I have a spa but no power. Now what do I do?

www.rickrobinsonhomes.com

Have spa but no power?  

Not to worry... most spas are very well insulated and can retain their heat fairly well for up to 2 weeks.

Not all spas are the same, some of your older spas or smaller ones may not have  full foam insulation within it.

 This could be an issue for you, if this true for your spa go out and get some household insulation and stuff this inside the spa cabinet like you would inside your attic this will give you a barrier from the extreme cold nights.

The biggest mistake people make when they have a spa and the power goes out is to drain it this is NOT a good idea.

If the spa was running and was heated to around 100 degrees just before the power went out then it will take a while for the spa water to cool down on it's own (up to two weeks), but if you drain the spa of water, that safeguard you may have had is gone. 

Now the surface of the spa will get cold and then transfer that coolness to the under side of the spa and the plumbing lines. Then the spa lines can FREEZE and crack. Now this doesn't mean that if you drained your spa it will automatically freeze. The outside temp needs to be below 40 degrees for several days for this to possibly happen. I have seen spas with ice inside them defrost in the spring and run fine with no issues.

Now getting back to my original statement LOL...

Most spas are fully insulated and as long as you do not keep going out there and lifting the cover up to check on it every hour  "you know who I am talking to" the water temp will remain high and you should be fine. I have seen a spa with a temp of 99 degrees when the customer lost power for 2 weeks and when the lights came back on the water temp was only down to 68 degrees.

Once the power comes back on you want to go out to the spa and be sure that the spa has power as well, if not check the breakers.

Run the pumps to be sure all is good then note the temperature on the topside display set it to 100 degrees and monitor it every hour to see that it will go back up to temperature without any problems. If you have made it this far you are golden check the spa chemicals to be sure that it has a good balanced level before going back into it.

I hope everyone is OK and has power back.

Until Next Time...

So you need a new spa cover. Where do you start?

www.rickrobinsonhomes.com

If your spa cover has gotten so heavy that it takes two people and a fork lift to open, then it is time to replace that cover. Where do you start?

Spa covers are made from a Styrofoam core inside with a 2 or 3 mil vapor wrap around the core then reinforced at the fold points. Once the wrap is penetrated, it will then start to absorb moisture from underneath. This is why they get so heavy. It is just easier to replace it then try and dry it out and fix it. Any repair would only be temporary anyway.

They come in several colors to match what ever décor you have and they have upgrades available if you would like it to be thicker or support more weight. Most have a 3" to 2" taper, like the pitch of a roof so that the rain can easily run off the cover and not pool in the center. They typically have a radius corner edge, although there are plenty out there with 90 degree corners or cut corners as well.

When you are ready to order a new spa cover there are some measurements you will need to know to get a proper fit.

• measure the widest width of the spa from outside edge to outside edge of the acrylic. Do not measure the old cover as this could have warped or swollen from age or water absorption.
• measure the longest width from outside edge to outside edge of the acrylic just like before.
• measure the length of the skirt (or flap) material that hangs down from the cover edge, you want to be sure that all acrylic will be covered when in the closed position.

Now very important, if you have a radius corner on your cover you will need to supply this measurement as well. Take two rulers, place the rulers up against the side edge of the cover where the turn of the radius first starts to turn inward, place the other ruler on the opposite side of the same radius corner, note where the two rulers intersect...now measure back from where the radius corner starts to turn  to where the rulers intersect, this number is the arc of the radius. Watch this great video on how to measure a radius corner on a spa.

Lastly you will need to show which way the fold of your cover goes in relation to the topside controls. Does it open front to back? Some models will fold left to right like a book. Once you have all this information it will be easy to place your order for a new cover online and it could you a lot of money.

I hope this helped some of you. Until Next Time...

Why is my spa cover getting so heavy?

Why is my spa cover getting so heavy? I'll tell you why.


This topic goes along with one of my other blogs. "Think You Need A New Spa Cover".


If you need to go to the gym to be able to lift your cover there is a problem. Lets talk about why a spa cover gets so heavy.


The cover manufactures tell us that while their covers are very durable they are not meant for excessive snow loads, weight bearing etc. What does that mean??


Those of us in the cold snowy climates know what excessive snow can weigh. While an inch of snow is not a problem 6-12 inches would be. The snow will freeze and get even heavier. Spa cover's are only supported at the outer edges. Therefore there is no support in the middle of the cover. So you have to be diligent about not putting anything heavy on the cover.

The cover is there to keep the heat in and the rain and snow out, not to be a shelf for your flower pots, or a bed for your animals: When anything too heavy rests on the vinyl it can crack the inner core of the cover. This is a foam core with a thin protective wrap around it and when that wrap is penetrated(broken from weight) the exposed foam starts to absorb the moisture of the water from underneath or on top. As this absorption continues the foam gets heavier and heavier until you can't lift up the cover.




If you have a cover lifter installed on your spa, this can do major damage to the lifter. I have seen the wind blow open a waterlogged cover and snap the metal lifter arms and tear the spa skirting right off the spa.






So what have we learned so far? A spa cover has an average life span of 3-5 years. Do not use your spa cover as a storage spot and do not let snow build up on top. You can extend this life with just a little care and maintenance.


Every 6 months or so you should clean the vinyl and add a new coating of protectant to give your cover the protection from the sun that it needs. So if you notice that your cover is a lot heavier than it used to be, you probably should be thinking of replacing it before more damage is done.






Until next time......

If you need a crane to open your spa cover...

