When it comes to enjoying your hot tub and protecting your investment in a home spa, few things are as important as selecting the best hot tub cover. A well-fitting cover not only enhances the look and feel of your hot tub area when it’s not in use, but also plays a vital role in hot tub maintenance and energy conservation. In this blog, we’ll cover why it’s crucial to have a properly fitted hot tub cover, walk you through how to measure your hot tub, and provide tips on choosing the ideal cover for your hot tub.
The importance of a properly fitted hot tub cover
A hot tub cover is the first line of defence against the elements and other factors that could affect condition, performance, and lifespan of a hot tub. Here are a few reasons why hot tub covers must be the perfect fit to be effective.
Energy efficiency and cost savings
A well-insulated hot tub cover helps retain heat within the tub, meaning your hot tub heater doesn’t have to work as hard, ultimately lowering your home’s energy consumption. By minimizing heat loss from your hot tub, you save money on utility bills and reduce environmental impact.
Hot tub maintenance and water cleanliness
A tightly sealed cover prevents debris, leaves, insects, and other contaminants from entering the hot tub, reducing the frequency of cleaning and hot tub maintenance tasks. This saves time and ensures a more hygienic and enjoyable home spa experience for you, your family, and your guests.
Protection against damage
Extreme weather conditions, like hot summer days, heavy rainfall, snowfall, and strong winds, can all accelerate the wear and tear on your hot tub. A durable hot tub cover acts as a shield, protecting the tub from the elements and extending its lifespan.
Safety and security
In addition to protecting your tub from physical damage, a secure hot tub cover reduces the risk of accidents, especially in households with children or pets.
Tips for measuring your hot tub
It’s important to take measurements directly from the hot tub rather than the existing cover, because your old cover may have become warped or shrunk over time. If the old cover still fits well, you can use its measurements for verification, but if discrepancies exist between the measurements of the hot tub and the old cover, use the measurements from the hot tub.
When measuring the length and width, add half an inch to each side, totalling an extra inch. Your hot tub cover measurements should be slightly over rather than under. A half-inch excess in length won’t significantly affect the fit, but if the width or height is half an inch too short, the hot tub cover may not fit at all.
Include the overall length and width of the hot tub when providing measurements to your hot tub cover specialist, as the new cover will be tailored based on this information. At Hot Tub Covers Canada, we accommodate special requirements, such as speakers, handles, or additional cutouts.
How to accurately measure your hot tub
Finding a hot tub cover that fits starts with a precise measurement of your hot tub’s dimensions. Follow these tips to ensure precision and check out our measurement guide for more helpful information, videos, and techniques to help you get your hot tub’s exact measurements.
- Lip-to-lip measurement: Using a measuring tape, determine the outer dimensions of your hot tub by measuring from one lip to the other across the widest points. Add an allowance of 0.5 to one inch to accommodate slight variations and ensure easy hot tub cover removal and installation.
- Skirt length measurement: Measure the length of the cover’s skirt, which is the flap that hangs from the bottom edge of the hot tub cover. Make sure the skirt length provides enough coverage without excessive bunching or gaps and consider any protrusions, like wooden ledges, when determining the appropriate skirt length for your new cover.
- Radius measurement for rounded corners: For hot tubs with rounded corners, measuring the radius accurately is a crucial step to achieving a snug fit. Use a carpenter’s square to measure the curvature of the corners, ensuring compatibility with the cover’s design.
- Consider unique shapes and features: If your hot tub has non-standard dimensions or features, such as atypical hot tub shapes, built-in speakers, or control panels, please contact us to verify if we have the template on file.
- Make a custom cover template: If your hot tub is an odd shape, make a template for a replacement hot tub cover with a clear sheet of plastic and a sharpie, and mail the template to Hot Tub Covers Canada to create your custom cover. Just let us know the template is on its way. When it arrives, we will review and contact you with a price and any additional details we need.
Finding the perfect hot tub cover
Once you have precise hot tub cover measurements, consider these features when selecting the ideal cover for your hot tub.
Material quality and durability
Look for hot tub covers made with high-quality materials, such as UV-resistant vinyl, reinforced foam cores, and corrosion-resistant steel. The WeatherShield fabric is a material upgrade offered by Hot Tub Covers Canada.
It’s a 100% solution-dyed polyester that’s lightweight, extremely durable, environmentally superior and does not absorb water. Materials like these improve the long-term performance of your hot tub, especially in Canada’s often extreme weather conditions.
Customization options
Choose a hot tub cover provider that offers customization options tailored to your hot tub’s specific requirements and your personal preferences. You may want custom shapes, colours, and features, such as safety locks, and handles for convenient moving and storage.
Hot Tub Covers Canada has a full hinge seal upgrade that consists of two steam pockets and a rubber gasket which runs down the centre of the cover. Not only does it improve your energy efficiency, but it’s fully compatible with all hot tub cover lifters.
Warranty coverage and customer support
Prioritise buying a hot tub cover from a provider that offers a comprehensive warranty and reliable customer support services, like Hot Tub Covers Canada. This gives you peace of mind knowing you’ll have assistance in the case of any issues.
Hot tub cover lifters
With a hot tub cover lifter, getting in and out of your hot tub will be easier and faster, something that can be especially important during a cold winter in Canada! Look for hot tub covers that are compatible with lifters or for a provider who can help identify both a cover and lifter.
Finalizing your hot tub cover purchase with Hot Tub Covers Canada
A properly fitted hot tub cover is part of hot tub maintenance. By following this guide, you can make an informed decision and find the perfect hot tub cover.
Begin building your custom hot tub cover from Hot Tub Covers Canada by selecting the shape, choosing the material and colour, providing the measurements, selecting any upgrades or special instructions, and adding your custom hot tub cover to your cart.
If you have any questions or concerns before, during, or after you’ve purchased your custom cover, we’re happy to help. Contact Hot Tub Covers Canada today.
