Hot Tub Cover Upgrades Explained

With so many different options and upgrades available, buying a replacement hot tub cover can be a confusing affair. With that in mind, we thought we would shed some light on the most common hot tub cover upgrades to help you decide what is worth it, and what isn't.

Foam Thickness

The most common hot tub cover upgrade is thicker foam insulation. The thicker the insulating foam is, the better it is at keeping heat in the hot tub. For hot tubs that are used in the winter months we recommend a cover that is at least 4"-3" thick.

Note: If you put your hot tub cover on a cover lifter 6"-4" covers can put extra stress on the cover lifter. These ultra thick covers tend not to site well on cover lifters and their seams tend to rip when sitting on cover lifters for long periods of time.

Hinge Seal Upgrades

Probably the most essential hot tub cover upgrade is the hinge seal.

Standard hot tub covers have a problem. When they're closed, there is a gap of around 1" between the two sides of the cover. This gap lets a ton of heat escape and can cost hundreds of dollars in extra energy costs over the life of the hot tub cover.

Hinge seals - like our Continuous Northern Hinge Seal - close up this gap with insulating foam. At a cost of only $25, this upgrade is a no brainer!

Vapour Barrier Upgrade

If left alone, the insulating foam in a hot tub cover would rapidly begin to absorb water. Since water is such a poor insulator, any water absorbed by the hot tub cover would greatly reduce its energy efficiency. To keep the foam dry, hot tub cover manufacturers wrap it in a 2 mil plastic vapour barrier.

Over time, this vapour barrier will break down though and the hot tub cover will gradually begin to absorb water and lose its insulating ability. To slow down this process, some hot tub cover manufacturers offer a thicker vapour barrier. Upgrading to a 6 mil vapour barrier typically only costs around $20 and can extend the life of a hot tub cover by a year or more; another very smart investment!

Liner Upgrade

Another common hot tub cover upgrade is the liner upgrade. This changes the material used on the underside of the cover to one that is both mould resistant and reflective. This reflective surface helps to increase the energy efficiency of the cover by reflecting some of the heat back towards the water.

Extra / Reinforced Straps and Seams

Some hot tub cover manufacturers also give you the option to reinforce the seams and/or straps of the cover with extra stitching. The added strength that these additional seams provide can be a real benefit, especially if you don't have a cover lifter.

Manually taking the cover on and off of a hot tub can place a lot of stress on the seams of a hot tub cover, especially as the cover ages and gets heavier. This can cause the handles to break or, in some cases, the whole cover to rip in half.

If you don't use a cover lifter, we strongly recommend getting the reinforced seams upgrade on your next replacement hot tub cover.

Ez Shield Package

Still not sure what hot tub cover upgrades you need? We've made it simple with our Ez Shield Package. This incredible bundles all of the essential hot tub cover upgrades into one low-cost package. For only $64.99 plus tax, you receive:

• Our Continuous Northern Hinge Seal.
• A 6 mil vapour barrier wrap upgrade.
• Double reinforced stitching along the seam of the cover.
• A chemical resistant liner.
• Our upgraded industry leading warranty (5 Years / 2Years / 100% Coverage).

Increase the energy efficiency of your new hot tub cover and extend its life with the Ez shield package from Northern Hot Tub Covers!