Covers Heavy
Shopping For Spa Covers?
Has Mother Nature wrecked your spa cover? If you need a new spa cover because your old foam cover was damaged by the elements, consider something different. The typical rigid foam filled hot tub cover covered with vinyl is doomed to end up heavy or broken no matter how well you treat it.
No matter what you treat it with all vinyl is rated by hours outdoors. Really top quality marine grade vinyl is rated for 1500 hours outdoors. That equates to about one hundred days of sunshine. I know what you are thinking, why would anybody put vinyl on something that is meant to be used outside? But that is not even the most common failure of the typical rigid foam filled spa cover.
What generally happens before the vinyl falls apart is that the foam gets so heavy you can not lift your spa cover by yourself. No matter how it is wrapped and sealed inside the cover, the foam fills with water. What happens is the little air spaces in the foam that are supposed to help the foam insulate your spa get filled up moisture. Here is a tip why the whole foam cover is doomed, if you never put the cover on your spa, it would never get heavy. If you just took a brand new spa cover out and put it on your picnic table instead of your spa, the vinyl would fall apart before the cover got heavy.
Why? Because the hot spa water is way below the bottom of the rigid foam spa cover. Some of that warm spa water turns to steam and rises up. Steam molecules are smaller than water. The steam works its way into the little crevices and spaces in the foam where it condenses back into liquid. If you live in an area that gets snow, the snow will land on the saturated foam and freeze the water inside it.
How? because just as heat rises, cold sinks. When it comes in direct contact with the foam it freezes the moisture. The warm spa water is not in direct contact with the bottom of the spa cover so it is in a loosing battle trying to beat the cold. The steam rises from the water, hits the bottom of the now frozen spa cover, condenses and falls back into the water below working like a radiator to actually cool the water.
You may look out at the snow piled on your frozen spa cover and think you have great insulation. But you would be wrong. Snow sits perfectly on a frozen pond too. It does not mean the pond water is still warm. So why does anybody still sell rigid foam covers? Well two reasons really. First, it has been the standard of the industry for nearly thirty years. When the acrylic spa began to be sold in the states, it needed to be covered with something to keep the debris out and to assist in keeping the water warm. Foam boards covered with vinyl was cheap and since everybody was selling the same thing it was all they needed to offer. Remember definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome.
The second reason is worse in my opinion. Spa dealers know that the cover they are sending you home with will need to be replaced again because it will end up the same as the one you are replacing now. They know that like clockwork every couple years you are going to need to get another cover if you intend on using your spa on a regular basis.
So what are your choices? Thanks to the internet you now have the world at your finger tips. Look on line for a different kind of spa cover. Find a spa cover that is not covered with vinyl that is rated by hours if your spa is outdoors. There are Spa Covers available factory direct that do not use rigid foam that is just going to end up to heavy to lift. If you plan on using your spa for the rest of your life like I do, you owe it to yourself to get a better kind of spa cover.
About the Author
The Author is a business owner with more than twenty years experience. A former Police Sgt, Pilot, Heavy Equipment Operator, Trained Mechanic that has written technical manuals and short stories. An accomplished motorcycle rider he enjoys riding the back roads of Washington on his Harley Davidson, with his wife riding copilot. Please visit SpaCap.com
Spa Covers.
Heavy Metal Magazine Cover Art Gallery Vol. 1 (Stereo)
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Lot 47 Heavy Metal Switch Plates Work Box Industrial Covers electrical $19.99 |
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ACE” ROUND CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER COVER 34″ x 30″ Heavy duty BLACK $35.99 |
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ACE SQUARE CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER COVER 34″ x 30″ Heavy duty BLACK $40.99 |
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NEW SHOWER BATH TUB DRAIN SEWER BLANK OVERFLOW PLATE~1 OR 2-HOLES~STRAINER~COVER $0.99 |
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Turbine Cover 12″ to 14″ Wide – Heavy Duty Canvas $14.00 |
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11 Double Light Switch Cover Plates-Commercial Grade-6 Metal-5 Heavy Plastic $12.50 |
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6-Brown Triple Lightswitch Cover Plates- Heavy Duty All Came From A High School $9.50 |
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Vintage heavy guage brass plated chrome outlet covers $8.00 |
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Vintage heavy guage brass plated chrome outlet covers $5.00 |
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NEW Ducane 300111 Heavy-Duty Vinyl Cover $39.60 |
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Extra Heavy Duty Chain with Vinyl Cover 30 inches long x 1/2 inch thick $22.00 |
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3-Outlet Outdoor Heavy Duty Covered AdapterElectric New $4.99 |
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(3) 8″X15″ NEW HEAVY DUTY MAGNETIC REGISTER VENT COVERS $6.99 |
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*Vintage lot heavy cast metal toggle switch plates, outlet covers, & door knock* $14.95 |
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(3) 8″X15″ NEW HEAVY DUTY MAGNETIC REGISTER VENT COVERS $6.99 |
