Unwinding in a spa or hot tub at the end of a stressful day is one of life's ultimate luxuries.  What happens, though, when you have finished with your toasty soak?  Do you keep your hot tub covered?  If not, here's why you should:

• Spa covers and hot tub covers significantly reduce evaporation, saving you money on water and chemicals.  Maintaining the chemical balance of your spa's water is less time consuming when a spa cover is used regularly.
• Hot tub covers also insulate the water and prevent much of the heat from escaping.  Keeping the hot tub's water warm when not in use makes heating the water faster the next time you want to take a soak.  Not only do you save energy, but your spa heater lasts longer because you use it less frequently and for a shorter duration.
• Spa covers keep debris and dirt out of your hot tub.  Cleaning your hot tub requires less energy and time when there is less to clean up.

One specific type of spa cover that is recommended for homes with children and pets is called a walk on spa cover.  Standard spa covers, while they seem perfectly sturdy, may not be able to bear the weight of a child if he or she decides to use the top of the hot tub as a play area.  Children and pets can be injured or may drown if a hot tub cover collapses into the water below.  Walk on spa covers, on the other hand, can hold up the weight of a child as well as the child's entire family.  They come equipped with a locking mechanism, too, so the cover can't be moved or lifted off of the hot tub.

Even if you don't have children or pets, walk on spa covers are a useful option if you live in a snowy area.  Snow that accumulates can be quite heavy, especially if the snow contains a lot of water, as opposed to dry, powdery snow.  If that heavy snow is not cleared off of standard spa covers very frequently, those covers can be damaged.  Walk on spa covers can easily bear the weight of many feet of accumulated, heavy snow.

Whether you decide to buy a standard spa cover or a walk on spa cover depends on your personal situation and location, but covering your spa or hot tub between uses is a significant factor in taking care of it properly.