A spa changes how an auto cover has to be planned. Where it sits, how its water flows into the pool, and how tall its walls are all affect where the cover can run. The good news is that an automatic pool cover with a spa is a common setup. It just needs to be designed around the spa from the start.
When you plan an automatic pool cover with a spa, start with where the spa sits. Spas fall into two groups: exterior spas, which sit outside the cover area, and interior spas, which sit inside it.
Exterior Spas: Outside the Cover Area
An exterior spa sits beyond the edge of the pool, usually along the end wall or a side. The cover runs over the pool only, so the main question is how the spa’s water reaches the pool.
Raised Spa With a Spillway Into the Pool
The spa sits higher than the pool, and water spills over a lip straight into the pool. It’s a popular look, but the spillover can land on top of the cover when it’s closed. A water feature shut-off controller is recommended for this layout.
Raised Spa With a Catch Pool and Bridged Coping
Here the spa spills into a small catch pool instead of directly into the main pool. The coping bridges over the catch area, so the cover’s path along the pool stays clear.
Open Spillway
An open spillway lets spa water flow through a gap in the pool’s edge. This layout is used only on end wall spas, so it doesn’t interrupt the tracks along the long sides of the pool.
Bridged Spillway
With a bridged spillway, the coping continues across the spillway opening, so the pool edge stays unbroken where the cover closes.
Interior Spas: Inside the Cover Area
An interior spa is built inside the pool, so the cover passes over it when it closes. There are five common layouts:
| Layout | Description |
|---|---|
| Centered square | Square spa centered across the pool’s width |
| Full width | Spa spans the entire width of the pool |
| Centered round | Round spa centered across the pool’s width |
| Corner round | Round spa tucked into a corner |
| Corner square | Square spa tucked into a corner |
Clearance for Interior Spa Walls
Because the cover travels over an interior spa, the spa walls have to sit low enough for the cover to pass. This is especially important if you choose the Hidden Leading Edge Bar upgrade. With that option, skimmers and interior spa walls must be lowered for additional clearance. Settle wall heights before the spa is built.
Protecting the Cover From Water Features
Water features can pump water from the pool onto the top of the cover, which can damage the cover system. A spillover spa is the most common example.
A water feature shut-off controller solves this. It uses a limit switch on the cover system so the water features turn off when the cover closes. The Low Voltage Rotary Limit is the part that controls the relays to water feature pumps and valves. It’s a simple way to make sure that damage never happens.
Planning an Automatic Pool Cover With a Spa in the Northeast
In New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, many pool owners run the spa well into fall and early spring when the pool is too cold to swim. That means the spa’s heater and spillway run while the pool cover is closed. A shut-off controller matters even more in those shoulder seasons, when water from the spa would otherwise pour onto a closed cover night after night.
A few other things to plan early:
- Decide exterior vs. interior spa before the pool layout is finalized.
- Keep exterior spillways at the end wall when possible, away from the tracks.
- Confirm interior spa wall height works with your cover and any upgrades.
- Plan the shut-off controller wiring along with the cover’s electrical.
Mechanism Choice for a Spa’s Own Cover
If the spa itself gets its own automatic cover, space is usually tight. The CS300HD mechanism is one of the most compact on the market and is recommended for small pools and spas. Note that the standard toggle and rocker switches aren’t available on the CS300HD Spa, so you’ll need a different control option.
For standalone hot tubs that aren’t part of the pool, see our spa covers page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you have an automatic pool cover with a spa?
Yes. Spas can sit outside the cover area as exterior spas or inside it as interior spas. Each layout just has to be planned around the cover.
What is a water feature shut-off controller?
It’s a limit switch setup that turns off water features when the cover closes. It keeps a spillover spa or other feature from pumping water onto the cover.
Can an automatic cover go over an interior spa?
Yes. Common interior layouts include centered square, full width, centered round, corner round, and corner square. The spa walls must give the cover enough clearance.
Where can an open spillway be used with an auto cover?
An open spillway is used only on end wall spas.
Which mechanism is best for a spa cover?
The CS300HD, one of the most compact mechanisms available, is recommended for small pools and spas.
