Hi

We recently purchased a home and it has a nice hot tub. Only problem is the cover seems to weigh about a thousand pounds, and seems very waterlogged. After looking briefly online, I found a few vendors that seem to have decent replacements but I was wondering a few things...

1. Do I really need a 5 o 6" cover or will a 4" thick one do the job? We live in an area that does get snow in the winter, rainstorms, and humidity.

2. Is it better to opt for a thicker cover or double the insulation wrap (vinyl) or add more core strength/insulation? Does either one matter more? The site where I found these options is http://www.hottubcoverdepot.com/product/build-cover-by-shape

3. Should I get a cover lifter? Do these things typically get this heavy and will a lifter help me?

Any insight is appreciated!