First of all, you do not have to enclose your pool equipment (pump, filter, heater). A lot of people camouflage it with landscaping or a small fence, so that is not visible. Pool equipment is designed to be outdoors. As long it is taken care of and properly winterized at time of pool closing, it need not be covered.
The freezing of lines and internal components is one of the leading causes of pool pump damage. A cover will help provide an air dam around your pool pump and heater equipment to reduce the risk of freezing and shield the equipment from potential damage from other weather conditions.
Pool pump and rain
You should keep the pump dry and out of the rain. Rain that is allowed to fall on the pump can get into the motor and cause a short circuit, burning out the motor in the process. Cover the pump and never allow water to fall on it from above.
Protect the pump motor from water damage
In addition to removing circuit breakers, consider moving the motor indoors or covering it with a waterproof material to prevent water from getting inside.
Yes. The best way to remove ice and water from the swimming pool cover is to use a cover pump. Either before the water freezes or when the ice melts use the pump to remove the ice/water from the cover.
While covered throughout winter, water is sure to build up on the pool cover. This is when a cover pump is essential to keeping water off the cover. Automatic pumps can be left on the cover. But Aqua Pools recommends removing the pump, including the hose, and bringing it inside during freezing weather.
A simple canvas cover or tarp with tie-down straps can be used to cover the filter, but should be removed prior to the commissioning of your swimming pool or, at minimum, the startup of the filter. A properly winterized filter shouldn't crack.
Water accumulation can damage pool covers
Even the smallest amounts of water can add up, putting pressure on the seams of the cover and starting to weaken it. This pressure can cause rips in your pool cover and even make the cover collapse into the pool.
The simplest way to hide your pool pump and filter is to put up a small wall or screen to block the view, and the noise from the pump. If you are handy with wood, you can saw-up your own pool filter screen to hide the pool pump, or you can buy vinyl privacy walls at most home stores and garden centers.
Use a leaf catcher on the cleaner hose to keep large stuff out of your pipes. Keep in mind that with the cover closed, skimming won't be needed as much or at all if the surface is clean. If the cover rests on the water, skimming won't occur anyway.
Types of Pool Enclosures
A new kind of fenced in area is a shed structure with some louvered ventilation to cover your pool gear. Sheds can be bought anyplace, for a couple of hundred dollars. Creased aluminum, non-wood overlay or wood fiber Another sort of walled in area is a pool house.
Keep it on a low shelf so it won't fall or roll. If you keep your motor outdoors all winter, you could build a 'lean-to' with lumber or plastic for snow, rain and tree branches, but keep good air flow around the motor, and don't wrap it in plastic, which traps moisture inside the motor.
Give your pool a good shock treatment 1 to 2 days before the storm hits. You can bring the chlorine level up pretty high to prolong the pool being depleted of chlorine. Run the pool for about 24hrs after the shock treatment to allow the treatment to make its way throughout the entire pool.
Depending on the size of your pool, we still recommend the pump run 8-10 hours per day during the hottest summer months and at least 6 hours per day during the winter months.
A swimming pool cover keeps rain and debris out of an outdoor pool when it's not in use. It also effectively maintains the water's temperature and prevents evaporation as well. However, it's challenging to remove the pool cover, especially when it's full of rain.
With spring on its way, it's time to open up your swimming pool once again. A lot of debris can accumulate on top of your pool's safety cover during winter. As the snow melts, there will likely be all sorts of leaves, twigs and other debris that will need to be cleaned from the cover.
So pool owners must add and remove the pump manually from the cover. Do not leave the pump on the cover. Freezing could damage the pump.
It's best to run your pool pump during the day
Not only does sunlight give fuel for algae to grow, it also destroys your pool chlorine and this is why you should always run your pool during the day!
It is safe to run the pool pump and filter with a swimming pool cover on. The pool cover doesn't in any way stop or hinder the pool pump from circulating the water or carrying out its function.
Although it's generally recommended that all the pool water undergo filtration every 24 hours, the pump does not need to run all the time. A proactive, productive and energy-saving maintenance activity is to remove the debris floating on the pool surface with a hand-held skimmer.
Adequate ventilation is of the essential characteristics to look for in any pool pump enclosure. Since the motor generates heat which will shorten the life of both the motor and the pump if it cannot dissipate.
Replace the pump housing and screws. Store the pool pump in a dry, out-of-the-way area for the winter. This could be in a shed, basement or garage, where the pump will be protected from the freezing weather.