Fixing a Heavy or Water Logged Hot Tub Cover is EASIER & CHEAPER Then You Think!
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- čas přidán 24. 09. 2022
- Hey Everyone! Welcome back to our CZcams channel. In this video we go through the process of disassembling a hot tub cover, drying out the foam cores, and adding/sealing a new vapor barrier. This was a very straightforward project that users of any skill level can accomplish!
Materials for this project consisted of:
Vapour Barrier
www.homedepot.ca/product/ever...
Tuck Tape
www.homedepot.ca/product/tuck...
This was a straightforward fix that I'm hoping will extend the life of the cover by another year or two before a replacement is needed. A replacement cover here is between 7-800$ CAD. for 50$ in materials let's see what happens!
I will do a follow-up video in a few months to assess the longevity of the repair.
I hope you guys enjoy this video and find it useful. If you love this video, please be sure to check out my other videos. Please make sure to like and subscribe to our channel for more videos and ring the notification bell 🔔 so you can be notified of all future content. Don’t forget to share with your friends and family. Thank you so much for watching. (fixing a heavy or water logged hot tub cover is easier & cheaper then you think!)
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. I am always looking for new video ideas and would love your feedback! If you found the video helpful please consider giving it a like and a thumbs up, the currency of the internet lol! It's free for you and super helpful to me!
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Best video so far i have seen for how to do this! Definitly worth saving at least $400 where I am at
Thanks for the kind words, I really appreciate it!
@@RegsChannel Was that 1 bag of vapor barrier for both panels or did you need two bags to cover both of them?
@@DangerousWillie 1 bag got it done for me, with material to spare.
@@RegsChannel Thanks for the reply.
I assume it was noticeably lighter after all this? Did you decide to get a cover lifter?
Awesome video!! Thanks for the step by step instructions and saving me $700+.
Thanks for the kind words, you are most welcome!
Man, that took some ambition, but so glad you got it done. What boggles me is that a 2 cent jug which holds bleach can hold bleach for decades, but a $700 hot tub cover's plastic liner only lasts 2-3 years before disintegrating?? What in the world are they using that can't stand up to a little heat and moisture? I have no idea, but I'm willing to bet your fix will outlast their original manufacture. Good job!
I 💯 percent agree lol! I wrapped and taped multiple layers and so far it's been great!! Like I said, if a manufacturer would switch to closed cell foam, buy nature, it can't absorb water, you can eliminate the vapor barrier all together, charge a premium price and have it last 10-15 years... Anyone up for a joint business venture? :)
@@RegsChannel Totally agree, closed cell would cure the issue. I'm not a regular proponent of legislature, but this is where law makers need to step in and ban these current practices, especially on such a bulky and expensive items like spa covers.
Joint business venture? Hmmm, that may not be a bad idea if I wasn't already neck deep into one with my wife, lol. Maybe if she gets bored of having me remodel everything around the house all the time😅
I'm in for a joint venture!
There should be a company that does this to prevent our never ending supply of garbage from planned obsolescence or hot tub companies should not make covers that can potentially end up in the landfill in 3 years. The hardest part of this fix for us was getting the foam in and out of the hot tub cover and finding a clean place to put it to dry out. Thanks a great video.
You are on point there! I agree, I'm all for paying a little more for a good quality closed cell foam cover with a biaxially oriented nylon vapor barrier would be the ticket here. And yes my kitchen became one of a few dry out spots I used for my cores. Thanks for the kind words! Take care.
I was getting ready to buy a new cover,750 dollars. I stumbled across this video and I’m going to give it a try. You’re lucky to have such good help.
Hope the fix works out for you, I sure am lucky! Many hands make for light work!
@@RegsChannel I’m not that lucky
A piece of solar blanket floating directly on the water helps keep the water in the tub and not being absorbed into the cover.
It's especially helpful in the winter keeping the heat in. It's a bit of an inconvenience but when it's 20 below and windy you can really tell the difference. I attached some cover straps to the 'inner cover ' to hold it in place and just close the lid on the straps.
Nice! I actually have one of those that I have had sitting for years lol, I should give it a go
Been using a solar blanket since the day I bought my tub 23 years ago. Saves on the electricity too, but it's also a "lets manufacture it so cheaply, that the customer will have to replace it yearly" product :(. This is the first year, I'm having trouble with excessive water logging (on my 2nd lid).
@@beateh8122 yep, I hear that! I have one sitting new in the package that came with the cover I'm using but I never put it into service because I'm assuming it will disintegrate and plug my filter, or simply create a bigger mess to clean up. I can see a definite benefit to using them in colder climates but the key is having a well made one!
Man, you saved us some serious $$$! My foam was broken in 1 place on one and 3 on the other! I just used the serious Gorilla Awesome tape to place the back together, straightened the steel bars and drove them into place and taped them down with the wide Gorilla tape. Waiting for everything to settle in the extreme heat here in SoCal, then I will use the 6mil to cover it all up! Less than $50 with my military discount at Lowe’s!! Thanks you Canadians for saving me some BUCKS!!!
Right on man! Glad to hear it! I've been to SoCal and your heat is the real deal, they will be dry in no time!
Steel bars?? What steel bars? My cores are also broke right down the middle so I too will gorilla tape them but, what steel bars are you referring to? Thanks
@@huntingandfishing3789 The styrofoam slabs had reinforcing steel slats/bars that ran the length of the panel. They are imbedded in the styrofoam and give it support so that the panels don't flex or cave in.
Glad I've found this video and will try this as soon as the weather warms up!. One tip that I learned from my BF that used to build hot tub, is to (partially) drain the cover, open the zipper, tilt the folded lid upright, put it on a a couple of bricks (to create space to the floor) so that the water can drip out (2-3 weeks). This will not entirely drain it, but it will help to speed up the drying process (and lighten the lid).
Thanks for the kind words! Much appreciated!! That would help get the weight down if the cover was soaked for sure!
Awesome video and your kindness and friendly politeness shines!
Thanks so much for the kind words! I believe that if you put that kind of energy into the world it will eventually come back to you!
