How Long do Hot Tub Covers Last?

Unfortunately, hot tub covers do come with a bit of a shelf life and they can be expensive to replace. It’s an important part of budgeting for your hot tub to know how long your hot tub cover will last and when you are likely to have to get a new one. As ever, there are a number of variable factors involved in how long a hot tub cover’s useful life will be so I decided to investigate. Here is what I found out.

So, how long do hot tub covers last? A hot tub cover should last between 5 and 7 years but this will depend upon how well it is looked after, the environment it’s used in and also how good quality the hot tub cover is. A poor quality hot tub cover that isn’t looked after and is battered by the elements may only last 2 or 3 years whilst a good quality, well -maintained cover could last for 7 years or more.

The problem with hot tub covers is that, if we are completely honest, they are not all that exciting! The temptation is to buy a cheap one or just to forget about maintaining it. However, this would be a big mistake. If you don’t buy the right hot tub cover and do some ongoing basic maintenance it will very likely end up costing you a lot of money over it’s (probably relatively short) lifespan.

Do you have to have a hot tub cover?

A hot tub cover is a vital, if rather dull, “must-have” piece of equipment. It does a number of important jobs and, if you didn’t have one, you would most likely run into a number of rather expensive difficulties.

Hot tub covers insulate – The most important job of a hot tub cover is to insulate the hot tub. Bearing in mind that hot air rises we can see that the cover really is first in the line of defence of keeping the heat in and your energy costs down. A good quality hot tub cover really will make a big difference to your monthly energy bills and, particularly if you keep your hot tub on all the time and all year round, it will easily save the cost of it’s purchase over it’s lifetime.

Hot tub covers keep dirt, debris and the elements out – Without a cover on, an outdoor hot tub would collect all sorts of dirt and debris from the atmosphere. Bits of leaves, twigs, seedpods and dust particles all float around in the air and would find there way into your hot tub. This would make the filtration system have to work extra hard and could potentially lead to water purity problems as well. 

Bear in mind that cold winds, excessive rain and even excessive sunshine can all be detrimental to the water quality of your hot tub and you can see that having a cover is pretty important.

Hot tub covers are important for safety – Having a cover over the hot tub can prevent wild animals, domestic pets and children from having accidents in the hot tub as well. A cover offers peace of mind and security.

Hot tub cover life expectancy

So, we can see how important it is to have a hot tub cover now. But why don’t they just last longer and why do they need to be replaced?

Moving parts wear out – Firstly your Hot Tub Cover will probably be hinged in the middle.  This makes it much easier and more practical to lift the cover on and off the hot tub as without the hinge it would be extremely heavy and awkward.  However, the problem with hinges is that eventually, they cause wear and tear. Often it’s not so much the metal hinge mechanism itself but the way that the hinge is connected to the softer body of the hot tub cover that is the problem.  Cracks and stress lines begin to show and this is one of the weakest areas of a hot tub cover. Once the hinges have started to come away from the cover or cracks and tears have started to show in the vinyl of the cover itself is very difficult to make a convincing repair. 

A hot tub cover is attacked by the elements – Your hot tub cover will be out in the elements for its entire life.  In the winter it may well be hammered by rain and snow and in the summer it might have to endure high levels of UV from harsh sunshine.  Obviously, it also faces upwards so it gets very little respite. Add to this the fact that sometimes people put things on top of a cover or sit on top of a cover or even the weight of snow on top of a cover can be a detrimental factor.   The outside of a hot tub should be made of marine quality vinyl and the better quality vinyl it is and the better it is looked after the longer it will last.

A hot tub cover gets attacked by hot chemical vapours –  On the underside of the hot tub cover it gets a full-on attack as well.  This time, not from the external elements, but from the hot vapours that are coming from the hot tub.  The vapour from the hot tub is at a high temperature and often contains high levels of chemicals as well.  Most good quality hot tub covers have a coating underneath which is designed to resist the onslaught but inevitably eventually all covers will start to deteriorate underneath due to the heat and chemical make-up of the steam.  You might also find that mould and algae starts to form on the underside of the hot tub if you don’t keep it particularly clean. Once this starts happening it’s very difficult to keep it under control.

A hot tub cover becomes saturated with water and ineffective over time. All hot tub covers, no matter how good quality they are, will eventually start to soak up moisture. The main part of a hot tub cover is essentially made from insulating foam which is just a series of air pocket’s.  These tiny air pockets provide the insulation but once they start to get saturated with water they become completely ineffective and thermally inefficient.  A good quality hot tub cover will have a vapour barrier around the foam core which will help prevent this from happening for as long as possible. However, once moisture has started to collect within the foam core it can spread very quickly.  The hot tub cover will start to get very heavy as it fills with water and also may start to sag.

How do you take care of a hot tub cover to make it last?

You can help to make your Hot Tub Cover last significantly longer by following a few basic maintenance tasks on a regular basis.  With some care and attention, a good quality hot tub cover could last for 7 years or more. Bearing in mind that over the full 7 years of its life it will save you a significant amount of money in energy costs every month, then it is well worth buying a good quality cover and caring for it carefully.

So, what do you need to do to make sure you’re hot tub cover lasts as long as possible?

