We frequently get the question from clients when ordering a hot tub cover, about the skirt/flap of the cover. “What is the purpose of the flap and exactly how do can they measure the flap?” Well, here at BeyondNice we would like to shed some light on why a cover would need a skirt/flap and how to measure for the correct skirt length for your cover.

 

Hot tub covers skirt length is 2.5 inches and should have been more like 3.5 inches

 

The purpose of that flap, or what is also called the skirt of the cover, is to protect the outer acrylic lip of the hot tub from weather damage. The skirt works as a protective flap helping to prevent UV damage from the sun and weather damage from snow and sleet to the acrylic outer lip of the tub. It also helps to keep wind from getting under the cover and blowing it off, and helps to keep dirt from blowing into the hot tub.

 

We recommend always measuring the skirt from the bottom of the foam down to the bottom of the flap, if you are measuring the cover. You should not include the foam in this measurement. If you are measuring the actual hot tub instead, the BeyondNice recommends measuring the outer lip of the acrylic from the top down to the bottom of the acrylic and then rounding up about a half inch.

 

We recommend always measuring the skirt from the bottom of the foam down to the bottom of the flap, if you are measuring the cover. You should not include the foam in this measurement. If you are measuring the actual hot tub instead, the BeyondNice recommends measuring the outer lip of the acrylic from the top down to the bottom of the acrylic and then rounding up about a half inch.

 

For spas that have an outer cabinet that extends out from the acrylic lip of the tub, the skirt should hang straight down to just touch the cabinet top. If you order your skirt too long in this case, it will bunch up and be more likely to get caught under the top.

 

Another option if you have an outer cabinet would be to have the cover made larger to match the size of the cabinet and then have the skirt hang down further to enclose the top of the cabinet. This approach would also help the cabinet to stay protected from weathering as well. If you choose this approach, you will need to mindful of how much of an overhang you will have on the cover. When ordering the cover larger you will have the risk of someone carelessly sitting on the edge of the cover and breaking the foam inside, as the foam extends beyond the support of the acrylic lip.

 

Many clients think that ordering a longer skirt may help increase the insulation of the cover. This may seem like it would work, however, that is not the case. The insulation seal is made by the weight of the cover sitting on the top of the hot tub lip - where the spa cover bottom meets the acrylic. Since the skirt is outside this seal, it plays no role in insulating. The way that the skirt can affect the insulation, is by getting caught under the cover when closing it, breaking the seal of the spa cover. This will cause heat loss until the skirt is pulled out.

 

To avoid this, we recommend ordering your cover with split corner skirts to allow for easier closing and to help keep the skirt from folding under the cover.