Hot tub covers can be quite heavy, and when moisture from the hot tub itself begins to soak into the foam inside the cover, the weight of that cover increases even more. Such weight can prevent some users from lifting the cover off the hot tub, and in other cases, injury may result from the weight of the cover falling while being removed. To remedy this situation, a hot tub owner can purchase and install a hot tub cover lift, which takes most of the burden of lifting the cover off the user. A hot tub cover lift uses a metal arm to leverage the cover and move it with little effort.
Some hot tub cover lift models feature hydraulic or gas shocks to further ease the movement of removing the cover. These shocks work similarly to the chambers used to hold up the trunk or rear hatch of some cars; the hydraulic arms help lift the cover, then hold it in place until it is time to replace the cover. The hot tub cover lift will hold the cover in such a way that the cover itself can be used as a shield from the wind, since the cover will sit above the lip of the tub.
Other versions of the hot tub cover lift do not use hydraulic or gas shocks at all, relying instead upon leverage to lift the cover. The lift itself is comprised of a series of aluminum bars that are mounted to the outside of the hot tub. The bars form a U shape, and when the cover is closed, the bar rests across the center of the cover where the cover folds. To use the lift, one would fold the cover over so half of the hot tub is exposed, and then use the hot tub cover lift to pull the cover the rest of the way off the tub using the leverage of the mounted bars. The cover then rests at the back of the tub, either flush with the ground or slightly raised off the ground.
Variations on the hot tub lift include folding metal bars mounted to the back of the tub that can support the weight of the cover when it is slid horizontally off the tub. This type of lift requires sufficient space behind the tub, however, and it is not a suitable choice for tubs in tight spots or in yards with limited space.