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DORMA BTS80 F EN4 Double action floor spring heavy duty with s.s 7410Cover Plate $250.00 |
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Heavy Duty Overflow Cover with Bolt – Bronze Patina $29.95 |
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Heavy Duty Overflow Cover with Bolt – Polished Brass $23.95 |
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Heavy Duty Overflow Cover with Bolt – Brushed Nickel $24.95 |
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Heavy Duty Overflow Cover with Bolt – White Powdercoat $14.95 |
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Heavy Duty Overflow Cover with Bolt – Antique Brass $24.95 |
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Heavy Duty Overflow Cover with Bolt – Polished Nickel $24.95 |
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Heavy Duty Overflow Cover with Bolt – Polished Chrome $24.95 |
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23.5Ft x 29.5Ft Heavy Duty Tarpaulin Canopy Ground Cover $47.37 |
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OUTDOOR A/C COVER ROUND L0740 GRAY HEAVY DUTY 34X30 NEW $9.95 |
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Fire Vinyl Patio Heater Head Cover Portable Space Heavy Outdoor Protect Tool NEW $45.99 |
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24′ x 40′ Heavy Duty Tarp Tent Canopy Ground Cover $72.25 |
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Poly Tarp 16×20 320 Sq Ft BLUE Heavy Duty Cover Shield $16.00 |
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Frost King Window Air Conditioner Heavy Duty Reinforced Cover~18″x27″x16″~NIP $6.89 |
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Ducane 300111 Heavy-Duty Vinyl Cover $89.50 |
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Heavy Duty Chimney Cap/Cover 9 x 13 $52.00 |
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WESTINGHOUSE/3-OUTLET OUTDOOR HEAVY DUTY COVERED ADAPTER $9.99 |
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Frost King 18″H X 27″W X 16″D Air Conditioner Heavy Duty Cover AC2 $6.95 |
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Heavy Duty Canvas Cover 16″ x 16″ x 19″ tall – Water Resistant $14.00 |
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Intermatic Outdoor Timer Heavy Duty with Cover outdor Black $13.97 |
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Lodge Logic Pre-Seasoned Skillet $22.99 Made by the cast iron experts at Lodge, this revolutionary pan is preseasoned, so it’s ready to cook right out of the box. It’s perfect for making virtually anything from bacon and eggs to grilled sandwiches, pan-fried fish, and fabulous cornbread. Each has dual pour spouts and a helper handle. Lodge Logic’s new preseasoning process penetrates the metal’s pores thoroughly and uniformly, so it look… |
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Nordic Ware Bakers Half Sheet, 13 by 18 by 1 Inch $12.99 The Nordic Ware Bakers Half-Sheet, from the Natural Bakeware collection, is ideal for baking, roasting, toasting, and warming…. |
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Lodge Max Temp Handle Mitt, Black $3.80 Lodge HHMT Max Temp Handle Mitt, Black Heavy-duty Pyrotex outer fabric resists scorching and burning. The Lodge Handle mitt has steam barrier, heavy cotton batting, and thick terry lining all combine to provide heat protection to 450° F. Includes one black mitt. Lodge HHMT Max Temp Handle Mitt, Black Features: Heavy duty pyrotex outer fabric resists scorching and burning Steam barrier, heavy co… |
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Cars Toon: Mater’s Tall Tales (Two Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) $13.50 Rev up your engines for this unforgettable collection of Cars Toons starring Mater, the lovable and hilarious tow truck from the hit movie Cars. From the creative minds of Disney/Pixar come nine highly entertaining “Tall Tales” involving bullfights, drag races, rock concerts, monster truck showdowns and even UFOs – plus, check out the new, exclusive, never-before-seen Cars Toons Mater Private Eye… |
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The Decline of Western Civilization Part II-The Metal Years [VHS] $14.95 … |
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Bass in Heavy Cover $9.99 … |
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Hayward SP1580X15 Power-Flo LX Series 1-1/2-Horsepower Above-Ground Pool Pump with Cord $141.90 Hayward Economy Above Ground Pump Perfect for most above ground pools, this economical pump by Hayward combines durable, corrosion proof construction with advanced features and performance. Features Self Priming1 1/2 inch intake & discharge, high performance impeller, heat resistant, double sided seal for long motor life and a 6 foot, 120 volt power cord…. |
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Belkin Pivot-Plug Surge Protectors $26.99 Features a rotating outlet design that gives you much more convenience and flexibility in placing your plugged-in devices than traditional products Belkin Pivot Plug Surge Protectors provide premium power protection for your professional workstations and connected devices. It’s rotating outlet design gives you much more convenience and flexibility in placing your plugged-in devices than traditiona… |
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Intermatic P1121 Heavy Duty Above Ground Pool Pump Timer $19.96 … |
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Dragon Ball Z: Season Two (Namek and Captain Ginyu Sagas) $17.93 In the version that is shown on YTV in Canada the story begins mid-way through the Dragon Ball Z series. Raditz Gokuus brother has traveled to Earth to find out why Gokuu has not yet destroyed the planet as he was supposed to do. But while as a baby Gokuu was dropped (down a huge cliff) and forgot his real mission. Kakarot Gokuus real name battles his brother Raditzs along with former enemy Piccol… |
This entry was posted on Friday, March 2nd, 2007 at 3:45 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.