Thank you so much for this video! I just drained and refilled my hot tub. Noticed the cover being so heavy, after prepping for use I started seeing strange looking stuff in the water. Shortly after my pump stopped working. After a few hours of trouble shooting, the problem turned out to be the material that the foam inside the cover was wrapped in had totally disintegrated and began falling into the hot tub clogging the pump. Now I will have drain refill and flush my system and pray that my pump is not damaged! So, word of caution, once your cover gets heavy you probably don't have long before the liner material around the foam breaks down and gets into your tub!
Thanks for the kind words! Hope the video helps. Yeah that does not sound too good, I actually had a children's toy lodged in my pump at one point. Once I removed it it was good to go again!
Great info - adding this project to the spring to-do list.
Thanks so much, good luck! It's one that I am very happy is off my to do list!
Oh wow, I had no idea how those were out together! Cool project idea!
Thanks! Understanding the manufacturing process was super helpful when it came to taking it apart & reassembling it
Great job and thank you for your hard work to show us!
Thank you, you are most welcome!
So glad I found your video, took this on as a weekend project, and the whole thing went surprisingly smooth and saved me a ton of money! Thanks!
Right on, glad to hear it!!! Saving a couple hundred bucks is a satisfying feeling!
Thank you! You guys saved me $700.00!
Thanks! Hope the video helped! Let us know how you make out!
This is great Reg... I thought I was going to have to buy and try to replace the foam, never thought to just let it dry.... nice job!
Thanks so much! Good luck with the project!
Thank you so much for doing this video.
I was going to figure out how to do what you just showed me.
The replacement cost on my hot tub cover was $850. You did a great job on this video, well produced.
Just show this to my wife and seeing your wife help you brought this project home! Thank you.
Thank you so much for the kind words! Much appreciated! Good luck on the project!
Thanks for this clear demonstration. Some comments: We’ve built our own hot tub covers for the very reasons that you mention. I’ll note however that not all foam can be dried out. We’ve tried construction grade, blue/pink XPS [R10] from a box store, and covered those completely with heavy moisture barrier plastic with taped seams, just like you. But, alas, those didn’t last for us for more than a couple of years before becoming soaked. Despite exposing the waterlogged XPS to southern sun against a wall for months, it never lost the water. Clearly, XPS is “hydrophilic”, something the manufacturers don’t admit. But, your foam doesn’t have that property. Our guess is that your zipper admits hot moisture leading to eventual weight gain. Thus, it will be interesting to see how long your cover lasts. 🙂
Hey, just wanted to give you an update on my hot tub situation. I followed your video instructions on my hot tub lid about a month ago. It took almost 3 weeks for my lid to completely dry out (believe it or not). Thank God that we were going through a hot spell with little to no rain at that time which really helped the situation bc mine was totally saturated. I would have hated to think how long it would’ve taken had there been rain or a lot of humidity at that time. Anyway, the process went perfectly. The only hard thing was trying to get it zipped back up after we put it back inside the cover. As of today, the lid is great, lightweight, and easy to open. I’m hoping it’ll last for a few more years so that I can save up to buy a new lid at some point. I don’t know how long the actual vinyl will last, because it was starting to split in the middle a little tiny bit, but I’m going to try to limp along for another couple years if I can. I keep a protective cover that protects it from UV and extreme sun. That really helps protect the vinyl since the sun dries the vinyl out so bad. Anyway, just wanted to give you an update and let other people know that this really DOES work and it’s way cheaper than having buy to a new lid. The only expensive thing was the insulation wrapping stuff that you suggested. I live here in the states and a large roll Was over $120 not including the tape which was around $34. Still, that was way cheaper than the lid. I am a happy camper and thank you and your wife so much for your video.!!! 😁
Thanks for the kind words!!! Glad to hear the repair worked well for you! I also have another video that details how I repaired the vinyl cover that may help! I agree getting the cores back into the cover can be tough, having someone to help makes a big difference! I'm surprised at the cost of materials, in Canada things are typically 35 percent more expensive based off the exchange rate alone. Glad the video helped!
@@RegsChannel I’ll DEFINITELY check out that video too then for sure. Thanks for recommending! p.s. I was surprised at the cost difference too. Wasn’t expecting that at all, but I didn’t have a choice. Choice of approx $150 or $6-800! Not even a second thought! Oh btw, 2 corners had broken off each of the cores but were still intact. I used some of that foam insulation stuff that gets really hard, and it worked like a dream too. It’s almost as sturdy as new, but I’m being extra cautious just in case. I’m not going to push it, but so far so good!
Great video. Thank you!
Thanks for the kind words, you are most welcome!
great video. our cover is a little water logged and this fix is worth a try to see if it avoids that larger replacement cost. Thanks for posting.
No problem, thanks for the kind words! I went into this with the mindset that this was a bandaid , not a permanent fix, and so far I'm just over a year in and it's still holding up fairly well! We will eventually replace it, but I'm trying to do my homework to find a solid closed cell foam option to get as much life out of the replacement as possible!
Great Video! I have wasted so much money on covers over the past 20 years. I'm done spending after watching this video.
Thanks so much for the kind words, glad this could help!
Nice Job!
Thank you!
Looks like a real PIA but a day's worth of work to save $hundreds I may have to give this a try next summer. Another thing you might mention is to apply some sort of vinyl protectant (armor all, 303, etc.) to the outside of the cover to help prolong the life there as well. Also use one of those bubble wrap looking thermal covers that you cut to size they help prevent the water logging a little as well. Great video!
Thanks for the kind words! Yeah, I have one of those as well, I should probably actually use it! Yes, a vinyl protectant would be a great option to help prolong the life of the cover. Awesome suggestion, thanks!
You did a lot, great
Thanks for the kind words!
excellent video! going to do this to mine!
Thanks for the kind words! It's definitely a worthwhile project!
Rad, I'm going to give it a go this summer. Great video, minus the huskies chair. Go Cougs! Lol
Thanks for the kind words! Dude it's the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, not the huskies! (Not the first time I've gotten the comment lol!) Good luck with the project, keep me posted on how you make out!
