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.
Above Ground Pool winter Tips and Guidelines
Essentially, any time your pool cover has more than 2 inches of water on top of it, be sure to drain the excess water off as soon as you can before it builds up. Remove as many leaves as possible after they all fall and before the water on top of your cover freezes.
Water accumulation can damage pool covers
This pressure can cause rips in your pool cover and even make the cover collapse into the pool. Lots of water accumulation on an above-ground pool cover can also put stress on the pool frame itself, which can be both dangerous and expensive.
Mesh covers do not need a pump on top because they just let the pool water pass through. Since there's no pump, mesh covers generally require no work during the offseason. With their light-weight material, mesh covers can be taken on and off by one person in most cases, unlike solid covers.
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.
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).
How Tight Should a Safety Cover Be? 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.
There are no set rules for pool opening, and the exact time highly depends on your region of the country. Mid-March is fine after a milder winter, while April is better after a colder season.
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.
Submersible Pumps
If you've ever needed to drain your pool, it's likely you've already encountered a submersible pump. A submersible pump, as the name implies, operates while fully submerged in water. These pumps feature a lot of horsepower, and primarily drain the water safely from swimming pools and spas.
When water is detected on the surface of the pool cover, the pump turns on automatically to remove the water. When the cover is dry, the pump turns itself off. Automatic pool cover pumps can pump anywhere from 250 to 2,500 gallons of water per hour (GPH). The larger the pool, the higher capacity pump is required.
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.
Though the growth rate of algae slows down as water gets colder, we recommend keeping the free chlorine level between 2-4 ppm, as mentioned above. In some areas it's possible to see steady temperatures above 60 degrees in January or even February, giving algae a chance to grow. Don't risk it.
If you have a vinyl-lined above-ground pool, leaving it full for the winter will protect the vinyl liner from shrinkage and other damage. Since these pools are above ground level, keeping them full ensures that the wind will not damage the walls, liner, or frame.
CCS polypropylene mesh tarps are the best tarp for pool covers. They do an exceptional job blocking sunlight, which is essential for preventing algae growth when chemicals are not being added regularly. Polypropylene tarps are strong, too, so they can withstand the weight of ice and snow that builds up over the winter.
It sits very close to the top of the water, and below the lip of the pool. Solar Pool Cover: A blanket made up of bubbled plastic (it looks like bubble wrap), it sits directly on top of the water and concentrates solar energy to heat the water below it.
A swimming pool tarp, for example, that's black on both sides is like a giant solar panel. Because a black tarp on a swimming pool's water surface traps solar heat energy, it will eventually turn cool, refreshing pool water into a tepid, warm bath.
For safety reasons; if someone should end up under the pool cover, air will come in through the holes. These small holes prevent a large pool of water from getting on the pool cover.
It is essential to limit the amount of dirt and debris that gets into your pool. A pool winter cover protects your water and ensures an easier time opening your pool in the spring. Unlike safety covers, winter covers provide no additional security or safeguards against accidental injuries or drownings.