Dry it out every week – take the time each week, or even twice a week if you can do, to take the hot tub cover completely off the hot tub and to let it dry out.  Inevitably, if the cover is in place all the time, it will be constantly damp particularly on its underside. Giving it the chance to dry out on a regular basis greatly reduces the chances of moisture gathering inside the foam core and will greatly extend the length of the hot tub covers life.

So, take the cover off the hot tub and preferably put it in a sunny spot and leave it for a couple of hours open and completely flat to dry out as much as possible.  Once you have done one side then turn the cover over and dry out the other side as well. This does seem like quite a hassle as you need a warm sunny day and also the cover needs to be off for a fairly significant amount of time to dry out.  However, if you can get in the habit of doing it when the weather is appropriate it will make a big difference to the covers’ lifespan.

Check the vapour barrier –  The vapour barrier is a waterproof screen which is wrapped around the foam core.  If there are any holes or tears in the vapour barrier then water and moisture will quickly get inside to the foam core.  Try to take off the vinyl cover on a regular basis and check for any holes or tears in the vapour barrier. If you do find any then you can repair them with waterproof tape.

Check around the hinges –  as we saw above, the hinge area is the most prone to damage as it is the only moving part on the hot tub cover.  As soon as you see any problems in this area with the cover itself being torn then try to make a repair as soon as you can.  If you don’t let things get too bad then it might be possible to replace the vinyl cover and to keep the actual foam core if it isn’t damaged.  This will be significantly cheaper than buying a full whole new hot tub cover. 

Keep it clean – it also pays to give the cover a proper clean on a weekly basis as this will prevent build up of bacteria, mildew and algae.  It’s not a particularly exciting job, but done on a regular basis to prevent any buildup of problems, it will be quick and easy and will pay off in terms of the hot tub cover lasting longer.

Treat the vinyl regularly –  the outer shell of the hot tub cover should be covered with marine quality vinyl.  This will last significantly longer if it is regularly treated with a proper hot tub cover conditioner.  This will prevent it from drying out and cracking and keep it supple and weatherproof.

Consider a hot tub cover lifter –  using a hot tub cover lifter not only makes moving your hot tub cover much easier but can also help prevent excessive wear and tear on it. Without a hot tub cover lifter it’s very easy to put excessive strain on the hinge and also to pull the cover around which puts extra strain and stress on it.  A cover lifter will lift the cover in the most energy-efficient way putting less stress on the hinges and will also prevent scuffing and chafing to the cover itself as it is moved. 

Use a full cover –  it can be a great idea,  particularly during harsh weather, to use a full cover over your hot tub.  Not only will this help to keep the heat in but it will also protect the main hot tub cover from the worst of the elements.  Winter hot tub covers are basically like large tarpaulins and can also be strapped down to the hot tub to prevent the cover lifting or being damaged by high winds.

What are the best hot tub covers?

So, what are the best hot tub covers to buy and which ones are likely to last the longest?  As with many things, you do to a certain extent get what you pay for. Many, particularly mid-range, hot tubs are supplied with relatively basic covers so any upgrade to your cover which should be money well spent. Here’s what to look for:

A high-density foam core –  The more dense the core is the better the thermal efficiency of the hot tub and the more money you will save on your energy costs.  Obviously, the more dense the foam is the more expensive it is as well but you do need 1.5 or 2 lb density foam core to really get the benefit from your cover.

Heavyweight marine vinyl –  the outside of the cover should be covered in very high-quality and heavyweight marine vinyl of between 24 and 36 ounces per square yard.  Make sure that the vinyl is treated against UV attack and also treated for resistance against mould and mildew. 

Check the hinge –  look carefully at the hinge mechanism and see if there is any assurance from the manufacturer that it is high quality and strong. Any moving parts such as the hinge and strap fasteners will be the first to wear so check that they are strong and sturdy.  You also need to check that the hinge area is fully insulated and there is a thermal barrier in this area.

Check the vapour barrier –  also check the specification of the vapour barrier.  This is really important as it is a protective layer of plastic around the foam core which prevents the foam core from soaking up moisture.  The heavier weight and higher quality the vapour barrier is the longer lasting your hot tub cover is likely to be.

It’s also worth checking out as to what the repair possibilities are for a hot tub cover before you buy it. Is it possible to replace hinges or to get a new vinyl cover?  Would it be potentially possible just to buy a new foam core if you needed it? If you were able to replace worn or ageing parts rather than having to buy a whole new cover it’s going to significantly reduce your costs over a long period of time. 

Related Questions:

Why do hot tub covers get heavy? The foam core of a hot tub cover will, over time, gradually soak up moisture. As the moisture builds up the water content in the foam core gradually starts to weigh it down and the hot tub cover will become heavier and possibly start to sag in the middle. It will also start to lose it’s insulating properties as it fills with water as the air pockets in the foam are filled with water.

Will waterlogged styrofoam dry out? It is always worth trying to dry out a foam core fro a hot tub cover. First of all you will need to remove it from the vinyl cover and also remove the vapour barrier from around it. Leave it out in a warm dry room or out in strong sunshine to see if the water will evaporate away. Some foam cores may be too far gone to dry out but you may well be able to get replacement foam. If you do replace the foam core remember to replace and renew the vapour barrier as well.