@RegsChannel oh, no way! Lol, that's funny. I retract my diss! Thanks again, I had noticed the water level raising in my tub, then realized why last time we went in, I heard water inside the cover... glad I found your video.
@@thomasstarr9142 lol all good, same sport at least! Yeah not fun at all when the covers get soaked. Glad you found the video and hope it helps!
Great video. I have the same tub and am in the process of rebuilding it.
Thanks! Good luck with the rebuild!
@RegsChannel So far, I'm into it for about 550 bucks Canadian and the only thing I have left to do is reinstate the tub. How do your pillows mount to that tub? Mine didn't come with any pillows at all. It just has 2 little plastic screws at each location.
@@darrenmcgruther6851 mines a sweetwater spas Bahia, they are just push pins, very simple install
@@RegsChannel are you able to send me a picture of what's underneath the pillows? All that I have is the inserts for the Teflon screws but I don't see how it works with those pillows
Actually I just saw your pillows in the video and they are different from mine.
Excellent video. I replaced the foam cores on our cover when they got waterlogged. That was cheaper than a whole cover but almost as much work as you did for a lot more money. I imagine that covers or cores are even more expensive now with shipping prices so high. I’ll be trying your method once the cover gets heavy again. As you noted, the barrier just turns to crumbly paper over time…
Thanks so much for the kind words, much appreciated! Yes, the barrier definitely disintegrates over time. The vapor barrier from home Depot is MUCH more robust than what came on the tub.
Great video, thank you. I have a round Soft Tub, but one side had filled with water. I was fortunate, I unzipped the cover, and just positioned it to drain and the water came out. I could barely move the cover to work on it, but after draining, I could lift the entire cover alone. I am guessing the foam wasn't saturated.
Glad to hear you figured out a fix! If manufacturers would just use closed cell foam it would alleviate the waterlogging issue all together in my opinion! Gotta love planned obsolescence with the open cell foam they all use....
We started the process today and yes the moisture barrier is completely crumbling. We set up the foam with a dehumidifier. I can absolutely see this procedure will work or at least prolong the lid a few more years. The foam will eventually need replacing eventually. Your video saved us a good $700 thanks again. We have a circle shape hot tub so wrapping it should be interesting 😂
Glad the video could help! Yeah for us the goal was to prolong it a few more years before trying to source a more robust replacement. The re wrap will be like origami I imagine! Best of luck on the fix!
reg I really liked your video. My suggestion to dry it better. a fan or 2 like you suggested and a small dehumidifier. Even if you put it in a garage . really dry it out!. One of your foam pads may not have been completely dry, and water is a heat conductor , your insulation value is compromised.
if some of your viewers had a 6 inch tapered 4 inch thick cover like mine they may notice a triangular gap or pocket that the heat vapor will steadily roll out unimpeded. I cut and measured a tight wedge about 7 inches to fill in the gap, and duct taped it to stay in place when your lifting the cover.
.
On my first cover, and I did what you did and pulled out the foam but the cover was ripping and I was only able to salvage the wet foam as insulation on a basement door that went to a bulk head, and a cover for the attic ladder.
I tried to protect my second cover by putting a 6 ml sheet, and a brown tarp (a double thick tarp) on top of it to protect it from snow and sun and rain . They also sell $60 covers that are more attractive.( the tarp only lasts about 2 years ), but the 6ml still looks good. I place like 9 bricks around to keep it on which is a pain.and is ugly .
another suggestion you are getting another 2-4 years out of your repair dry and fix. but a nice protective cover will keep your cover longer. The vinyl deteriorates from sun and snow and the threads disintegrate allowing water into the middle seams .
I went to dry out my second cover but when I unzipped it like my first cover it it was coming apart. My suggestion is if the cover starts to rip, still carefully pull out the foam, dry it out , and use the tape and duct tape to secure the dried out foam and get a $60 cover to hide the tape job. I will send you some pics or a video when I try your fix this Spring. I can text or email you pics, and video . Thanks for the video.
Boston George
Thanks for the info!
Awesome video. I need to do the same to mine.
Thanks for the kind words!
hey great video...going to give this a shot. Also big ups for providing links to the products you used. Very helpful.
Whats the 1 year update? holding up? taking on any water?
Hey there! Best of luck on the repair! Actually it's been almost 2 years this summer and it has held up quite well. I can feel it is getting a bit heavier, but my exterior cover is also showing its age, but overall it was worth the effort in my opinion!
Loved your video! I wonder why manufacturers don't come up with closed cell foam liners.
Thanks for the kind words! I believe there are some out there, but you need to really search to find them. I think it all comes down to business. Manufacturers would rather have that money come in every 3-5 years I guess lol!
I did this and it helped some but never got as light as it was new. I exposed them to electric heaters and fans for about three weeks. One side went from 40 lbs to 30 lbs and the other 35 to 30. I rewrapped with 6 mil plastic and reassembled. A real pain to get the foam back into the cover. I just bit the bullet and ordered a new cover. I paid extra to have a double vapor barrier. The cover got so heavy it bent the lifter. If I had it to do over again I wouldn't but thanks for a good video. Some foam cores may be easier to dry out than others.
Hey there! Thanks for the kind words! My mindset is that it took weeks to months for that cover to absorb all that moisture, it usually takes a long time to get it back to "like new" levels of dryness. Sounds like you took some great steps. Next time I would involve a dehumidifier and dessicant packs in the process. I view this process as more of a bandaid vs. A permanent fix. I personally am on the hunt for a closed cell foam replacement, but so far my repair has held up fairly well. It's bought me time to do my research and save up the funds to eventually splurge on a new one!
I'm afraid that using the old foam even after drying it will get heavy sooner than original ??
@@RegsChannel
@@user-gj3cq4gx7h the key is being able to seal out the water/moisture from penetrating the foam again, hence I went with multiple layers of the vapor barrier and the moisture rated tuck tape. Again, depending on the effort and the quality of the repair, it could last a few months or a few years. I'm proud to say that I'm about a year and a half in and my cover is still relatively light! Cosmetically speaking a new cover may be on our radar, but this allows us to plan and save for that expense, for 50$ it bought us time!
