I don’t have a hot tub, nor any intention of buying one. But, I still watched this anyway and found it very interesting! As is often the case with DIY, you pick up things all the time and you never know when that knowledge will come in handy! Many thanks as always Charlie for the top quality content.
I really enjoyed all your videos, I would suggest to fill up the old and useless inflatable lid with expanded foam, Hope to give you a light for a new project 😊
I have an inflatable, hot tub that I haven’t set up yet. Because I am still investigating how to insulate it for my deck, which is more like a Florida sunroom. So your video is been very helpful. as part of my original set up, I will be including insulation, top and bottom and probably figuring out some way of insulating the outside of the hot tub as well. Thanks again.
You're welcome. I'll be doing an update on the lid. It's survived very well but for a truly insulated lid you need to dispense with the skirt as it limits the size you can make the lid to and make a shamfered PIR cover as per the image I showed in the vid of the PIR before I had to start cutting it down to fit on the skirt.
I filled mine with expanding foam, I enlarged the holes where the air was coming out, got a my foam gun with a long flexible hose. Worked a treat no more flat lid.
Not sure how many tins, think it was 6 or 7 tins. The gun is one Iv had for a long time it’s very similar to the one screwfix sell now, no nonsense foam gun. If your buying one for this job make sure you get the cleaner as well as this makes cleaning the gun simple and effective meaning the gun can be reused.
Thanks for the video. I did mine a month ago on a Maldives Lay Z Spa. I used 50mm and rather than taping the join on both sides I sealed all edges and then taped the top edge and so the lid could fold back on itself. Deliberately did not use the inner liner. Easy to add water treatment and less risk of damage when removing storing and putting back on. It sits on top of the sides with a very good seal.👍
Awesome Video. My Bestway Tub lid is still holding air. When it fails to do so, I will definitely go with this option. The only downside to the default lid that I see right now is that the inflatable aspect sits in the tub below the rim. When it rains... I have a puddle in the lid. I also believe that the lid is not water tight at the stitching because I've noticed my water level has raised in the tub after a significant rainfall. If I have the energy and extra money, I might just do this before the inflatable fails for the obvious reasons. Thanks for the great video.
@@TinyGoHomes When there are more holes than vinyl it's time to give up. I've also used the correct vinyl repair glue but it never works for long. The airless insert idea is far superior!
I was speaking to a penguin the other day and said to it about the cover on top of the hot tub. he told me that the reason why these inflatable covers keep getting holes in is because of chemical and PH imbalance which reacts with the material🤗. Which makes total sense because since getting a new inflatable hot tub and deciding to use UV filtration and sodium percarbonate. it seems I've not had a problem with the cover and filter changes are becoming less frequent
Hi ,just done my hexagonal tub , like you did . Used 100mm thick panel, difficult to work out the proper shape as I didn't have the inflatable Bladder to copy . Definitely a two man lifting process otherwise I nearly folded the 2 half panels I to each other, family accidentally turned off the heater from plug and I've just checked the temperature, very impressive its lost only 4 degrees in about 8 hrs I think . So this idea definitely works but a little struggle to place the cover, also mine is hitting the water.
Just make sure not to use the foil in the middle particularly if it's hitting the water as it will react with the chlorine. I bought some clear Gorilla tape and applied that on top of the foil. It stops it oxidizing or whatever the chlorine is making it do.
@@CharlieDIYte thankyou for replying, I've just bought the round inflatable Bladder and placed that on the water, it seems to do the job in keeping the panel off the water and also lifts it a little to stop rain collecting.
Nice job Charlie and I am sure it is a better thermal performance than the lilo. I reckon cutting the skirt out is probably the easier solution. Btw I would never have a hot tub. We have a Bath and I use it once a year wether I need it or not.👍
Thanks Norman, and good to hear from you. Ha! This is like a bath in the garden 365 days a year, with the temperature the family insist on keeping it at 🤦🏻♂️
I am thinking of putting pool noodles into the inflatable lid that seems to float in top of the water anyway… but going to look into the PIR insulation you talked about - thank you 👍
I have the same tub (6 months old). Leaking slowly but not a huge issue yet, but it does collect water, sags, and not holding in heat as well as it should. I also couldn’t find a replacement lid available in the US. If I get brave enough, I’ll try a DIY lid like yours. Thanks for posting!
Absolutely brilliant video have a lazy spar Helsinki been there Patch after Patch at those stupid semi circular designer error outer seems! thought it was just a one off and I had a dud apparently not! Own an £8 air mattress from Wilco's after 6 years off being jumped on by the kids not sign of a leak! How can they not be held accountable? years ago we had trading standards. The irony is the actual Hot Tub is fine....
I just cut the 100mm insulation to the width of the hot tub and glued a inner circle with spray foam to it underneath to give it extra insulation , glued with underfloor rubber backed underlay using spray foam again as found this the best fix !! put the cover over the top of it and it works a treat !
Can you elaborate a bit? I am very interested in doing this but get lost when you mention a inner circle of rubber underlay with spray foam… Do you mean that you have a 100mm insulation board sitting on top of the sides of the tub and then glued a rubber smaller circle that sits on the bottom that is the diameter of the inner walls? Thx
You're welcome. Credit where credit's due, my friend 👍🏻 Kind of wishing I had done it your way though. That extra circumference would have made it even better.
I have found the BEST way to patch holes is with 3M sealant. Find the hole, make sure its dry and apply. You do NOT have to totally deflate to apply but is MUST not be fully inflated. It is so thick when applied the leaking air will not push through the applied sealant. The patch kit that comes with your inflatable tub should be thrown straight in the trash. I've never had a leak restart wherever i've applied it.
Well made video. Thanks for the idea. My first inflatable (Coleman Bahamas) should arrive on Tuesday. Apologies if someone mentioned this already, but I would consider maximizing the top diameter of the foam, and then cutting a straight, 45 degree +- angle to the bottom of the board, thereby making a type of "plug" or "stopper". This would effectively close the gaps on the sides, as you would achieve more surface area. In essence, the foam sides would be shaped like "7", not ">". This would also eliminate any shaping, and the dimensions would not be so critical. I would also consider creating a larger angle on one side, thereby forcing the cover to tilt. Although this will not look quite symmetrical, it should effectively pitch the cover slightly, so most water will roll off to the side and reduce puddling. Also, aluminum is easily corroded by calcium hypochlorite, etc., so i would consider a non-metallic duct tape for the center, and seal the foam edges with some sort of roll-on sealer, spray sealer, etc. I have not researched any options, but I am relatively sure there are some non-marring options that will not effect the plasticizer in the vinyl sides. -------------------- The easier option... I have seen 2" blue foam-board without any metallic surfaces, so that would probably be best. That foam is bonded with a thin layer of some type of clear plastic sheeting, which should not impact the vinyl when sitting on top of the tub. So, I may simply go this easy route, and use this 2" blue solid foam board cut with simple 90 degree sides, just slightly larger than the diameter of the peak around the circumference of the tub, and ignore the skirt completely. When ready to uncover, simply remove the cover, then remove the foam, in 2 separate operations. This would avoid any gluing, or complicated / damaging cover modifications. Maybe you or someone else can expand on these ideas!
