For over a year we have been using a few pieces of rigid insulation to try and hold some of the heat in on our hot tub. They have broken and warped and really seem to just serve to keep the leaves out.
A few weeks ago we finally bit the bullet and ordered a hot tub cover online. It was a little pricier than most of the rest that i found but this one is custom built for our tub. We specified the radius of the rounded corners and the position and length of the tie down straps among other features. They ship for free (within the lower 48 of course) so i had it delivered to AML in Seattle and only had to pay $45 or so for the freight to here.
It definitely seals and insulates far better than our insulation panels. It looks a lot better too. The top even has a slight taper from the center to help drain water (a portion of the tub is not covered). Since we usually just use one half of the spa opening and closing it will be pretty easy. We hope to see a fair amount of savings on our utility cost with this purchase. And as a bonus it dresses up the entrance to the apartment nicely.