Great video!
Always clean your lens before shooting a video. It will eliminate all the cloudy areas and make everything look crisp and focused .
Thanks !I did, this was one of the last ones I filmed with a GoPro before I got my a7 iii
@@RegsChannel 👍
I ve owned hot tubs for decades and never imagined there was a way to revive a cover let alone make it even more water repellent than they are to start with. This saved me $450US that I was going to spend TOMORROW!! when I ordered a new cover.
Well done video and easy to follow.
Thank you.
@@stevemclean5787 thanks so much for the kind words! That's what this channel is all about! Good luck on your repair! Mine is still holding up well.
That sounds great. Good job how about using some sealant with it?
I'm reluctant to use sealant as you need something that can tolerate constant moisture and not leak or goop up in the hot tub... I have been taking a hard look at closed cell foam cores. Those combined with an appropriate coating could be the silver bullet!
Thank you SO MUCH for your great video. The only question I have is how did you get the cores out without breaking them or ripping the vinyl on the lids? Did you partially push them out a little from the opposite side? Just curious before I start the project. I’m older and know I’m going to have to have help, but trying to figure that part out before I start. Wonder if I can actually get it done? Will let you know!! Thank you so much again for the great video. Wish me luck!!!
You got this!! Once you have the lid off, find your zippers and unzip them. You should be able to push the cores out fairly easily from the back. Be prepared for a mess, as the old vapor barrier will basically be all crumbled. Having a shopvac to clean up would be very helpful. Once they are out you can then, with help place them somewhere to dry before you go through the rewrapping process. Good luck and keep us posted!
@@RegsChannel got them out today, my son helped me (I’m 70, so I can’t do some of the things I used to by myself, but it’s really easier with 2 people anyway). They’re out drying. I’m a little disappointed bc the corner on both sides was cracked, but it’s small, so I thin it can reinforce it and tape it back together (worth a shot anyway). Getting the barrier tomorrow. In a couple days after they’ve had a good chance to dry, will get them re-wrapped and reinserted. Thanks for the great video and the response. Really helped!!! Hopefully this will save the expense of having to buy a new lid for a few more years! 👍👍
Great video! Is there an update coming on how well the seal tape is holding up? My vapor barrier had a tear and allowed a bunch of mold to build up on the foam. I hope to kill the mold before attempting this rewrap idea.
Unfortunately the hot tub died on my about 2 weeks ago, however the cover was still in great shape! That's around 6 months...
Thanks dude my hot tube cover gave same problems
I will fix it same way
Right on, good luck with the repair!
What do you do with your hot tub without a cover. Do you keep it filled or empty it. We have a lot of trees with needles and leaves.
You could be super classy and throw a tarp on it to keep debris out of use the cover without the cores and just use the wind straps to keep it in place... Used a combination of both and it worked out well!
Hiya! Just discovered your video re water-logged cover. Never realized these covers would last only 2-3 yrs...geez! Anyway, what if we simply placed a thick vinyl sheet over the hot tub when we're done using it, and then placed the actual cover over that? Wouldn't that keep the steam & vapors from damaging the underside of the cover to some degree?
Hmmm, this could potentially help as you are providing an extra barrier between the vapor and the cover. It sounds like it could be a cheap/effective workaround! Let us know how you make out!
I feel educated enough from this video to tackle my hot tub cover problem… just one thing. What do you recommend as a repair solution for a broken zipper to get to those?
That's a bit more difficult, you would probably want to see if you can find a local upholstery place to replace the zipper unless you want to try and tackle it on your own? You would need a stitch ripper and some decent sewing skills!
Nice video. I only got about 4 years on the now $800 cover i replaced, no way I am dolling out that type of coin for 4 years. I am surprised they used open cell foam with a plastic wrap, this will surely fail. I did use the solar cover for a while as someone suggested, this will help absorption but it's a pain in the a$$ and degrades itself. However, I am looking for a 'grand slam' on the fix, one that will outlive me, or at least get me to senility!! Did you consider replacing the original material with the pink insulation board (here in the states) available at home depot. You would have to retrofit the metal reinforcement rib in it and get the right stack height, but I think this will be bullet proof.
Thanks for the kind words! I hear you on the price, it's insane. I would gladly throw down some cash on a closed cell option, but no I haven't I would need to look more into the option you suggested. Here in Manitoba I need some serious R Value as it's not uncommon to hit -45f/c in the winter for periods of time.
I did the exact same thing about 2 years ago but I couldn't get as much moisture out of the foam as I would have liked. I let the foam sit in the sun on hot/dry days and brought them inside with a dehumidifier too.
My question is...how have y'all dealt with the cover shrinking? Mine doesn't pull down the sides of the hot tub anymore.
Are you talking about the side skirting or the entire cover it's self? It was snug, but I was still able to get mine back on... I'm taking a guess here but I would think that some kind of vinyl conditioner might make it a bit more pliable?
Such a great video thank you! And how economical is this fix rather than spending $400 on a second hand lid or double that on a brand new one! I’m gonna try this with my hubby to fix our lid!
Glad to hear it! Best of luck on the repair!
Good video thanks. I had the same idea a year or more ago and did the same thing you did. It did take some time but the water logged foam did dry out and became much lighter. Don't sit it flat to dry, it is best if it's propped up against a fence at an angle so it can drain and dry. I used 6 mil Vapor Barrier and overlapped it quite a bit before sealing it with tape. Regarding the tape, it is important to use proper vapor barrier tape as you did, other tape will not do a good job. It has been over a year and mine is still good. I would like to buy a new outer cover, Is it possible to just buy the outer cover fabric part?
Hey there! Thanks for the kind words! Very well put! I did find one place in Canada that would sell just the skin, but they basically wanted just over half the price of a new cover for just that, I did a video on how to repair them, but eventually it will need replacing as the sun and winter does a number on them!