Thanks, all valid comments. I started with the angled edges but unfortunately I couldn't get the cover back into the skirt so then began the process of gradually reducing it in size. I agree, dispense with the skirt and you have a much better solution. A bit of a pain though each time you want to use it to have you remove two separate components. I'll look into the blue foam though.👍
I have this dilemma too with my hot tub inflatable. I have had to blow it up repeatedly. Now I see from your video the problem areas for leaks I will have a look to see if I can do a repair/repairs. Thank you.
Linda if you do what I did, put transparent gorilla tape on top of the foil tape in the middle to stop it reacting with the chlorine. Also you'll achieve a more comprehensive job cutting off the skirt but then you'll have the PIR board and cover separate.
You're welcome. The trick is to buy it out of season. That way you can get one at normal retail prices as opposed to the inflated prices you have to pay when everyone hoovers them up and then sticks them on eBay 👍🏻
@@CharlieDIYte I feel this. I wanted one at the start of lockdown, unfortunately so did everyone else. The cheapest I could find was £650 and I just couldn't bring myself to part with that sort of money. I so waited in case one popped up cheaper. A year later when the hype had died down I bought one for £310. Staggering difference!
I personally have the Coleman Saluspa Ibiza with the classic Bestway pump. However, most of all the hotub brands are the exact same so this review goes for ALL of them. Here's my brutally honest review of my inflatable hot tub.
Not sure if this is in the comments but a good replacement is the best way inflatable watermelon. Fits perfectly into the lid and is only £25 on amazon.
I'm sure somebody must have mentioned this already but you could cut the inner pocket in 2 or 3 places, insert the insulation board and then sew up the inner pocket again.
I'm not sure how durable that would be as the material would fray I think. In hindsight I should have ditched the skirt and made the insulation a bit bigger.
for anyone doing this in future, you should cut it into 3+ parts to fit into the skirt. the two ends and a middle section. when you put it into the skirt you can fit the 2 ends into place no problem which will leave a middle chunk missing which you can fill with the 3rd piece. you'll need to dissasemble to remove it though
Good point, and I think maybe the approach is to not try to stick them together as this causes issues with the PIR foil tearing. If they're squeezed in under pressure, sticking then together shouldn't be necessary..I found the foil tape tarnished so clear gorilla tape is a better solution.
I agree. Mine is now 1/8 full of water because it get’s condensation inside and you can’t empty it out. Shame as the rest of the tub is really good quality overall. I have the Vancouver model. I think the more expensive ones should come with a better lid.
The new lid is working well but it needs clear Gorilla tape in the centre seam because the foil tape reacts with the chlorine. If I did this again I'd probably ditch the skirt so I could make the PIR a bit wider but you do then have the hassle of two covers to remove each time. It's much more efficient to heat though
2:54 -> cyanoacrylate glue (superglue) won’t hold up on inflatable rubbers or plastics. As soon as you add any air to it or it bends, the seal will crack and let air through as CA glue dries hard. A flexible waterproof glue is needed, E6000 works good, I’ve used it on inflatable paddle boards and it’s held up for over 2 years now.
My advice would be make the insulation a bit bigger and don't worry about the skirt. Also that foil tape does corrode with the chlorine so a plastic alternative would be advisable. 👍
As an engineer and a designer I would say this modification increases freeze protection and increases the efficacy of the device in general, increasing the longevity of all of the parts. Tip o the hat sir! Now I know what I'm going to do. For all the lay men that don't have to worry about Frost hotter water quicker cheaper. And it's cheaper.
Thanks Derrick. If I was doing this again I would have cut the skirt off. That way you can achieve a total air tight seal by making it a bit wider - downside is you have to find a way of keeping it attached to the cover unless you treat them as two separate entities. Also, use clear Gorilla tape not foil in the middle as the chlorine tarnishes the foil and I think messes up the treatment of the water (just my hunch).
@@CharlieDIYte original cover 🙌🏻. To be fair it’s under cover (clear roof sheets). So doesn’t get smashed with weather :) Will definitely keep your idea in my pocket though 🤙🏻
I just got my new St Moritz delivered this weekend and to my shock the next morning not even 24 hours old my lid had deflated over night a brand new product, now that is taking the biscuit.
Yes I'm afraid those inflatable lids are terrible. The rest of the tub is bullet proof. Mine still going strong after 3 years with 1 small puncture I had to fix.
You're very welcome Asta. Thanks for the comment. If you do something similar go with a clear Gorilla style tape in the middle as the foil tape tarnishes.
Superglue is really bad for those repairs because it’s brittle, and just cracks to create new leak channels. You want AirStop glue. Way more durable for vinyl appliances like the hot tub and air mattresses, and doesn’t even require a patch - you just build new vinyl over the hole with the airstop. Though in those corners, you should keep your strategy and just swap in airstop. Those sharp stress concentrations are pretty bad. my older intex spa uses concentric sections that don’t have any sharp corners to tear.
I do not recommend using foil tape. That tape is meant for taking duct work which is not exposed to heated chemical water. I used that foil tape on my lid and just after a month it was dissolving. That left a lot of residue in my tub but also are away at the tape making removal in order to replace the tape very difficult. I would recommend using a tarp tape Wich has better resistance to the elements.
Thanks for this advice and it seems to have worked out very well for me.. I have a square 1.8m lazy spa Hawaii and the inflatable lid developed two holes. I used the jablite polystyrene board which was £35 from B&Q and a single sheet was enough in three pieces taped together as in your video. I carved the sides in a slope of about 70 degrees so that the new 'lid' sits slightly proud of the tub so there is an air gap underneath and no rain collects on top. I did not try and make the new lid to fit inside the fabric cover which just rolls back seperately. I reckon I am saving £1 to £2 per day and the temperature of the tub often gets to 1 degree above what the gauge is set to.
I just tried something and it worked! I used my existing leaky cover, I took two cans of spray foam, and filled it up through the valve hole, worked perfectly will last a lifetime!! be careful not to over fill!!
@@CharlieDIYte yes but took me 15 cans! i regret that, but once i started i had to finish! i had to cut small mini holes to fill everything in the different chambers, but it worked and floats great! keep the holes on the top, not the bottom.
I used to have an intex inflatable hot tub and the top never got punctured but it did become heavy from water. I believe the water was from condensation but it was a big pain for about 5 years to get the water out.
Yes I have a lazy spa Bali and my lid has water in but no puncture it's coming up to 3 years old now had 2 winters outside I made something very similar out of 50mm insulation board but sat the board on top to try and stop the water pooling on top of the cover it worked not perfect but stopped most of he rain pooling. My only problem is the top edges have misshaped in two places. The inflatable lid has now curved inwards so I have turned it over and it's now sat perfect like a dome on top. When the lid finally gives up I will definitely make one out of insulation board such a great idea
Thanks for that. Very interesting. I think I'll go for the separate board cover option, but will definitely seal the edges with foil like you did. Possibly with a smaller square of board in the centre to tent the cover.
