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.
The best way to prevent large build ups of ice is to keep the water level on top of the pool cover to a minimum. You will want to keep a half inch of water on top of the pool cover to keep it from blowing during heavy winds.
randytsuch. My low budget solution is to fill empty chlorine jugs with water, and put them on the cover to hold it in place. I cut my solar oversize, so it hangs over the edge on one long side and the short side away from the reel, and I put the water jugs there.
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.
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). Pump regularly with a pool cover pump like our manual or automatic 350 GPH pump or the non-electric Cover Saver siphon pump (shown).
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.
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.
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.
Does a solar cover have to cover the whole pool? For optimum results it is best to get a blanket that covers your whole pool. A blanket that partially covers the pool will still help to heat the pool, especially when there is direct sunlight. But solar blankets that cover the whole pool are much more effective.
If you allow your solar cover to float on the surface of your swimming pool, the sun and water will make it completely flat, removing any wrinkles. If you take this time, you can do a final trim that ensures that your cover will be the perfect shape and size.
Should Solar Cover Bubbles Up Or Down? Let's begin that with a simple answer: solar pool covers should face down, always. These covers generally work in the way the sun rays heating the air trapped within the bubbles. The heat, therefore, is then transferred into the pool water.
You may have heard pool owners recommend alternatives to pool air pillows, such as tire tubes, yoga balls, or regular innertubes.
Tie strong string or thin rope to both ends of the pillow; it should have grommets on the edges for this purpose. Place the pillow in the center of the pool. Secure the other ends of the strings to the edge of the pool to keep the pillow in place.
Ice Equalizer pillow has popped or deflated
Do not get worried if your pool pillow has popped or deflated. This just means that the pillow has done its job! The purpose of the pool pillow is to compensate for the rain, snow or ice in your pool and on your cover.
Is It Safe To Run The pool Pump With The Pool Cover On? 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.
In dry and/or windy conditions, the evaporation rate of the pool increases. Therefore, it is generally beneficial to have a transparent or bubble cover on during daylight hours. In warm, humid conditions the evaporation rate decreases. In this case, it may be more beneficial to leave the cover off during the daytime.
You should cover your pool every night for several reasons. First off, a pool cover saves energy and conserves water by decreasing the amount of make-up water. Also, it reduces the consumption of chemicals, and finally, it saves a lot of cleaning time since it keeps the debris out of the pool.
Air bubbles in the pool cover act as an insulator in a similar way that your thermos would keep water warm. A pool cover will, therefore, keep your pool water warmer for longer.
A pool that is uncovered can lose up to 5 degrees F overnight; a good cover can cut that loss by half. Used at night or whenever your pool is not in use, the pool cover can help save fuel costs by cutting heat loss regardless of the type of heating you utilize.