How to Extend the Life of Your Hot Tub Cover

Your hot tub cover is one of your greatest assets when it comes to protecting your hot tub. But unless you take proper care of it, you might find that you need to replace it a lot sooner than expected.

Fortunately, there are several simple ways to keep your hot tub cover in great condition and extend its lifespan.

Keep It Clean

The combination of moisture and heat can open the door to mold and mildew growth. That’s why you’ll want to regularly rinse your hot tub cover off and wipe it down with a mild detergent every month or two.

Use a UV Protectant Like 303® Aerospace Protectant

If your hot tub cover sits in direct sunlight for extended periods, it’s going to become worn out far quicker than if it were situated in the shade.

UV light can damage and age your cover much like it can damage and age the skin. To defend your cover against UV damage, simply apply a UV protectant.

Keep an Eye Out for Damage

Small openings can allow water to get inside the cover, which can, in turn, inhibit its ability to retain heat. If it’s no longer trapping heat, your cover is most likely wasting more energy than if you just took it off entirely.

Checking for rips, tears, and punctures frequently will give you a chance to repair your cover and prevent an early demise.

Air Out the Cover

If you’re not using your hot tub regularly, get in the habit of opening the cover and letting it “breathe” for 20-30 minutes at least once a week. If you don’t, you risk allowing mold to grow on the underside of the cover. Mold can be a serious headache to clean and could shorten your cover’s lifespan.

Use a Cover Lift

Leisure Concepts CoverMate Vanish XL at Aqua Quip serving the Puget Sound.

Cover lifts aren’t just super convenient — they also help make hot tub covers last longer.

The lift accepts much of the stress of opening and closing the cover, reducing pressure on its stress points. If you look at an old hot tub cover that didn’t have support from a cover lift, you’ll see that those stress points are where the cover is most worn. Eventually, they’ll likely be the reason why the cover needs replacing.

Keep Your Water Balanced

Water care is an important part of hot tub cover maintenance. If you end up with too much chlorine in your hot tub, you can bleach the underside of your cover, causing it to wear down prematurely. And that’s only one of the many reasons why you want to keep your water balanced, so make sure you stay on top of it.

Keep Your Cover Dry

Leisure Concepts - Sunbrella at Aqua Quip serving the Puget Sound.

Your hot tub cover was designed to be exposed to the elements to a certain degree. But no doubt taking care to dry it off after a rain and cover it (no need to get fancy — an old throw blanket or tarp will do the trick) when you don’t plan on using your tub for a while can help it stay in good condition.

You can use a spa umbrella to protect your cover if you use your hot tub regularly.

Make a Point of Protecting Your Cover

It’s easy for some hot tub owners to overlook the importance of caring for their covers. After all, it doesn’t seem like a particularly valuable accessory, so you might not treat it with the care it deserves.

Even so, you should take steps to protect your hot tub cover to ensure it lasts as long as the tub itself. Let anyone who uses your hot tub know how important it is to care for your cover so it stays in good shape regardless of who’s handling it.

Aqua Quip Has Your Hot Tub Needs Covered

If you’re looking to extend the lifespan of your hot tub cover, Aqua Quip can help. Stop into the nearest location today to learn more.