That's wise Alex as mine does have a tiny gap because of the issue of fitting it in the skirt. Also the central foil tape needs clear Gorilla tape to stop it reacting with the chlorine. Other than that it's working a treat 👍
I love Lay Z Spas, I baught a Lay Z Spa Santorini hydrojet pro in March of this year and the spa itself is amazing, but the lid is horrible, within weeks it bulged and needed more air every few weeks, over time it bulged unevenly and was lopsided so yesterday I tightened the straps and the next morning the lid completely deflated, I give the Santorini 5 stars, but I give the lid 0 stars
I've had a lazy spa Monaco for the last 7 years and fortunately for me haven't experienced the leaking lid problem although is does need reinflating every couple of weeks (no holes though). I probably would have climbed inside the tub, marked the internal diameter on the boards and added a bit. I suspect that probably wouldn't have gone any better and the tub would have had to have been empty too...
Thanks John. If you do one of these use clear Gorilla tape in the middle as the chlorine makes the aluminium tape tarnish in time. The aluminium is fine around the edges though
I've thought about buying a big sheet of ply wood and cutting a circle out the same diameter as the hot tub so it sits on the top and completely seals it. Obviously paint it too with waterproof paint. The weight of the wood would create a good seal and it wouldn't be a problem when it rains. The only drawback is the weight, it may take 2 people to take it off and on. Just wondered if you considered this before going down the route you chose? Great video though buddy! 👍
You need the insulation though mate and yes the weight would be a problem. When I first started trimming that PIR board I had a shamfered edge that sat beautifully on the top, sealing it completely, but I had to keep reducing it to get it into the skirt. It's neater the way I've done it but you do get a bit of heat leakage out of the small gaps around the edge. Might have been better to ditch the skirt in hindsight. If you need to join the PIR like I did with that tape, clear Gorilla tape is better as that foil tape reacted with the chlorine.
I did this and the chlorine destroyed the foil and left an absolute grim film of stuff in the water. I wouldn't do this again as it wasted a lot of time and money. I would say the option might be to wrap the foam in clingfilm? This might be an idea but leaving the foil on the surface of the water was not a great idea.
Awesome video Charlie. Could you not have put a hinge on the top of board in the middle to allow the lid to be folded over to allow easy access and then maybe tape down the joints in the middle joint? Just wondering.
Nice idea but the problem is it's hard to fix into the foam. You'd need to bolt through but you want to minimise any metal in there, because of the chlorine.
@@CharlieDIYte You could use nylon bolts/nuts. I imagine there are non-metal hinges you can get as well. Having a hinged top would be nice if you just want to hop in yourself and leave the cover half open.
Hi, I'm considering using your DIY lay z spa lid idea, but I was just wondering how well it has aged. Has the PIR insulation got damp at all? Or has it lasted well?
I have been thinking about building a replacement lid with a solar water heater built onto the top of it. I live in the south of Spain so at the moment the water temperature without being heated is between 30 and 33 degrees most days I was hoping to raise that by 5 degrees with a black hose coil and water being pumped round it with a 12v bilge pump. Any ideas or can you foresee any snags?
Sounds ingenious Warren. I suppose the question is whether the hose would get hot enough to heat a continuous flow of water 🤔 Worth a try though. Let me know how you get on.
Helpful video, my hexagonal tub has no inflatable part ,so I'm liking your idea of the boards , does anyone know what the savings are with the energy Bill's.
Ive watched the video before and ive fome back because i keep thinking about it, do you know if you found your electric bill went down slightly with the added insulation? I am really considering doing it and if it does i think i will for sure 🙂
I would say not practical as you'd need too much expanding foam, chances are you wouldn't get it into all the extremities of the lid, and assuming you did manage to fill it, you'd be back to the same problem of fitting it into the skirt, albeit you'd probably fill it in situ, but would then never be able to remove it.
@@CharlieDIYte how about fitting expanding foam into the inflatable? Whilst already fitted into the skirt Hopefully someone has tried this so I don't have to 😃
How about when you put the pir board in to the skirt you dont fill the whole thing leave a 1 to 2 inch gap but before you put the pir boards in use expanding foam all round the inside of the skirt THEN put the pir boards in then put the lid in to the hot tub clip it all in to place and let the expanding foam fill the inside of the skirt and make a tight seal inside the hot tub might even put some down the join of the two pir boards once it all set cut the excess off . Cover it all with plastic waterproof tape .
I don't think it would work around the skirt in that it wouldn't expand in a uniform fashion. A better idea would be to do what you suggest but insert a large foam sleeve like you get with packing around the edge or make the board oversized to the skirt but a better fit to the hot tub and cut a slither out in the middle to allow you to get the PIR into the skirt which you could then fill with expanding foam, trim flush and cover with the tape. The tape incidentally needs to be clear waterproof or similar rather than that foil tape as the foil does react with the chlorine. I use a clear Gorilla tape now.
@@CharlieDIYte hi but you won't see it as it be inside under the lid even if you trimmed the over spill it once it's set it still would fill to the exact fill of the hot tub closing all gaps all you need to do it when you fit the lid back on after use you put it back in the same place just mark one set of croc clips an make sure they are the ones you always use . B&Q sell a light blue waterproof tape and 100% guarantee its sticky called DEE M ARK says line marking inside the tube an wow you really have to pull this stuff to get it off the roll .
Wondering if it would be possible to fill the (leaking) inflatable lid insert with expanding foam 🤔 at 6ish quid a can for bog standard Scr3wf1x stuff it could be a cheaper option which also does away with measuring, cutting, taping etc.
Anyone able to tell me how much it costs to run one of these in the UK in 2024 and impactful ways to get the costs down? All info seems to be from hot tub sales companies!
Nice. I have the saggy cover problem and will give this a go. I want to use my hot tub in the winter, any thoughts how I could insulate the bottom? And would it be practical? Would love you to make a vid 👍
So I keep mine running all year round. I started with the Lay-Z-Spa mat, then added a 1 inch PIR board below the mat but as you'll see in this video ruclips.net/video/ZOQ2L1TMayc/видео.html it makes a mess of the deck so I've now give back to the mat.
@@vermo42 I did the very same the shop wanted £35 for 1 pack an as I had the 6 person I didnt think one would do so I went to home bargains an like you bought kids play mats 12 in a pack for £5 I bought 3 packs and had plenty even space to stand while getting in an out the tub and sitting on the floor is very soft and comfortable.
Hi, do you feel you absolutely need the rigidity of PIR board, and accept the cost, or could you save a lot on costs abd use Jablite / polystyrene board instead?
That's a decent shout. Doesn't have the reflective foil on it and might not be so easy to tool but worth a go. I suppose the issue is whether you can get tape to stick to it - which you'll need to join the pieces.
I am trying since January to get a warranty replacement for my St. Moritz but Bestway is shocking. Can’t even buy them as they are out of stock for a year now.
But you can no longer fold it up and put it away in a box. You’re left large, solid sections of insulation. You then need somewhere to store it. Part of the draw for people with these hot tubs is that you can fold it up and put it away easily when it’s not being used in the winter.
I see your point, but this is an issue for Bestway to resolve not me - as you saw, 12 puncture repairs and it's still leaking. Mine stays out all year round. I have nowhere to put it without it being eaten by rodents and it's used continuously throughout the year.
Sorry to say this is a good job, the board will break down and leak an oily residue into the tub. It took me two years to get it out of my tub. It also blocked up two of the Jets.
That's what Paul did and I don't think he's had any problems with it. I guess it's just a very final solution and if for any reason you wanted to replace it, you'd have a bit of a mess on your hands. But then this presupposes the tub itself is going to last more thana few years....
