new though and has already outlasted the original.

My original cover lasted 18 months, I got a new one at their cost (I was told).  If/when this one fails, I'll probably order one there as well.

[wmccall]

A spa blanket is a beautiful thing,
it keeps your cover dry and makes the varmints sing.

Ol' possum, skunk, woodpecker, too,
Spa blanket saves the day from all that critter poo.

I resist the idea of the spa blanket because its one more thing I have to do when I get in our out and I'm afraid some nights that might keep me from soaking.

[windsurfdog]

Another consideration re: spa blankets:

Down here in Florida with my spa in direct sun all day, I have a hard enough time with overheating during the summer.  A spa blanket would be useless for me 4-6 months out of the year.  Otherwise, I think that if one has an adequate removal system that incorporates removal of the blanket with the cover, then the blanket may be worthwhile.  For me, at least I could save any chem damage to the cover 6-8 months out of the year.  Then again, after 2 years, the only signs of cover damage I see is fading of the vinyl over the water.  I do leave my cover open for at least 15 minutes after adding chems...always.

[Bonibelle]

Windsurf, I can't prove this but...when everyone  was posting about tubs overheating from the heat and sun, mine did not. My temperature stayed just where it belonged (98)in spite of 100+ temps and full sun exposure. I really believe that the blanket makes a difference in insulating value and the underside of my cover is dry...so I'm sold.
Bill, it really hasn't been a big deal to take it off and I think it is well worth the effort, but you have to weight the benefits  :-/

[ZzTop]

I have decided that the spa blanket is not only an extra measure of insulation in itself, but because it protects the spa cover from the moisture, it adds even more insulating value. A waterlogged spa cover looses insulating capability. I guess I am the biggest fan of the spa blanket, but I really think mine makes a difference.
 

I absolutely second that.
A spa blanket protects the cover from corrosive gassing off of the chemicals in addition to being a vapour barrier and the added insulating value!
A Spa blanket is the cheapeast insurance you can buy for protecting and adding longivity to your expensive cover.

Regards, Zz

 

[windsurfdog]

Windsurf, I can't prove this but...when everyone  was posting about tubs overheating from the heat and sun, mine did not. My temperature stayed just where it belonged (98)in spite of 100+ temps and full sun exposure. I really believe that the blanket makes a difference in insulating value and the underside of my cover is dry...so I'm sold.
Bill, it really hasn't been a big deal to take it off and I think it is well worth the effort, but you have to weight the benefits  :-/

Boni, I haven't thought about it in those terms but you could have something there.  Do you use one of Doc's blanket leashes to make the blanket removal easier?  I may have to consider one now...

Oh, and do you think you could do an experiment?  How about picking a day to take the blanket off and comparing temp rise to a similar day with the blanket on?  There may be many people interested in your findings.

Thanks!

[Bonibelle]

Oh I love experiments, but I don't think given the crazy temperature changes that we are beginning to experience, I could do anything that would allow us to draw any significant conclusions. (it was in the 60's this morning).I just know that after reading about how many folks on here tried to keep tub temps down, I never experienced the water temp going above the setting.  Since I have only had my tub since last December and I have had the blanket on since spring, I don't have a "last summer" to compare to either.  
Somewhere I posted about my solution to the spa leash, I will try to dig it up and PM it to you. We don't really see the blanket as being a big deal to remove or replace. But ask me when it is 8 degrees out and I may feel differently!

[Chas]

Using a floating feeder with tablet chlorine or tablet bromine will cause even a great cover to begin absorbing water - or gaining weight through osmosis I guess...

The chlorine cloud trapped under the cover gets to the vapor barrier inside the cover, and breaks it down. Then the foam cores begin putting on water weight.

Also, I saw somebody mention above: when you add chlorine or MPS you should run the jets with the cover open for awhile. "Awhile" is defined like this: the longer the better - until there is no chlorine odor coming off the water is best.

Doc is too modest to mention this, but his covers have a much heavier vapor barrier. And if you want, I think he still offers to double-wrap them for a small up charge.

[Amanda_Panda]

I have found that the best way to remove the (very valuable) floating cover is to stand at one side of the spa and roll it like a long tube (or rolled up poster) and set it aside. When you are finished using your spa... you can take the "tube" and flip it out (like flipping out a fresh bed sheet) very quickly and easily. It really doesn't take that long, lookslike a cool trick in front of your friends and saves your hard cover.    Hope that helps. 8-)

[wmccall]

The chlorine cloud trapped under the cover gets to the vapor barrier inside the cover, and breaks it down. Then the foam cores begin putting on water weight.


Doc is too modest to mention this, but his covers have a much heavier vapor barrier. And if you want, I think he still offers to double-wrap them for a small up charge.

After the first part of that, I was just going to say, make a better barrier.  Then after the 2nd part, I think the next time I need a cover, that is the way I will go.  Hopefully that is a year or more away.

[windsurfdog]

Oh I love experiments, but I don't think given the crazy temperature changes that we are beginning to experience, I could do anything that would allow us to draw any significant conclusions.

Please put it on your "to do" list for next summer!

[yt]

Regarding the floating blanket, does it get kinked up when the filter cycle kicks in or is it semi rigid so that it doesn't.

[Bonibelle]

I don't know if I put my blanket on as it was really intended because I have it over the top of the spa shell, not floating on the water. So, no it doesn't bother anything at all. I have a Marquis cover on my tub and it forms a type of seal. I have the blanket just inside of the lip of the tub so that it doesn't interfere with that seal.