Uncanny ! This is exactly what I am in the process of attempting, but I always shut down my hot tub in winter and this time it was shut down for two years, so crazy as I am, I went and bought the new cover $711.00 shipped to my door, and am sun drying the inserts from my old cover, while I can enjoy the tub with the new one, as I plan to use the old cover for winter shutdown. I considered building a special winter shut down cover, but the materials would have cost at least half the price of a new cover, plus all that labour. Right now, one of my inserts is taking very long to dry in the sun it's been at least a week now and it's still very heavy. We are going to get a long rain spell in a day or two, so I will stand it up at an incline in the shed with an oil filled radiator type, heater set on med-low underneath it, as I did 2 yrs ago with the other insert and apparently, this works faster than sun drying ! But, given the fact that things we're built better 15 yrs ago, and by shutting down the hot tub in winter, and placing a winter tarp/cover over the hot tub cover, I'm not kidding, but my old cover lasted me for 12-14 years, the vinyl is getting brittle in some areas, but will make a good winter cover. Problem is, I really have to tidy up the shed if I'm to store any hot tub cover in there !
I believe it! Yes my cores took quite some time to dry, they will get there eventually. We need a manufacturer to produce closed cell foam cores and this "planned obsolescence" can finally go away! Anyone want to get involved in a joint venture 😁
@@RegsChannel Good idea, thought of the same thing ! but not right now for me !
@@pierre-rose7783 sounds good! Good luck with the project!
I use barrier layers for winter shutdown. The top cap is an old garage door, 5 sections (8ft. x 16 in.) panels from an old aluminum garage door. The cover is completely dry in the spring. Under the garage panels - (water barrier) I put tarps generously out of old winter pool cover tarp and a double layer of old retired solar bubble covers. Occasionally I push piles of snow off the top to lighten the load.
@@ehRalph sounds like that works! The majority of the water absorption is going to come from the steam penetrating the cover/ vapor barrier when the tub is running i believe... When I do eventually replace my cover, I'm going to make sure to find a closed cell foam one and will see what kind of life I can get out of it
I went through Hell trying to order a new cover for my spa so when mine got watered logged I decided to try and fix it. Sure enough the cheap moisture barrier they used was all but disintegrated even though the cover was only about three years old. It took about a week to dry out the panels but even then I could not get them completely dry. I don't think if they get completely saturated like mine was, that you can ever get them completely dry like they were at the manufacturer's. I put a 6 mil vapor barrier on them and taped them with waterproof tape and hope that works for a while. They are about half the weight they were before I started.
The ordering process for a new cover is nuts, it's nothing but a constant upsell! Good for you taking the project on on your own! As you can tell from the video, I went overkill on mine lol. This summer will be 2 years for my repair and I used it just yesterday and it still feels pretty good. I agree it's tough to get all the moisture out. You need some pretty heavy duty intervention (desiccant packs, dehumidifier, heat, airflow, time, etc...) to get it back to OEM. Remember it took months to get as heavy as it did, it won't dry overnight. Glad the video helped! Keep me posted on the repair!
THANK YOU! My first panel is broke in half! Do you know what would be the best adhesive to use?
No problem! Glad it helped! I would be looking at using an adhesive like PL premium or PL 300 to see what would work best in your case. Good luck with the repair!
This is awesome. I hope it works. I’m a week into drying . I put a few days in sun. I moved to garage. It doesn’t really seem to be getting any lighter. How long does it take to actually dry out completely. Mine were super water logged and vary heavy.
Mine took a few weeks before I noticed a difference, remember that moisture took months to accumulate in the foam, it's gonna take a minute to leave. Being able to get the cores in sunlight/breeze or safely near a heat/air source or some form of dehumidification will help speed this up! Like anything patience is the hardest part, but they will get there! Keep us posted on the progress!
2 months in and still not dry. Way Better but still seem heavy. I’ve had in direct sun multiple times and the rest in garage. @@RegsChannel
@@jenjackowski6735 I hear ya, you got to think about it this way, it took months for that water to accumulate in the foam, it will take a while to get it all out. If you can get it near a dehumidifier or dessicant packs, that may help. Sounds like it is moving in the right direction though!
Hey, Great Video. Do you have a suggestion for if the foam is fine, but the outside of the cover is ripped? Like maybe a hot tub cover sleeve?
Thanks for the kind words! I sure do! I made a video on how to do those types of repairs to the cover/sleeve here: czcams.com/video/GVUwvjSJiRs/video.html
my hot tub cover also rips. at the seams and the zipper. But the junk they sell you is made to break so I am going to attempt
drying out the foam and slipping it in the ripped cover and use the plastic tape and heavy duty duct tape to put it back together. For $60 bucks the sell covers on Amazon to protect hot tubs, so I will buy one to hide my ugly tape job.
@@georgelefort6397 I have a video on repairing the outer casing as well using marine grade vinyl. Check it out, it may help!
I wonder if you could coat the foam with some type of sealant that doesn't eat the foam.. maybe rubber or a few coats of latex paint and then even the plastic. I have a Hexagon tub and bought a used square cover a few years ago for $40 and cut the corners from the foam and skin to fit, and I thought I had sealed up the plastic cover, but 1 side has gotten heavy. May need to try your trick!!! I bought a brand new square cover @ pioneer pools last fall for $100 that I'm going to resize in spring. ..
Well now you have me thinking about products like plastidip or something else to coat the foam.. that could conceivably work! The challenge is the stream or water vapor is relentless, as in it's always there. If it can penetrate the coating at a microscopic level eventually you are back at the same issue, but I think there can definitely be something there! Hmmm perhaps I should explore this for a future video!
@@RegsChannel I would still put the plastic vapor barrier/tape over the coating to give double protection.
Great Video, thanks for doing it. we are in the process of drying out our foam - taking much longer than I thought it would. one half started at 38 pounds, I've dried it down to 23 pounds so far. the other side seems to have bottomed out at 13 pounds. so I still have a ways to go on the first site. how long has it been since you re-wrapped the foam? any updates?
