Good source for replacement spa cover?

[Matt Meiser]

Can anyone recommend a good source for a replacement spa cover? I'd like a thicker cover with a high R-value with good construction features that will last several years. The local places don't seem to be very interested in selling much beyond a basic cover so I decided to mail order.

Long story short, I cannot ever recommend doing business with Roberts Hot Tubs (rhtubs.com) out of Richmond, CA despite some good recommendations on the web. They took over a week longer to produce and ship the cover than their high end estimate, then it was damaged in shipping and they won't do anything to get me a cover in less than another 4 weeks, for a total of 8 weeks AFTER they charged my credit card (when their web site says 2-3.) Oddly they claim a damage rate of 0.5%, but have extensive policies to deal with damage and from the truck driver's description the whole thing was just wrapped in a layer of cardboard. The damage was so obvious they didn't even bother to bring it out and just asked for my approval to reject it over the phone. Since the owner's attitude is take it or leave it, I told him to leave it, credit my card back by COB today, and I need to find a new place.

[Derek Tuchscherer]

Hey Matt,

I know my dad bought from these guys and was impressed with the product...It is a Canadian company though, so you'd have to check out their shipping policies etc.

http://www.thecoverguy.com/ (http://www.thecoverguy.com/store/contact_us.php)

Derek

[M Toupin]

Matt,
Is your cover bad or are you just trying to get a more efficient one? If it's just to improve the R value then try a floating cover made from the bubble wrap material. We added one under our regular cover and it's incredible! With some careful trimming and fitting, it has cut down the evaporation by at least 90% and it's very efficient. In fact it's so good that we have to remove it in the summer or the water temp goes through the roof. Even with the heat off, the heat from the ozonator and the small circulator pump the temp will go over 105deg!

Mike

[Matt Meiser]

Our cover is waterlogged an the skirt is damaged so it has to be replaced.

I'm trying to talk my wife into the floating cover too, but she's very opposed. She thinks it will be a hassle. What happens when you take it off when it is below freezing?

[M Toupin]

We have both, a hard cover and the floating cover on ours. Although they call it a cover, I really don't consider the floating cover much a "cover", more like an insulation layer. It doesn't support any weight, so if the cat, dog or kid tries to step on it they go right in the drink!

As you know, the spa generates a LOT of evaporation and condensation on the bottom of the cover. The floating cover eliminated at least 90% of the condensation on the underside. That alone has got to help the longevity and at least postpone the water logging. The energy savings was an added bonus!

We have a cover lift which just folds the cover in half and then up out of the way. As far as handling the floating cover, they make a product called a Floating Blanket Leash". The idea is you clip the floating cover to the hard cover and when you raise the hard cover, the floating cover just folds in half and out of the way. I'm a bit cheap so I just used a couple pieces of 50lb test fishing line to make my own. If you don't have a lift, then it might be a bit different situation, but the minor inconvenience would be more than off set by the reduction in evaporation and the energy savings.

Mike