If your hot tub cover is starting to decline or lose its shape, it’s probably time to replace it. With proper care, your hot tub cover should last about 3-5 years. There are signs to tell you when you need a new cover for your hot tub. Here are some things you should be looking for and checking out to see if your hot tub cover needs replacing:

1. Heavy
Does your cover weigh 200 lbs? Over time the hot tub cover foam core becomes waterlogged and the cover becomes difficult to open. This can cause high water bills, reduces your usage and damage to your hot tub cover lifter.

2. Outer Vinyl:
The outer vinyl keeps your hot tub water clean and warm and can break down from sun exposure, air pollutants, and rain. Check to see if the cover is cracked, torn, or brittle. If it is, your hot tub cover has to be replaced. Water can seep inside the cover and degrades the foam. To keep your cover in good shape try to keep it cleaned regularly we recommend using Clean and Perfect.

3. Locks and Straps
It is very important to make sure the locks and straps on the hot tub cover are working properly. This affects the safety of your hot tub cover. Click here to purchase. (1-800-548-3772)

4. Bad Odour
Is your water musty, moldy or stinky? There is no cure for those smells. Bad smells are a sure indicator that you need a new cover. Water weight can cause the metal channel to bend or break and vinyl to tear; saturated covers will not dry out and will have to be replaced.

5. Foam Cores
There are multiple items to check with the foam core:
1. If your hot tub cover starts to sag it usually means the foam cores are broken or starting to give out and this results in gaps in the cover’s seal.
2. If the cores are bowed or broken, the metal channel will bend or break under water weight and the vinyl can rip. A saturated hot tub cover won’t dry out. You will have to get new cover.
3. If the cover is heavy it means the foam cores have absorbed water and it should be replaced. Foam cores are critical to heat retention and safety but can be replaced, but if the cover is more than two years old it’s recommended the cover be changed rather than replaced.

6. Heat-Seal Shoes
The “heat-seal shoes” seals the gap in the hot tub cover where the two halves come together, preventing heat loss at the hinge. When the “shoe” is damaged from the hinge you may be able to fix it by doing a stitching job. To do this you’ll need to remove the vinyl cover’s foam cores. If re-stitching isn’t possible then you’ll need a new cover

7. The Hinge
Is the hinge torn? Heat can escape if a hinge tear goes beyond the Heat Seal Shoe, which is approximately two inches from the outside edge. If the tear doesn’t extend past this point it’s possible that the cover can be repaired. If over 6″, we recommend a new cover.