Thanks for the kind words! Yes, I was also surprised at the amount of time (and water) the foam held/took time to dry out. We are approaching the one year mark for the repair and even though I had some trouble with the hot tub a few weeks back the cover is still holding up!
How many days are we talking about? Just starting drying our foam and after 24 hours there’s no perceivable decrease in weight.
@@markkreisberg360 be patient. We are 38 pounds down now to 22.4 and we are in week three of trying. Out in the sun when it is nice or in the House with fans on it. I expect another week for sure
@@markkreisberg360 patience is key. Heat and airflow are your friends here, remember, that foam is saturated over weeks to months and the moisture is deeply permeated into the foam.. if you can promote dehydration any way you can it will speed up the process!
Update. We have had a fan on it 24 7. Now down to 19 lbs. I think it is over a month now
Wish I saw this b4 cutting open “it came with the house “ cover. Well, if this works, project #72. #52 was cleaning out the tub as algae was eating away the pillows and underneath (they were still using it!!)
Nice! I'm glad it could help!
I took the plastic off my cores and let them dry for about two weeks. One is still almost twice as heavy as the other. Any suggestions?
Desiccant packs, placing them near a dehumidifier, having heat and airflow near them, barring that sunlight and wind... They do take a long time to dry out especially if they are super waterlogged but they will eventually get there!
I'm going to use your technique but we were wondering how it held out?? Thanks for the video
Hey there! It's still holding up quite well, hope the videos help!
Guess what I was going to next year? The only good side to a water-logged cover is the wind won't blow it away. Be nice if you could have shown the removal of the wet inserts, other than that, good video.
Thanks for the kind words! I know, I didn't have the camera gear ready when I did the removal, but it is literally the reverse of the reinstall process. Having two people to help remove the waterlogged cores will make a huge difference, alone with having a shop vac to clean up all the disintegrated pieces of vapor barrier! Also, worth mentioning, make sure you let the vinyl cover dry out as well, it will probably be soaked.
I have this problem right now. I live in Reno so it's possible we could get snow. Did you just leave your hot tub on and open the whole time or did you cover it with something or maybe drain it during the process? Would love to have your help. Thank you!
Like Reno Nevada? I would think you guys are out of the worst of winter by now, here in Manitoba we have been warm and sunny for a week now! You could use just the literal cover clipped in place with your hurricane straps or tarp it if you want to keep it clean while still being able to use it. Obviously those solutions won't give you any insulation so be mindful that the tub will be working harder to keep the water hot during that timeframe, or you could leave it empty for a bit, wait for the cores to dry, and then do a fresh fill with your newly repaired covers. That would be my order of operations!
Great idea! It’s been a year since you published the video, is your cover still keeping a good seal? Would you do it again?
Hey there! Yes, it has held up quite well so far! The initial plan was to try and get at least 1 year out of the fix, and I'm actually closer to 2 years on it so far! Being able to get another 1-2+ years out of the cover for like 30$ worth of materials and minimal effort seems well worth it to us! Once the vapor barrier breaks down again, we will then be at the crossroads of either a new cover, or attempting a repair, however my cover is currently going on almost 9 years already. Hope that helps!
@@RegsChannel thanks for the prompt reply! Sounds great!
How much cursing along with sweat labor did this take not counting dry out ? I attempted this years ago & they didn't seem to slip in as easily as yours ! Wish there was a easier way plus we're in the middle of Winter ! Thanks , great video !
+
Hey thanks for the kind words! The majority of the cursing came when I initially pulled the cores out as the existing vapor barriers had disintegrated and wound up all over my yard and pool lol. Beyond that wrapping and taping them wasn't too bad. Having my wife help me to get them back in the cover was key, I don't know if it came across in the video but zipping the cover up afterwards was a struggle lol, but possible! I also went very thick with my vapor barrier but that combined with what I assume was some shrinkage from the cover drying in the sun made for a very snug fit! I hear ya, winter is a beast, especially when the cover is heavy, plus its insulating properties take a hit as well. Thanks again for watching!
hello is there a u.s. link for homedepot? can you please help. thanks
Where is the aluminum brace that you mentioned? I didnt see you installing that, but you mentioned that it is added to the cores for stability.
Hey there! The brace actually runs the length of the foam. It's just a piece of aluminum T channel that is embedded into the foam directly. I didn't have to remove it for this job. Hope that helps!
What kind of tape did you use? I skipped through the video so I might have missed it, but I plan on doing this to my hot tub before it gets too cold here.
Not the oploader, but I just did this and used the blue Tuck Tape. That's what building code requires for vapor barriers in buildings so I figure it will work.
www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/cantech-blue-tuck-tape-0676071p.html blue tuck tape is what I used!
Hey there, as was mentioned Blue Tuck Tape, I posted a link for it here: www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/cantech-blue-tuck-tape-0676071p.html. Hope that helps!
Would the only other possible recommendation be is to invest in the hard shell cavana? Otherwise keep replacing your way or buying new cover every 3 years?
In a perfect world you should be able to get more life out of one of these covers I would hope more like 4-5 years. If you have really harsh weather I know you can get cover "covers" that can help prevent some wear and tear, but I would personally try and seek out a cover made of closed cell foam. That should help extend its service life more than anything!
@@RegsChannel I was thinking about putting a tarp over the cover to maybe have it last longer. My water build up is in the underside though. Had it going on 3 years now. Texas weather. So there was a harsh winter and harsh summer recently.(Texas is bipolar lol)
@@nancampbell3647 a tarp will help with sun damage to the cover of that's your issue but the vapor barrier is probably toast and that's why the cover is failing. Keeping your water chemistry in check will help as well. You could try a solar blanket cover under the main cover, that could potentially help, but ultimately a good quality closed cell foam cover would be best
What if the foam cracks ? Bc the dog was sitting on for a sumner and it dipped then cracked . Any suggestions ? The cover is great .