As Charlie mentioned - this was the approach I used and it was a much simpler process. Cut off the skirt, cut the board to the required size (the edge of mine sits on the centre of the inflatable part). I used evo stik sticks like **** as the bonding agent and sealed the foam edges of the board with foil tape which, like Charlie mentioned, did discolour with the chlorine but has lasted well apart from that. I managed to get some non-perfect board and made mine in 2 halves. I then had some spare to double up the thickness in the centre. I used much thinner kingspan (which is what I had) but is double thick in the centre.
A few people have said in the Comments that they've done this. I can't see how it can work in terms of piping enough into the extremities but they say it does ...
100mm. It's nice to keep the skirt but you can get a better seal by getting rid of it which means you can angle the PIR and make it bigger. Also use clear Gorilla tape in the middle join not foil as foil tarnishes.
Thanks Jimmy. Yes I'm sure you could. It was only because 100mm was similar to the inflated thickness of the original, although a thinner board might be easier to get into the skirt, meaning you could make it a little wider. Someone's suggested XPS foam board would be better, in terms of resisting moisture long term, so you should maybe look into that as an option too.
I would be interested to know if the new lid helps keep the temperature hotter for longer. Even though my lid is okay (for the moment). I have been thinking of replacing it for economical purposes to see if I could save a few quid on the electric bill
Tempted by this for this reason, even though the lid on my new hot tub is still in good nick! The last one really wasn’t so expecting to have to replace at some point.
@@CharlieDIYte Why would the original retain any heat? Its just a bag of air. If you remove it, you still have air. There's no thermal advantage to this inflatable at all as far as I can tell?
Has anyone tried filling the original inflatable thing with expanding foam? Ive been toying with that as an idea for a while but not had the guts to test it out yet!
How well do you think similar 50mm/2 inch insulation foam would do vs the original inflatable cover? Finding 50mm/2 inch foam much easier here in the states, and envisioning making a foldable cover with some moisture insulation around the foam
Im curious if you made your cover ? I am on my 4th inflatable cover in 18 months and quite tired of this game. I also could not find anything thicker than 2" board here in the states. I am thinking of using the 2" to basically set on the top of the hot tub and then just throw the liner/cover over it. Will be separate but may be easier even though it means taking on/off two "covers". I've also thought about trying to construct something with pool noddles, bubble solar cover or an "envelope" filled with packing peanuts but I haven't quite engineered anything yet.
A few people have said that. I can't see how you'd get it into all the corners though (one guy said he used a long tube) or for that matter how many tins you'd need
@@CharlieDIYte as it's already punctuated, it won't hurt to put a few more strategic holes in to suit, half a dozen cans should be plenty and a lot cheaper
Interesting video, thanks. Just got my St Moritz, so hopefully the lid will be ok. Been debating getting some pallets and using a jigsaw to create a scandi style surround for it, with insulation between it and the tub. Has anyone tried this, or a good idea for you to video @charlie DIYte??
I don't think you'll get much heat leakage through the sides. I certainly haven't. If you're building anything I'd build an insulated base and it's through that inflatable lid that you'll lose most heat.
@@CharlieDIYte Put it on foam matting, and was more thinking of the surround from a visual point of view, but then thought I could make it a bit of an added benefit by doing that.
This is nice, but a lot of work and very expensive. I have the same 5-7 person St. Moritz and would cost me in the US over $125 for the materials assuming I didn't mess it up, which is very slim, for a tub I bought for $400. If it's within warranty the company will send you a new inflatable lid. Even if it hasn't failed yet, you can just say it has and get a backup for when it will undoubtedly fail. Register your warranty online and submit a claim online.
I don’t have a hot tub, nor any intention of buying one. But, I still watched this anyway and found it very interesting! As is often the case with DIY, you pick up things all the time and you never know when that knowledge will come in handy! Many thanks as always Charlie for the top quality content.
Thanks, I really appreciate that 👍🏻
I really enjoyed all your videos, I would suggest to fill up the old and useless inflatable lid with expanded foam, Hope to give you a light for a new project 😊
I have an inflatable, hot tub that I haven’t set up yet. Because I am still investigating how to insulate it for my deck, which is more like a Florida sunroom. So your video is been very helpful. as part of my original set up, I will be including insulation, top and bottom and probably figuring out some way of insulating the outside of the hot tub as well. Thanks again.
You're welcome. I'll be doing an update on the lid. It's survived very well but for a truly insulated lid you need to dispense with the skirt as it limits the size you can make the lid to and make a shamfered PIR cover as per the image I showed in the vid of the PIR before I had to start cutting it down to fit on the skirt.
I filled mine with expanding foam, I enlarged the holes where the air was coming out, got a my foam gun with a long flexible hose. Worked a treat no more flat lid.
I am considering the same, What foam gun and foam did you use?
That's really interesting How many tins of foam did you need to fill that?
Not sure how many tins, think it was 6 or 7 tins. The gun is one Iv had for a long time it’s very similar to the one screwfix sell now, no nonsense foam gun. If your buying one for this job make sure you get the cleaner as well as this makes cleaning the gun simple and effective meaning the gun can be reused.
You filled the inflatable lid with foam while stuffed inside the vinyl cover? Interesting. But I guess it's permanently wedged in the cover now...?
How's the foam holding up? Spray foam isn't really waterproof over time do I'm curious
Thanks for the video. I did mine a month ago on a Maldives Lay Z Spa. I used 50mm and rather than taping the join on both sides I sealed all edges and then taped the top edge and so the lid could fold back on itself. Deliberately did not use the inner liner. Easy to add water treatment and less risk of damage when removing storing and putting back on. It sits on top of the sides with a very good seal.👍
Any chance you could send some pics? I tried to make one for my Maldives using the inner liner and it was useless!
I would like to see this also.
Hi Simon, did you attach your insulation to the original cover?
Awesome Video. My Bestway Tub lid is still holding air. When it fails to do so, I will definitely go with this option. The only downside to the default lid that I see right now is that the inflatable aspect sits in the tub below the rim. When it rains... I have a puddle in the lid. I also believe that the lid is not water tight at the stitching because I've noticed my water level has raised in the tub after a significant rainfall. If I have the energy and extra money, I might just do this before the inflatable fails for the obvious reasons. Thanks for the great video.
Using the right vinyl glue when sealing holes is the game changer. Light fast dry layers. 🤛
That wasn't the problem. Had a great vinyl glue but as fast as I was fixing them, new ones would appear.
@@CharlieDIYteI did every seam twice
@@TinyGoHomes
When there are more holes than vinyl it's time to give up. I've also used the correct vinyl repair glue but it never works for long.
The airless insert idea is far superior!
I was speaking to a penguin the other day and said to it about the cover on top of the hot tub. he told me that the reason why these inflatable covers keep getting holes in is because of chemical and PH imbalance which reacts with the material🤗.
Which makes total sense because since getting a new inflatable hot tub and deciding to use UV filtration and sodium percarbonate. it seems I've not had a problem with the cover and filter changes are becoming less frequent
Great information and you're absolutely right too; they can't even hold air and stay inflated because of the holes you demonstrated.