Rick the Spa guy

If you need a crane to open your spa cover... I think you need a new one. Here are a few tips that you should know.

Spa covers have a life of about 3-5 years.

One of the first things you should look for is the taper of the cover. This is where the cover looks like the roof of a house to allow rain to run off the cover and not pool in the middle. 

Most replacement covers out there offer a 3"-2" taper. This is good because it will do what it's designed to do. A 4"-3" taper is better but usually offered at an additional cost.


The next thing should be the density of the foam core inside the vinyl. I recommend a 2 lb Density foam core. 

Also you want steam stoppers, these will prevent the steam from escaping and lowering the water level prematurely. Most times you will have a good selection of colors to choose from if you want to match your house color or patio set. In most cases if you purchase on-line you will have to supply the spa dimensions to the company. 

This should be done with the cover off the spa.(Always measure the spa itself NEVER the old cover. The old cover has probably taken on water and swelled up and if you use those measurements the new cover will not fit correctly.


If your spa has Radius corners you will need to supply that dimension as well. This is easy to figure out. Get 2 rulers lay each ruler against the outside edge of the acrylic where the radius just starts to make it's turn, extend both rulers outward until they intersect each other. 

Now measure from where the acrylic just starts to turn in to the radius and measure out to where the rulers intersect and that measurement will be the radius of your spa corner.


The last thing I want to mention is that after you have purchased your new spa cover you should be cleaning the vinyl about every 6 months and using a spa cover cleaner and protection, this will recoat the UV protection and help shield the vinyl from the suns rays. 

A cover lifter will also improve the life of your new cover and make it a lot easier for you to open and close. I will go over these options in another post.


Oh yeah, and if you want the straps to line up on the new cover to the old locks you will need to give them those dimensions as well, It sounds worse than it is...Its easy... Hope this helps .......


Until next time.......

Do you think you need a new spa cover?

Rick the Spa guy

If you need a crane to open your spa cover, I think you're ready for a new one. Here are a few tips that you should know. Spa covers have a life of about 3 to5 years.

One of the first things you should look for is the taper of the cover. This is where the cover looks like the roof of a house to allow rain to run off the cover and not pool in the middle. Most replacement covers out there offer a 3" to 2" taper. This is good because it will do what it's designed to do. A 4" to 3" taper is better but usually offered at an additional cost.


The next thing should be the density of the foam core inside the vinyl. I recommend a 2 lb Density foam core. Also you want steam stoppers, these will prevent the steam from escaping and lowering the water level prematurely. Most times you will have a good selection of colors to choose from, if you want to match your house color or patio set. In most cases if you purchase one on-line, you will have to supply the spa dimensions to the company. This should be done with the cover off the spa.(Always measure the spa itself NEVER the old cover. The old cover has probably taken on water and swelled up, if you use those measurements the new cover will not fit correctly.


If your spa has Radius corners you will need to supply that dimension as well. This is easy to figure out. Get 2 rulers lay each ruler against the outside edge of the acrylic where the radius just starts to make it's turn, extend both rulers outward until they intersect each other. Now measure out from where the radius first starts to bend, to where the rulers intersect. This measurement is the radius. Be sure to measure all corners to be sure they are the same.


Rule of thumb: When unsure, a slightly smaller radius is better than a bigger one.


The last thing I want to mention is that after you have purchased your new spa cover you should be cleaning the vinyl about every 6 months and using a spa cover cleaner and protection, this will recoat the UV protection and help shield the vinyl from the suns rays. A cover lifter will also improve the life of your new cover and make it a lot easier for you to open and close.


Oh yeah, and if you want the straps to line up on the new cover to the old locks you will need to give them those dimensions as well, It sounds worse than it is...Its easy... Hope this helps .......


Until next time.......

Why Is My Spa Cover Getting So Heavy?



Rick the Spa Guy



Why is my spa cover getting so heavy? I'll tell you why.

This topic goes along with one of my other blogs. "Think You Need A New Spa Cover".

 If you need to go to the gym to be able to lift your cover there is a problem. Lets talk about why a spa cover gets so heavy.

The cover manufactures  tell us that while their covers are very durable they are not meant for excessive snow loads, weight bearing etc. What does that mean??

Those of us in the cold snowy climates know what excessive snow can weigh. While an inch of snow is not a problem 6-12 inches would be. The snow will freeze and get even heavier. Spa cover's are only supported at the outer edges. Therefore there is no support in the middle of the cover. So you have to be diligent about not putting anything heavy on the cover.

 The cover is there to keep the heat in and the rain and snow out, not to be a shelf for your flower pots, or a bed for your animals: When anything too heavy rests on the vinyl it can crack the inner core of the cover. This is a foam core with a thin protective wrap around it and when that wrap is penetrated(broken from weight) the exposed foam starts to absorb the moisture of the water from underneath or on top. As this absorption continues the foam gets heavier and heavier until you can't lift up the cover.

 If you have a cover lifter installed on your spa, this can do major damage to the lifter. I have seen the wind blow open a waterlogged cover and snap the metal lifter arms and tear the spa skirting right off the spa.

So what have we learned so far? A spa cover has an average life span of 3-5 years. Do not use your spa cover as a storage spot and do not let snow build up on top. You can extend this life with just a little care and maintenance.


Every 6 months or so you should clean the vinyl and add a new coating of protectant to give your cover the protection from the sun that it needs. So if you notice that your cover is a lot heavier than it used to be, you probably should be thinking of replacing it before more damage is done.

Until next time......