Hmmm, how big is the section of the cover? Round or rectangular? If it cracked/split you could remove it from the shell, and I would suggest perhaps inserting some rods into the foam kind of like pins, to help add some rigidity back to the structure, and then use some adhesive to join the foam back together, and then wrap/seal the foam using the method I showed in the video. If the foam is too far gone depending on the shape you may be able to get some new foam from Home Depot / Lowe's of the appropriate thickness, and then shave/trim/shape it to fit, seal it, and go from there?
I have a large hot tub. It is a 3 piece two fold unit. The middle foam broke during a heavy snow storm and I need to replace the inner foam. Any recs?? Thank you!
If you can find closed cell foam board at the hardware store that's your best bet as it should stand up to water much better than an open cell. Regardless if it's open or closed cell I would wrap and tape it as I showed in the video and you should be back in business! Hope that helps!
@@RegsChannel Thanks. I need to reinforce it somehow in the middle with some aluminum or steel so it doesn't sag again and snap.
After one year, has the cover appeared to become heavier again , and have you re-weighed it?
Is it holding up???? I am hoping to do this on my own, I'm all muscle but I'm just120 lb. girl, I need to figure out a way to get some of the water weight out of it b4 I can even push it off. all the weight is mainly on one side (sounds like yours was.) I can barely lift the lighter side, but I can lift it. but it took me and someone else just to push the entire cover 4 inches because of the weight of the other side. I'm new here any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
It's held up pretty well so far! My best advice would be to get some help and take the cover off the tub, and get it inside and disassembled. Once you have it apart, if you have access to a dehumidifier, or stuff like this: www.homedepot.com/p/DampRid-2-lb-15-5-oz-Hi-Capacity-Moisture-Absorber-Bucket-Fragrance-Free-FG50FFESB/323891469 along with some heat and airflow you should be in good shape! Just remember, it's going to take TIME to get that moisture out. I'm not sure where you are located, but in Manitoba it's full on real snow and ice winter lol! I'm not sure if you have the luxury of running your tub without a cover, or taking your tub offline... Once the cores are dried out, poly and tuck tape them up like I did, and you should be back in action! Hope that helps!
I bought a brand new cover and the new cover has precut holes on the downside which it would seem to me would allow water to enter the cores and make it heavy which is exactly what is happening. Was I sold a bad product?
My existing cover has a grommet on each side similar to what you have described. My guess is that it would allow condensation/moisture to drain back into the tub? If the vapor barrier is doing it's job correctly I think that's a pretty sound theory.
How old was cover? What did you do with no cover on tub for 3 weeks?
The cover is around 6 years old. I actually drained the tub during this period.
What did you use for a cover while you waited for the waterlogged cover to dry out?
Thanks for the comment! You could either tarp it or use the existing cover without the cores to keep debris out of the tub. If doing this, just remember there is no thermal barrier when doing this so the tub will run more than normal if you do this. I did mine in the summer and we set records for heat lol! Just something to keep in mind.
Dog-o!!!!
We were dog sitting when I filmed the video, Molly is the best!
I did the same on my top last year, the foam got to be a lot lighter replaced the water barrier, then it was hell to put it back into the envelope and close the zipper. The reason the water barrier had holes is actually that both our cats and a neighbor's cat spent turns on top of the bath tub and occasionally do their nails on it too. I am glad they like it, but then when it rains the foam gets wet from the top ☹ Now the fake leather cover is so worn that it needs replacing too. Anybody knows if that is available without having to replace the foam inserts?
I kept researching and came to the conclusion that I will get marine grade vinyl and glue it over and around the top and skirt.of the cover. Then I saw your link below to the video where you patched the top using marine grade vinyl 👍
Oh I hear ya, cats will do that! For me I had to contend with ice, which I usually don't have issues with but I did one year. Manufacturers will likely charge an arm and a leg for a replacement (up to 50 percent of the cost in some cases) I would suggest if you can find someone local who does upholstery work, try taking the existing cover to them. If they have access to marine grade vinyl I'm sure they could either repair or recreate a cover for you far cheaper than getting a new one. The only challenge I can foresee would be the material layer that sits near the water. Good luck with the fix!
@@possumsteak I was going to suggest that as well! The patches may not look the classiest, but they are effective!
leaving the cover out in the hot sun will help make it more pliable when rreinserting the foam. Hope that helps someone doing this
For sure, that heat helps the vinyl to stretch a bit
how did you cover the hot tub during the month long drying time?
We were fortunate enough to have a pretty consistent run of HOT dry weather (with the odd rainy day here and there. I would run the filter/heat for a few hours a day to keep the chemical levels and filtration up to par, as I didn't need the tub at 100+F during this period. I did also contemplate draining the tub during this time as well but we still wanted to enjoy it. Remember, if you have access to a garage or an enclosed area and can get a space heater or airflow around the foam cores you can greatly increase the drying time. We had to keep them partially covered indoors so our kitties didn't use them as scratching posts, and this slowed down the process.
@@RegsChannel Thanks for that....going into winter right now, it looks like it might be next year I do this. It's not immediate :)
@@amazingfutonYou are most welcome! a quick stopgap could also be getting some of that bubble wrap style insulation (think pool cover) and using that to add some insulation to your tub depending on how severe your winter gets. A water logged cover will not insulate as well as it should.
does the tape hold up in extreme heat and cold?
Well I live in Manitoba, we experience -40c in the winter and can hit around +40 with humidity in the summer... Coming up on a year already we are still good to go!. The tape is rated for use on vapor barrier in house construction so I imagine it needs to be quite robust.
After one year has the cover appeared to get heavier again, and have you re-weighed the halves?
i have already replaced mine twice . (Tub is indoors)
Hey there! I have not re weighed them but I they still feel pretty light, definitely manageable, not like before the repair where they were HEAVY... As you can see from the video I tried to seal the heck out of the seams and any spot there could be moisture ingress. Eventually due to chemical exposure the vapor barrier will let go again, but we aren't at that point yet I'm happy to say. Enjoy the tub, hope the repair works out for you!
how is it holding up?
It's been good so far! Hoping this will get me at least one more season before I order a closed cell foam replacement.