Hi ,just done my hexagonal tub , like you did . Used 100mm thick panel, difficult to work out the proper shape as I didn't have the inflatable Bladder to copy . Definitely a two man lifting process otherwise I nearly folded the 2 half panels I to each other, family accidentally turned off the heater from plug and I've just checked the temperature, very impressive its lost only 4 degrees in about 8 hrs I think . So this idea definitely works but a little struggle to place the cover, also mine is hitting the water.
Just make sure not to use the foil in the middle particularly if it's hitting the water as it will react with the chlorine. I bought some clear Gorilla tape and applied that on top of the foil. It stops it oxidizing or whatever the chlorine is making it do.
@@CharlieDIYte thankyou for replying, I've just bought the round inflatable Bladder and placed that on the water, it seems to do the job in keeping the panel off the water and also lifts it a little to stop rain collecting.
Fill your old inflatable lid with expanding foam job done
Nice job Charlie and I am sure it is a better thermal performance than the lilo. I reckon cutting the skirt out is probably the easier solution. Btw I would never have a hot tub. We have a Bath and I use it once a year wether I need it or not.👍
Thanks Norman, and good to hear from you. Ha! This is like a bath in the garden 365 days a year, with the temperature the family insist on keeping it at 🤦🏻♂️
I am thinking of putting pool noodles into the inflatable lid that seems to float in top of the water anyway… but going to look into the PIR insulation you talked about - thank you 👍
Noodles will keep it off the water but won't stop the leaks.
I just had this same thought last night? Did you try it and did it work? That was my thoughts also. Put the noodles inside the inflatable lid.
I have the same tub (6 months old). Leaking slowly but not a huge issue yet, but it does collect water, sags, and not holding in heat as well as it should. I also couldn’t find a replacement lid available in the US. If I get brave enough, I’ll try a DIY lid like yours. Thanks for posting!
Absolutely brilliant video have a lazy spar Helsinki been there Patch after Patch at those stupid semi circular designer error outer seems! thought it was just a one off and I had a dud apparently not! Own an £8 air mattress from Wilco's after 6 years off being jumped on by the kids not sign of a leak! How can they not be held accountable? years ago we had trading standards. The irony is the actual Hot Tub is fine....
I just cut the 100mm insulation to the width of the hot tub and glued a inner circle with spray foam to it underneath to give it extra insulation , glued with underfloor rubber backed underlay using spray foam again as found this the best fix !! put the cover over the top of it and it works a treat !
Can you elaborate a bit? I am very interested in doing this but get lost when you mention a inner circle of rubber underlay with spray foam… Do you mean that you have a 100mm insulation board sitting on top of the sides of the tub and then glued a rubber smaller circle that sits on the bottom that is the diameter of the inner walls? Thx
Thanks for the shout out Charlie!
You're welcome. Credit where credit's due, my friend 👍🏻 Kind of wishing I had done it your way though. That extra circumference would have made it even better.
I have found the BEST way to patch holes is with 3M sealant. Find the hole, make sure its dry and apply. You do NOT have to totally deflate to apply but is MUST not be fully inflated. It is so thick
when applied the leaking air will not push through the applied sealant. The patch kit that comes with your inflatable tub should be thrown straight in the trash. I've never had a leak restart wherever i've applied it.
Great solution to this problem pal … just burst my lid too ‘ power washing on low setting still ripped through it🤦🏻♂️’…. I’ll try this solution. 👍🏻
Hello charlie from south africa….very informative video for those of you with hot tubs, thank you
Thanks Val. Good to hear from you!
I thought I Saw it here, maybe it was somewhere else. I put a moving Blanket ( 8.99) over the cover and a Tarp over that. Seems to be working well.
My hot tub just came with a fabric lid. I put an air mattess on top to keep snow and rain off.
Good work 👍
Well made video. Thanks for the idea. My first inflatable (Coleman Bahamas) should arrive on Tuesday. Apologies if someone mentioned this already, but I would consider maximizing the top diameter of the foam, and then cutting a straight, 45 degree +- angle to the bottom of the board, thereby making a type of "plug" or "stopper". This would effectively close the gaps on the sides, as you would achieve more surface area. In essence, the foam sides would be shaped like "7", not ">". This would also eliminate any shaping, and the dimensions would not be so critical. I would also consider creating a larger angle on one side, thereby forcing the cover to tilt. Although this will not look quite symmetrical, it should effectively pitch the cover slightly, so most water will roll off to the side and reduce puddling. Also, aluminum is easily corroded by calcium hypochlorite, etc., so i would consider a non-metallic duct tape for the center, and seal the foam edges with some sort of roll-on sealer, spray sealer, etc. I have not researched any options, but I am relatively sure there are some non-marring options that will not effect the plasticizer in the vinyl sides. -------------------- The easier option... I have seen 2" blue foam-board without any metallic surfaces, so that would probably be best. That foam is bonded with a thin layer of some type of clear plastic sheeting, which should not impact the vinyl when sitting on top of the tub. So, I may simply go this easy route, and use this 2" blue solid foam board cut with simple 90 degree sides, just slightly larger than the diameter of the peak around the circumference of the tub, and ignore the skirt completely. When ready to uncover, simply remove the cover, then remove the foam, in 2 separate operations. This would avoid any gluing, or complicated / damaging cover modifications. Maybe you or someone else can expand on these ideas!
Thanks, all valid comments. I started with the angled edges but unfortunately I couldn't get the cover back into the skirt so then began the process of gradually reducing it in size. I agree, dispense with the skirt and you have a much better solution. A bit of a pain though each time you want to use it to have you remove two separate components. I'll look into the blue foam though.👍
@@CharlieDIYte " two separate components" That's how it works for the thinner-walled versions of the layzspa's anyway, I think?
A genius and elegant solution 👌
Thanks Tony. A bit of a niche video but hopefully a few people will find it useful. 👊🏻
I have this dilemma too with my hot tub inflatable. I have had to blow it up repeatedly. Now I see from your video the problem areas for leaks I will have a look to see if I can do a repair/repairs. Thank you.
Linda if you do what I did, put transparent gorilla tape on top of the foil tape in the middle to stop it reacting with the chlorine. Also you'll achieve a more comprehensive job cutting off the skirt but then you'll have the PIR board and cover separate.
Thank you for buying your hot tub 12 months before me so I can learn from your mistakes 😁
You're welcome. The trick is to buy it out of season. That way you can get one at normal retail prices as opposed to the inflated prices you have to pay when everyone hoovers them up and then sticks them on eBay 👍🏻
@@CharlieDIYte I feel this. I wanted one at the start of lockdown, unfortunately so did everyone else. The cheapest I could find was £650 and I just couldn't bring myself to part with that sort of money. I so waited in case one popped up cheaper. A year later when the hype had died down I bought one for £310. Staggering difference!
Probably I'd go with the cutting off the skirt, having now seen both options.
I agree Craig. It's not quite wide enough left in place.
I personally have the Coleman Saluspa Ibiza with the classic Bestway pump. However, most of all the hotub brands are the exact same so this review goes for ALL of them. Here's my brutally honest review of my inflatable hot tub.
Great video thanks
Not sure if this is in the comments but a good replacement is the best way inflatable watermelon. Fits perfectly into the lid and is only £25 on amazon.
OMG, brilliant. TY!
Thank you!! Mine hasnt given up yet, but i saved your video
I'm sure somebody must have mentioned this already but you could cut the inner pocket in 2 or 3 places, insert the insulation board and then sew up the inner pocket again.
