When it comes to swim spa accessories, you’ll find you have an abundance of choices. There are the functional accessories such as skimmer nets and vacuum systems and then there are the exercise add ons such as the underwater treadmill or the rowing kit. You might even splash out for a Bluetooth stereo or a mood lighting system. But the one accessory that might not have as much cachet is the swim spa cover. Some people might even ask, “Do swim spas have covers?” but the answer is a resounding yes. They should not be overlooked as they play many important roles in the maintenance, safety, and efficient operation of swim spas. To learn about the importance of a swim spa cover, read on.
Water Purity
Keeping your water clean is one of the most important maintenance procedures associated with owning a swim spa. Neglecting this vital measure can, at best, result in dirty, cloudy, and stinky water and, at worst, leave you with a downright dangerous brew of bacteria. While keeping the water uncontaminated is a relatively simple process, it’s smart to take advantage of any help you can get. Employing a cover when the swim spa isn’t being used will make a huge difference in maintaining the water quality. It will keep out falling leaves, insects, dust, and other debris that will affect the water chemistry and cleanliness. Regular use of the swim spa cover will reduce the amount of cleaning that you need to do.
Energy Efficiency
Although swim spas are much smaller than full-sized swimming pools, they still have enough surface area to allow quick loss of water heat. Although your water heater will be powerful enough to maintain the desired temperature level in any weather, running it unnecessarily when the swim spa isn’t being used will simply run up your energy bills. Avoiding this is a simple matter of replacing the cover whenever the swim spa isn’t being used. This is especially important in the winter as any ice formation can damage the plumbing system. Save yourself some money by using your swim spa cover during any downtime.
Evaporation
Not only will an uncovered swim spa lose heat, but it will also lose water due to evaporation. This can be a problem during the summer when the temperatures are high and the sun is shining, but also during the winter when the humidity levels are typically lower. Aside from simply lowering your water level, evaporation also affects the water chemistry balance. By replacing the cover whenever the swim spa isn’t being used you can greatly reduce the rate of evaporation.
Security
Swim spas can be especially attractive to young children, teenagers and animals, but they should only be able to use the swim spa with your express permission. Many swim spa covers are lockable and will help prevent unwanted access when it’s not being used or you’re away on holidays. Increase your peace of mind with a tight-fitting, lockable swim spa cover.
Swim Spa Cover Lifters
Although swim spas are known for their compact size, removing and replacing a swim spa cover can be a big job. Depending on its size and configuration it might actually require more than one person to get it on and off. To help with this operation there are many types of swim spa cover lifters on the market. There are many different types of cover lifters for solid covers ranging from manual to automatic. If you don’t consider yourself strong enough or won’t always have help to remove and replace the cover, you might consider adding a cover lifter to your accessory list.
To learn more about swim spa covers, download a free buyer’s guide today.