What did you use to cover the tub in the meanwhile
Hi there, you can use either the existing cover shell or a tarp. Just remember you won't get the same level of thermal insulation and the tub will run more. Could also be a good time to shit the tub down for a water change or any other preventative maintenance you may need to carry out. Hope that helps!
How many rolls of tape did you end up using
Just one, still have some left!
I want to try this but can’t seem to get the zippers open. They seem stuck
Hmm maybe they are rusted/corroded shut? You could try and spray them with wd40 let it sit for a few min and then try it again. I had to use a bit of force to get mine going.
how much tape did you use?
I would easily say 1/2 - 2/3 of a standard roll of Tuck Tape. Those seams are quite large and I wasn't afraid to do multiple passes!
Get a garage and start a business man. About ten years ago I gave up my hot tub after fifteen years and three lids. The cost of replacing the lids was the reason I did not buy another hot tub and I miss it. I am curious what those foam cores cost to replace?
The foam is relatively cheap if you can get the right densities. I would look at doing strictly closed cell foam. Fix it once, and fix it right lol
How is this holding up?
So far so good! It's been about a year and it has held up well, even survived one of our winters and some gnarly rain storms.
did it hold up??
I am proud to say yes it has so far! Great way to extend the life of the cover. The duration it will last for depends on the effort you put into the repair obviously but for the price I can't complain one bit. As previously stated a closed cell foam core would be a permanent fix.
How has your fix held up?
We are a few months in and so far it has been great! We are at our coldest here now as well but the cover still opens easily!
@@RegsChannel Cool! Keep us posted!
@@webcrawler3332 sounds good, will do!
Is that plastic or tyvek?
Hey there! It's Home Depot vapor barrier. I included the link below, remember I'm in Canada so you may not have the exact same product but as long as it's rated as a vapour barrier at a decent thickness you should be good! www.homedepot.ca/product/everbilt-super-six-102-x-59-500-sq-ft-cgsb-approved-6-mil-vapour-barrier/1000113374
Does it matter if the vapor barrier is black instead of clear?
I really don't think it does as long as it's straight up vapor barrier, not tar paper or anything like that. As long as you are providing some kind of resistance to moisture you should be ok!
@@RegsChannel thanks! Giving it a go.
@@07Cbreezy sounds good! Keep us posted on how things go!
@@RegsChannel I gave up. It never dried out fully after 2 months. I tried everything and then the seal I put on after wouldn't fit back in the cover enough to zip it. The cover ripped trying to zip it so I just bought a new one.
Not all heros wear capes! You should include your address so people can send you some $ for a 12 pack! Thank you sir!!!
Love this! Thanks for the kind words, hope the video helped!
@RegsChannel Bro! I was getting sick thinking of dropping $500/$600 on a new cover! I'm a DIY guy too, this is right up my alley, I'll be doing this in a few weeks. Did you leave the aluminum sheet in between the foam when you dried it?
@@mikespence7250 it's actually just a piece of aluminum T channel, not an actual sheet, yep I kept it in. Good luck with the fix!
Use metallic silver instead of So much chlorine/bromine and let your shock treatment burn out before closing cover. You’ll save money on corrosion of your spa cover And expensive components (heater, pump seals, sensors, etc.). Plus your water won’t reek like chemicals and your ph won’t drop as fast (no itchy skin)
Sounds like something to check out, thanks!
Unplug your ozonator, or change your sanitizer routine... this is a great breakdown but it will become repetitive. The underside of the cover skin with a trace-mark of the shell/acrylic outline says it all. Unfortunately what you've been told about ozone is wrong. Unless the skin is 10+ years old then disregard me.
No ozonator on my tub, follow a pretty regular bromine/shock regimen but I will look into that, thanks! The skin is going on almost 6 years.
Chlorine levels are to high tub can’t gas off.so it eats the vinyl cover and plastic barrier rap on the inside of the cover.Also will eat the seals up on the motor and heater and also will shrink your jets and they will start popping out.also it will eat your pillows up to..oh and I forgot all the gasket between the jet and shell.lights it eats everything leaks are very fun to fix and costly.
My cover lasted less than a year.
Too bad to hear, mine is still hanging in there. A closed cell foam or a way to truly encapsulate the foam would be the way to go. I almost wonder if a foamed fiberglass cover with robust gaskets would last?
just run your chlorine at a safe level and you won't destroy you cover.I bet you use a floater... 2-4 ppm is all you need.
Thanks for the comment Greg! I actually run Bromine in it, and for the most part I try to keep on top of the chemicals but I will keep your advice in mind!
@@RegsChannel I have a hot tub company been in the repair business for 17 years not to be jerk.I just want people to enjoy there investment.Just stay away from floaters and bromine tabs they will destroy your tub and equipment and cover.Use a name brand chemical like Hot tub things.spa guard and use a granular chlorine or granular bromine.And keep your ph level between 7.2 and 7.8 and chlorine 2-4 Ppm remember it only takes 1/2 teaspoon per 100 gallons stuff is strong.I’m just commenting because the under side of your cover was burnt by chlorine . and test your water daily with a good test kit like a Taylor k-1000 found on Amazon.will save you thousands in repairs.Happy hot tubing!!!
My customers use metallic silver over chlorine/bromine. Doesn’t stink, isn’t corrosive, won’t drop ph
@@markmcarthy596 what Kills the bacteria?
@@markmcarthy596 sounds like an interesting product, I'll have to look into that!
It’s the drunk lady from the viral flight video that says “The MFer back there is not real” same outfit and everything!!!!
That's actually my wife, I can assure you it is not the same person from the video lol. Similar outfit perhaps!
Thanks for the tips but way too much talking. Video could have been 4 minutes long.
Thanks for the kind words! Good thing you have the ability to fast forward ⏩⏩⏩
nice wife
Thank you! She really is the best.
Trim down that 5 MINUTE introduction next time please…I learned all I needed from the title of the video 🤷🏻♂️
Appreciate the feedback!
Link to her onlyfans?