I'm not sure how durable that would be as the material would fray I think. In hindsight I should have ditched the skirt and made the insulation a bit bigger.
for anyone doing this in future, you should cut it into 3+ parts to fit into the skirt. the two ends and a middle section. when you put it into the skirt you can fit the 2 ends into place no problem which will leave a middle chunk missing which you can fill with the 3rd piece. you'll need to dissasemble to remove it though
Good point, and I think maybe the approach is to not try to stick them together as this causes issues with the PIR foil tearing. If they're squeezed in under pressure, sticking then together shouldn't be necessary..I found the foil tape tarnished so clear gorilla tape is a better solution.
I agree. Mine is now 1/8 full of water because it get’s condensation inside and you can’t empty it out. Shame as the rest of the tub is really good quality overall. I have the Vancouver model. I think the more expensive ones should come with a better lid.
The new lid is working well but it needs clear Gorilla tape in the centre seam because the foil tape reacts with the chlorine. If I did this again I'd probably ditch the skirt so I could make the PIR a bit wider but you do then have the hassle of two covers to remove each time. It's much more efficient to heat though
Brilliant! Saved for future reference.
Thanks David 👍🏻
2:54 -> cyanoacrylate glue (superglue) won’t hold up on inflatable rubbers or plastics. As soon as you add any air to it or it bends, the seal will crack and let air through as CA glue dries hard. A flexible waterproof glue is needed, E6000 works good, I’ve used it on inflatable paddle boards and it’s held up for over 2 years now.
Thanks. 👍
Awesome. I just bought this hot tub. Looking for ways of keeping it outside in winter and to run it more efficiently.
My advice would be make the insulation a bit bigger and don't worry about the skirt. Also that foil tape does corrode with the chlorine so a plastic alternative would be advisable. 👍
Make up a solar water heater too 🌞
As an engineer and a designer I would say this modification increases freeze protection and increases the efficacy of the device in general, increasing the longevity of all of the parts. Tip o the hat sir! Now I know what I'm going to do. For all the lay men that don't have to worry about Frost hotter water quicker cheaper. And it's cheaper.
Thanks Derrick. If I was doing this again I would have cut the skirt off. That way you can achieve a total air tight seal by making it a bit wider - downside is you have to find a way of keeping it attached to the cover unless you treat them as two separate entities. Also, use clear Gorilla tape not foil in the middle as the chlorine tarnishes the foil and I think messes up the treatment of the water (just my hunch).
Shoe goo and clear glue gels like E6000 glue work good for the holes. But yea insulating it with thicker insulation is genius.
I have found the glue gels to be excellent as well. The patch kit that comes with the tub is useless.
I like the idea what you’ve done, but wondering myself if I should just try expanding phone instead
1 year old mine is still great use it multiple times a week 🤞🏻
The original cover or a DIY replacement?
@@CharlieDIYte original cover 🙌🏻. To be fair it’s under cover (clear roof sheets). So doesn’t get smashed with weather :)
Will definitely keep your idea in my pocket though 🤙🏻
Are you able to comment on what energy savings you got with your foam lid vs the original inflated one? I imagine it would be big?
Thanks.
I just got my new St Moritz delivered this weekend and to my shock the next morning not even 24 hours old my lid had deflated over night a brand new product, now that is taking the biscuit.
Yes I'm afraid those inflatable lids are terrible. The rest of the tub is bullet proof. Mine still going strong after 3 years with 1 small puncture I had to fix.
Thank you so much for this video, well explained and loads information!
You're very welcome Asta. Thanks for the comment. If you do something similar go with a clear Gorilla style tape in the middle as the foil tape tarnishes.
@@CharlieDIYte thanks for tip I’m going to make one as mine sagging in middle and not got punchers yet but i can see it happening. Great tip 🤩
Superglue is really bad for those repairs because it’s brittle, and just cracks to create new leak channels. You want AirStop glue. Way more durable for vinyl appliances like the hot tub and air mattresses, and doesn’t even require a patch - you just build new vinyl over the hole with the airstop. Though in those corners, you should keep your strategy and just swap in airstop. Those sharp stress concentrations are pretty bad. my older intex spa uses concentric sections that don’t have any sharp corners to tear.
Thanks Alex. Problem was not so much the repairs but new punctures kept opening. Terrible design, that cover.
I do not recommend using foil tape. That tape is meant for taking duct work which is not exposed to heated chemical water. I used that foil tape on my lid and just after a month it was dissolving. That left a lot of residue in my tub but also are away at the tape making removal in order to replace the tape very difficult. I would recommend using a tarp tape Wich has better resistance to the elements.
What is tarp tape? Duct tape?
Thanks!
Thanks for this advice and it seems to have worked out very well for me.. I have a square 1.8m lazy spa Hawaii and the inflatable lid developed two holes. I used the jablite polystyrene board which was £35 from B&Q and a single sheet was enough in three pieces taped together as in your video. I carved the sides in a slope of about 70 degrees so that the new 'lid' sits slightly proud of the tub so there is an air gap underneath and no rain collects on top. I did not try and make the new lid to fit inside the fabric cover which just rolls back seperately. I reckon I am saving £1 to £2 per day and the temperature of the tub often gets to 1 degree above what the gauge is set to.
I just tried something and it worked! I used my existing leaky cover, I took two cans of spray foam, and filled it up through the valve hole, worked perfectly will last a lifetime!! be careful not to over fill!!
Did it fill the entire cover? A few people have suggested that but I was sceptical that it would fill the entire cover.
@@CharlieDIYte yes but took me 15 cans! i regret that, but once i started i had to finish! i had to cut small mini holes to fill everything in the different chambers, but it worked and floats great! keep the holes on the top, not the bottom.
Why not just fill with spray foam?
Excellent, thank you.
You're welcome. If you make it like this, use a clear tape in the middle eg gorilla tape as the aluminium tape I used does tarnish with the chlorine.
I used to have an intex inflatable hot tub and the top never got punctured but it did become heavy from water. I believe the water was from condensation but it was a big pain for about 5 years to get the water out.
Thanks Joseph, that's interesting. Must be some sort of osmosis going on 🤔
Yes I have a lazy spa Bali and my lid has water in but no puncture it's coming up to 3 years old now had 2 winters outside I made something very similar out of 50mm insulation board but sat the board on top to try and stop the water pooling on top of the cover it worked not perfect but stopped most of he rain pooling. My only problem is the top edges have misshaped in two places. The inflatable lid has now curved inwards so I have turned it over and it's now sat perfect like a dome on top. When the lid finally gives up I will definitely make one out of insulation board such a great idea
Best way are doing a cover for £120 clid .. you could do an appraisal of this x
Thanks for that. Very interesting. I think I'll go for the separate board cover option, but will definitely seal the edges with foil like you did. Possibly with a smaller square of board in the centre to tent the cover.
That's wise Alex as mine does have a tiny gap because of the issue of fitting it in the skirt. Also the central foil tape needs clear Gorilla tape to stop it reacting with the chlorine. Other than that it's working a treat 👍
I love Lay Z Spas, I baught a Lay Z Spa Santorini hydrojet pro in March of this year and the spa itself is amazing, but the lid is horrible, within weeks it bulged and needed more air every few weeks, over time it bulged unevenly and was lopsided so yesterday I tightened the straps and the next morning the lid completely deflated, I give the Santorini 5 stars, but I give the lid 0 stars
I've had a lazy spa Monaco for the last 7 years and fortunately for me haven't experienced the leaking lid problem although is does need reinflating every couple of weeks (no holes though).
