Do I Need a Hot Tub Cover Lifter?
Yes. Absolutely, yes. Unequivocally, yes. A good hot tub cover lifter is the key to extending the life of your cover and making your spa easier to use for the entire family. Here’s why:It’s not about strength or mere convenience. It’s about protecting your hot tub cover, your hot tub and your back.
A hot tub cover lift extends the life of your spa cover.
How Do Hot Tub Cover Lifters Work?
Generally a cover lifter has a bar that rests against the fold in the cover. After unclipping the child safety locks from the front of the cover, you simply fold it back over that bar. Then, as you fold back one more time, the cover is mechanically brought back, off the hot tub surface and held in place. It’s easy to do by yourself in seconds.
The only negative is that most hot tub lifters disrupt the attractive, clean lines of a spa and the look of a smooth flat cover. That’s why Caldera® Spas integrates the lifter bar inside the cover. The integrated bar helps complement the spa design, resulting in a much cleaner look and a more attractive design aesthetic.
With a hot tub cover lifter you will use your spa more often.
What If I Don’t Have A Spa Cover Lifter?
Without a hot tub cover lifter, you’d fold the cover back and then slide it off the hot tub. Hot tub cover stands are available to keep the hot tub cover off the ground, but if you’re doing this task by yourself, at least one edge of the cover will rest against the ground as you do it. More than likely, a corner is going to bang against the ground and possibly get damaged. Getting the cover back onto the hot tub is a task that’s not easy for one person, mostly because of the unwieldy nature of a large cover and lack of proper leverage. Over time, some covers may get heavier from moisture build-up, making a hot tub cover lifter even more of an advantage.
Do I Install My Hot Tub Cover Lifter Myself or Hire Someone Else for Installation?
Installing a hot tub cover lifter can be a do-it-yourself project but for difficulty on a scale of 1 to 10, it’s an 8 where DIY projects are concerned. Especially if you have a more expensive spa it is a good idea to call a professional. If you are a skilled handyman who has tackled these kinds of projects before then it might be an easy installation project for you. Make sure you read through the manufacturers installation instructions before you begin and that you have all the necessary tools at hand. Remember, you are likely going to be drilling holes into your expensive hot tub to install a cover lifter. If you have any doubts, especially in regards to the proper locations for drilling holes then contact the hot tub dealer who installed your spa or the hot&nnsp;tub manufacturer. Mistakes could be costly. If you have a Caldera spa and you have any questions about intalling a hot tub cover lifter, you can either contact your Caldera dealer or contact our customer service department.
A Spa Cover Lifter Will Extend the Life of Your Spa Cover
It’s more likely that your hot tub cover could be damaged as you take it on and off your hot tub without a cover lifter. That damage can affect the cover’s energy efficiency and wind up costing you money in energy bills. Our energy-efficient hot tub covers help you to save money on your electricity bill by insulating the water from outside temperatures. They help to hold in the heat. A hot tub cover is critical to the affordable operation and maintenance of a hot tub. It’s simply too critical to the successful and affordable operation of your hot tub to lay it on the ground, even a concrete patio where it can get scratched or torn when it is taken off and lifted for replacement.
And worst of all, anecdotal evidence suggests you’ll tend to use your hot tub much less if getting the cover off and on is difficult and time consuming.
Are There Different Types of Lifters?
Caldera Spas offers four types of its ProLift Hot Tub Cover Lifters. Most have pneumatic gas shocks for smooth, easy movement. There’s also a range of clearances required, so it’s important to choose a model that fits your spa placement. One model requires only 7 inches of clearance, making it ideal for hot tubs placed against a wall or fence. Other models require 14 inches or 24 inches, but those may be best for large hot tubs in open spaces.
For a professional installation it is always a good idea to hire a professional.
Which Hot Tub Cover Lifter Is Right For You?
The right cover lifter depends on which model you purchase. Try folding and unfolding covers with cover lifters at the dealership and see which feels best. Learn more about the ProLift Hot Tub Cover Lifters.
Making it easy to open and close your hot tub motivates you to use it more.
Should I Buy a Spa Cover Lifter from the Manufacturer or a Third Party Hot Tub Cover Lifter?
Many engineering principles are involved in designing a hot tub cover lifter for a particular spa model. Every model is a different shape and size and every hot tub cover is not equal. Some manufacturers sell covers for their spas that are lighter weight and offer little to no R-factor where insulation is concerned (R-Factor = R-value is a measure of an insulations ability to hold in heat and is critical to an energy-efficient hot tub design). It is critical to choose a cover lifter that properly supports your particular spa cover. The wrong lifter could easily damage your spa or your hot tub cover and that would be ironic since a spa cover lifter is supposed to protect and extend the life of your spa and your spa cover.
