Lift Easy With Cover Removal Systems
By Stewart P. Adams
Covering your spa when it in not in use is extremely beneficial. A cover reduces evaporation, lowers heating costs, helps keep the water clean and lowers the rate at which sanitizers dissipate in the water. It also safeguards the water if children or pets are near the hot tub unsupervised.
While you may be in full support of using a spa cover, a cover's weight and size can make it difficult to move. A new cover might weigh only 20 to 30 pounds, but over time the foam core can absorb water and weigh more than 100 pounds. When this happens, it is not uncommon for spa users to simply fold open half of their spa cover and enjoy only the exposed portion, rather than struggle to remove the entire cover.
Fortunately, a host of spa cover removal devices-aka cover lifts-are available to make the job easier. The lifting device also properly stores the cover off the ground, preventing it from becoming warped under its own weight or punctured by sharp rocks, twigs or even raised deck nails.
Finding the right cover lift for your spa installation is as easy as locating your closest spa dealer. And most cover lifts can be installed in less than an hour.
Types of Cover Lifts
All cover lifts simplify the handling of the spa cover, but in different ways. The one you choose will depend on how much lifting you want the device to do for you and where the spa is installed. With any cover-lifting device, you need to make sure there is adequate clearance for the unit to operate and for the cover to be stored. Some lifts require just 6 inches of clearance, whereas others require more than 2 feet.
1. Support arms.
The most economical lifting devices are simply comprised of a pair of wood or metal support arms mounted on one side of the spa just under the lip. Usually, the arms can be folded flat against the side of the spa when not in use. This type of device does not actually lift the spa cover; rather, it holds the cover so it does not have to be completely removed from the spa unit. To use it, fold the cover in half and either pull it onto the support arms from outside the tub, or push it onto the arms from within the tub. The support arms store the cover in a flat, horizontal position. To replace the cover, push it back over the spa and unfold it.
These units typically require the most clearance-the width of a folded cover. In addition, they offer no mechanical assistance, except that the cover does not need to be lifted off the ground to be replaced.
2. Rear or side-mounted.
Another type of lift cradles the spa cover and stores it against one side of the spa. The cover slides off the spa like it does with economical units, but the supports are J-shaped and the cover can be stored upright. These units sometimes offer gas spring assistance.
This type of lift requires less clearance space than economy units because only two-thirds of the cover has to be slid off the spa before it can be positioned upright. However, the way the cover is stored causes it to appear slightly above the spa lip, partially blocking view on one side.
3. Top-mounted.
More expensive, but extra user-friendly models enable the spa cover to be folded over a support bar, from which the cover hangs as it is pulled or pushed to one side of the spa. Like rear or side-mounted lifts, these units sometimes offer gas spring assistance. Made from steel or aluminum, top-mounted cover lifts come in a variety of styles and configurations to meet a wide range of spa installations. These lifts can often be mounted to the deck surrounding a fully recessed hot tub, instead mounting to the actual spa.
Top-mounted units generally require the least clearance, making them ideal for use in gazebos, against walls and fences, or in other tight locations. And because they store in an upright position-fully above the spa lip-they double as a privacy screen or a windbreaker. On the downside, the cover might block a great view from within the tub as well as obstruct view from the outside, making it difficult to supervise children.