I probably would have climbed inside the tub, marked the internal diameter on the boards and added a bit. I suspect that probably wouldn't have gone any better and the tub would have had to have been empty too...
Glad to hear you haven't had any probs with yours, Ryan. 👍🏻
Incredible, my Monaco lid started leaking within a year :(
Good content! Very useful!
Thanks John. If you do one of these use clear Gorilla tape in the middle as the chlorine makes the aluminium tape tarnish in time. The aluminium is fine around the edges though
I've thought about buying a big sheet of ply wood and cutting a circle out the same diameter as the hot tub so it sits on the top and completely seals it.
Obviously paint it too with waterproof paint.
The weight of the wood would create a good seal and it wouldn't be a problem when it rains.
The only drawback is the weight, it may take 2 people to take it off and on.
Just wondered if you considered this before going down the route you chose?
Great video though buddy! 👍
You need the insulation though mate and yes the weight would be a problem. When I first started trimming that PIR board I had a shamfered edge that sat beautifully on the top, sealing it completely, but I had to keep reducing it to get it into the skirt. It's neater the way I've done it but you do get a bit of heat leakage out of the small gaps around the edge. Might have been better to ditch the skirt in hindsight. If you need to join the PIR like I did with that tape, clear Gorilla tape is better as that foil tape reacted with the chlorine.
Why not cut the centerline at 45° so you could push the two half's down and get over the hard edges
Nice video. Was just thinking what about filling the punctured inflatable top with expanding foam??
Did you try the expanding foam? Did it work?
What about using expanding foam in your inflatable top?
Nice vid
Thanks Lewis 👊🏻
Exactly what I did
Glad to hear it Brandon. It's great isn't it. Did you manage to make yours big enough? Mine could have done with another 25mm or so on the diameter.
I did this and the chlorine destroyed the foil and left an absolute grim film of stuff in the water. I wouldn't do this again as it wasted a lot of time and money. I would say the option might be to wrap the foam in clingfilm? This might be an idea but leaving the foil on the surface of the water was not a great idea.
Awesome video Charlie. Could you not have put a hinge on the top of board in the middle to allow the lid to be folded over to allow easy access and then maybe tape down the joints in the middle joint? Just wondering.
Nice idea but the problem is it's hard to fix into the foam. You'd need to bolt through but you want to minimise any metal in there, because of the chlorine.
@@CharlieDIYte You could use nylon bolts/nuts. I imagine there are non-metal hinges you can get as well. Having a hinged top would be nice if you just want to hop in yourself and leave the cover half open.
Should've used XPS foamboard. It can withstand any moisture.
PUR/PIR foamboard not so great over time.
Fair point.
I was going nuts with the lid of my Saluspa, but this video confirmed my feelings that the lid is absolute shit.
I'm afraid they are! Cut off skirt so you can use a larger piece of PIR and just accept you need to keep both the PIR and cover separate.
Hi, I'm considering using your DIY lay z spa lid idea, but I was just wondering how well it has aged. Has the PIR insulation got damp at all? Or has it lasted well?
Nice work. U tested it before/after how much better it conserved the heat?
Thanks. No I haven't, but this would be difficult to do. Bottom line you know it's saving you a fortune in heating.
I thought about doing this you probably could of rebated the centre split line for it to fit in the skirt easier
Yes that's a nice idea! Also it needs a clear Gorilla tape rather than foil in the centre as the foil tape tarnishes with the chlorine.
I have been thinking about building a replacement lid with a solar water heater built onto the top of it. I live in the south of Spain so at the moment the water temperature without being heated is between 30 and 33 degrees most days I was hoping to raise that by 5 degrees with a black hose coil and water being pumped round it with a 12v bilge pump. Any ideas or can you foresee any snags?
Sounds ingenious Warren. I suppose the question is whether the hose would get hot enough to heat a continuous flow of water 🤔 Worth a try though. Let me know how you get on.
Think is my top goes I may try filling it with expanding foam
Yes a few people have mentioned that. I'm not sure how well it would fill though from the one inlet nozzle. You'd need a lot of foam, too!
@@CharlieDIYte I think you'd just make holes in the centre of each 'rib' fill one at a time and wait in-between each.
Excellent!!
Thanks David. If you're going to copy this put some clear Gorilla tape in the middle joint as I find the foil tape reacts with the chlorine.
Helpful video, my hexagonal tub has no inflatable part ,so I'm liking your idea of the boards , does anyone know what the savings are with the energy Bill's.
Amazing!!
Ive watched the video before and ive fome back because i keep thinking about it, do you know if you found your electric bill went down slightly with the added insulation? I am really considering doing it and if it does i think i will for sure 🙂
It makes the hot tub so much more efficient so yes your fuel bills will be lower
Would it be possible, or practical, to fill the inflatable lid with expanding foam?
Expanding foam is open cell, it soaks up moisture like a sponge.
@@JerGoes thanks for the info, I didn't know that but was wondering if it was suitable or not.
I would say not practical as you'd need too much expanding foam, chances are you wouldn't get it into all the extremities of the lid, and assuming you did manage to fill it, you'd be back to the same problem of fitting it into the skirt, albeit you'd probably fill it in situ, but would then never be able to remove it.
@@CharlieDIYte in situ was the way I was thinking but as Jer Goes pointed out expanding foam is open cell and soaks up water so a non starter.
@@CharlieDIYte how about fitting expanding foam into the inflatable? Whilst already fitted into the skirt Hopefully someone has tried this so I don't have to 😃
How about when you put the pir board in to the skirt you dont fill the whole thing leave a 1 to 2 inch gap but before you put the pir boards in use expanding foam all round the inside of the skirt THEN put the pir boards in then put the lid in to the hot tub clip it all in to place and let the expanding foam fill the inside of the skirt and make a tight seal inside the hot tub might even put some down the join of the two pir boards once it all set cut the excess off . Cover it all with plastic waterproof tape .
I don't think it would work around the skirt in that it wouldn't expand in a uniform fashion. A better idea would be to do what you suggest but insert a large foam sleeve like you get with packing around the edge or make the board oversized to the skirt but a better fit to the hot tub and cut a slither out in the middle to allow you to get the PIR into the skirt which you could then fill with expanding foam, trim flush and cover with the tape. The tape incidentally needs to be clear waterproof or similar rather than that foil tape as the foil does react with the chlorine. I use a clear Gorilla tape now.
@@CharlieDIYte hi but you won't see it as it be inside under the lid even if you trimmed the over spill it once it's set it still would fill to the exact fill of the hot tub closing all gaps all you need to do it when you fit the lid back on after use you put it back in the same place just mark one set of croc clips an make sure they are the ones you always use .
B&Q sell a light blue waterproof tape and 100% guarantee its sticky called DEE M ARK says line marking inside the tube an wow you really have to pull this stuff to get it off the roll .
