It is vital to remove excess water from solid tarp style winter covers, commonly used on above-ground and some in-ground pools, to avoid damage to the cover and the pool. This can easily be done with a submersible pump on your pool cover whenever temperatures are above freezing, and liquid water is present.
Ideally, 2 inches of water is acceptable on top of your cover simply because it aids in keeping the cover on the pool when it gets windy however, having excess water on top of the cover can cause severe damage to your pool structure as well as to the water quality underneath the cover.
Allowing water to pool on the top of your cover can cause damage to both the cover and your pool, depending on the type of each. This is because pool covers are not made to withstand the weight of water (or anything else) on top of them.
Before you can remove the cover, you have to remove the water that's on top of the cover. While you can try siphoning the water off with a garden hose or scooping it with a bucket, a much more effective method is to use a pool cover pump.
Fix leaks before closing, or add water under the cover if needed. Also important to mind the water level on-top of of your winter cover. A small bit (1/4″-1/2″) of rain water is OK, but more than that could stress the cover, and 6-12″ of water will push pool water over the edges, lowering pool water (see above).
Keep The Middle Section Of Your Pool Cover Higher Than The Sides. By ensuring that the center of your pool cover is higher than the sides, you'll prevent water from collecting at the sides.
Mesh pool covers are designed to allow water to pass through the surface into the pool so that it does not collect on top. A solid cover, however, allows the water to collect and puddle in the middle.
Safety covers should be drum-tight, with only a slight deflection in the middle. When covers are too loose, leaves can blow under easily, and a high water level in springtime quickly traps leaves and turns your cover into a giant tea bag.
Safety cover sagging is okay, well in most cases. It is not the safety-cover that supports the snow and ice. It is the water underneath your cover that helps it and keeps it from sagging too much. Whoever sold you the cover should have warned you or directed you to read the directions.
Yes. The pool pillow should be fairly centered within the pool to allow for even distribution of ice. If the pillow is off to the side, there will still be an area to compensate for the encroaching ice, but this often puts a strain and tugs on the pool cover due to the uneven distribution of ice and snow.
We strongly recommend using an air pillow under your winter cover. The first reason to install a winter cover air pillow is to protect your pool from expanding ice. When you don't use an air pillow, the cover sits right on top of the water and the ice will want to expand outwards.
Mesh Covers. The Mesh Series above ground winter pool covers are constructed of an open weave polyethylene that keeps debris and leaves on top of the cover but allows water to flow through to the pool for easy winter maintenance. Covers extend beyond the pool size allowing extra room for water tubes.
The cover is designed to touch the surface of the water. So your pool should always be filled when covered, and the water level should never go below 18 inches from the top of the pool. Check the water level of the pool and fill it up if it goes below 18 inches.
For example, a vinyl pool cover with maximum sun exposure may only last a year while an automatic pool cover may stay viable for 3 to 7 years.
Above ground pools don't typically use weights. Because these pools are higher off the ground, the cover is usually tied down. This can be done by getting a cover that ties to the pool frame itself, or by putting stakes and tie downs in the yard around the pool to hold the cover in place.
DON'T: Break the ice or remove snow on the cover with a sharp object such as a shovel. Attempt to melt the ice on top of the cover. Ignore the snow sitting on top of the pool cover and assume no damage will occur.
You may have heard pool owners recommend alternatives to pool air pillows, such as tire tubes, yoga balls, or regular innertubes.
Your pool will quickly become very dirty, and it may even be unsafe to swim in if you leave it uncovered for more than a day or two. It also makes it much easier to keep your pool clean since the pool cover will catch all this debris.
Your air pillow will have grommets that allow string ties. Tie a strong, thin rope to your pool pillow using these grommets. Velcro is another way to secure the cushion in the center of the pool. Attach one piece of velcro to the device and the other directly to the pool cover center.
We suggest using the 4 x 4 Air Pillow on pools up to 24' round. Use the 4 x 8 Air Pillow on pools 28' round and up and on small oval pools. Use the 4 x 15 Air Pillow on Large (15 x 30 and larger) Oval aboveground pools.
When you close your above ground pool for the winter, you should place an air pillow in the center of the pool before you put on your winter cover. When water freezes it expands outward and this expansion can cause damage to your pool wall, cover or liner.
Sometimes it can be hard to keep pool covers in place. High winds, heavy rain, and even snow can cause them to fall into the pool. One thing you don't want to do is place anything on top of the cover in an attempt to keep it in place. If you do, you can risk causing it to slip into the pool as well.