Wondering if it would be possible to fill the (leaking) inflatable lid insert with expanding foam 🤔 at 6ish quid a can for bog standard Scr3wf1x stuff it could be a cheaper option which also does away with measuring, cutting, taping etc.
If your read the comments quite a lot of people have done that. I'm amazed it works though.
Anyone able to tell me how much it costs to run one of these in the UK in 2024 and impactful ways to get the costs down? All info seems to be from hot tub sales companies!
Nice. I have the saggy cover problem and will give this a go. I want to use my hot tub in the winter, any thoughts how I could insulate the bottom? And would it be practical? Would love you to make a vid 👍
So I keep mine running all year round. I started with the Lay-Z-Spa mat, then added a 1 inch PIR board below the mat but as you'll see in this video ruclips.net/video/ZOQ2L1TMayc/видео.html it makes a mess of the deck so I've now give back to the mat.
I use the child play foam mats that are different colours, not sure the réal name for them and the tub mat
@@vermo42 I did the very same the shop wanted £35 for 1 pack an as I had the 6 person I didnt think one would do so I went to home bargains an like you bought kids play mats 12 in a pack for £5 I bought 3 packs and had plenty even space to stand while getting in an out the tub and sitting on the floor is very soft and comfortable.
Ours was popped from day 1.
Hi, do you feel you absolutely need the rigidity of PIR board, and accept the cost, or could you save a lot on costs abd use Jablite / polystyrene board instead?
That's a decent shout. Doesn't have the reflective foil on it and might not be so easy to tool but worth a go. I suppose the issue is whether you can get tape to stick to it - which you'll need to join the pieces.
Fill the inflatable with holts tire weld lol
I am trying since January to get a warranty replacement for my St. Moritz but Bestway is shocking. Can’t even buy them as they are out of stock for a year now.
I know. Very hard to get hold of them 🙄
But you can no longer fold it up and put it away in a box. You’re left large, solid sections of insulation. You then need somewhere to store it. Part of the draw for people with these hot tubs is that you can fold it up and put it away easily when it’s not being used in the winter.
I see your point, but this is an issue for Bestway to resolve not me - as you saw, 12 puncture repairs and it's still leaking. Mine stays out all year round. I have nowhere to put it without it being eaten by rodents and it's used continuously throughout the year.
Sorry to say this is a good job, the board will break down and leak an oily residue into the tub. It took me two years to get it out of my tub. It also blocked up two of the Jets.
Sorry to hear that. It's fine so far though.
What about gluing it straight to the cover, does this work okay ? I think I’d prefer that method
That's what Paul did and I don't think he's had any problems with it. I guess it's just a very final solution and if for any reason you wanted to replace it, you'd have a bit of a mess on your hands. But then this presupposes the tub itself is going to last more thana few years....
As Charlie mentioned - this was the approach I used and it was a much simpler process. Cut off the skirt, cut the board to the required size (the edge of mine sits on the centre of the inflatable part). I used evo stik sticks like **** as the bonding agent and sealed the foam edges of the board with foil tape which, like Charlie mentioned, did discolour with the chlorine but has lasted well apart from that. I managed to get some non-perfect board and made mine in 2 halves. I then had some spare to double up the thickness in the centre. I used much thinner kingspan (which is what I had) but is double thick in the centre.
@@spongefactory is it possible to see a picture?
What about Chemicals of the foam and tape bleeding into the water? Is that a health concern at all?
I don't think so except I have covered the foil tape with clear gorilla tape as it was tarnishing with the chlorine.
Could you fill the old inflatable cover with expanding foam? Might sound mad... Might be mad...
A few people have said in the Comments that they've done this. I can't see how it can work in terms of piping enough into the extremities but they say it does ...
Great problem solving. What thickness did you use??
100mm. It's nice to keep the skirt but you can get a better seal by getting rid of it which means you can angle the PIR and make it bigger. Also use clear Gorilla tape in the middle join not foil as foil tarnishes.
Great video Charlie. Love it! One question - 100mm board - do you think you could get away with anything a bit thinner?
Thanks Jimmy. Yes I'm sure you could. It was only because 100mm was similar to the inflated thickness of the original, although a thinner board might be easier to get into the skirt, meaning you could make it a little wider. Someone's suggested XPS foam board would be better, in terms of resisting moisture long term, so you should maybe look into that as an option too.
So what does Lay Z spa actually mean ?
I would be interested to know if the new lid helps keep the temperature hotter for longer.
Even though my lid is okay (for the moment). I have been thinking of replacing it for economical purposes to see if I could save a few quid on the electric bill
Difficult to measure scientifically or compare against the old one but I'm convinced it's retaining the heat better👍🏻
Tempted by this for this reason, even though the lid on my new hot tub is still in good nick! The last one really wasn’t so expecting to have to replace at some point.
@@CharlieDIYte Why would the original retain any heat? Its just a bag of air. If you remove it, you still have air. There's no thermal advantage to this inflatable at all as far as I can tell?
Has anyone tried filling the original inflatable thing with expanding foam? Ive been toying with that as an idea for a while but not had the guts to test it out yet!
Lots of people ask that. I'm sceptical you'd a) have enough foam and b) be able to get it in all the extremities.
Are you Gordon Ramsey's brother? 😄
Ha! I wish 🤣
Naa you didnt tell him to f@#k off lol
How well do you think similar 50mm/2 inch insulation foam would do vs the original inflatable cover? Finding 50mm/2 inch foam much easier here in the states, and envisioning making a foldable cover with some moisture insulation around the foam
Im curious if you made your cover ? I am on my 4th inflatable cover in 18 months and quite tired of this game. I also could not find anything thicker than 2" board here in the states. I am thinking of using the 2" to basically set on the top of the hot tub and then just throw the liner/cover over it. Will be separate but may be easier even though it means taking on/off two "covers". I've also thought about trying to construct something with pool noddles, bubble solar cover or an "envelope" filled with packing peanuts but I haven't quite engineered anything yet.
The original is just air? Just because its in a plastic shell, it doesn't change the thermals - its just air. So any real insulation will be great.
how about using expanding foam in the existing punctured lid
A few people have said that. I can't see how you'd get it into all the corners though (one guy said he used a long tube) or for that matter how many tins you'd need
@@CharlieDIYte as it's already punctuated, it won't hurt to put a few more strategic holes in to suit, half a dozen cans should be plenty and a lot cheaper
Interesting video, thanks. Just got my St Moritz, so hopefully the lid will be ok. Been debating getting some pallets and using a jigsaw to create a scandi style surround for it, with insulation between it and the tub. Has anyone tried this, or a good idea for you to video @charlie DIYte??
I don't think you'll get much heat leakage through the sides. I certainly haven't. If you're building anything I'd build an insulated base and it's through that inflatable lid that you'll lose most heat.
@@CharlieDIYte Put it on foam matting, and was more thinking of the surround from a visual point of view, but then thought I could make it a bit of an added benefit by doing that.
This is nice, but a lot of work and very expensive. I have the same 5-7 person St. Moritz and would cost me in the US over $125 for the materials assuming I didn't mess it up, which is very slim, for a tub I bought for $400. If it's within warranty the company will send you a new inflatable lid. Even if it hasn't failed yet, you can just say it has and get a backup for when it will undoubtedly fail. Register your warranty online and submit a claim online.
The warranty on the cover is only 1 year which is what caught me out