When you close your pool for the season, your pool maintenance doesn’t stop there; there’s a lot to get done when winter arrives to keep your pool safe and sound. Winter pool protection is not something you want to take lightly.
Every step you take is designed to protect your pool from the damage done by freezing and thawing as the seasons change. Your winter pool cover is one of your main defences against those wintry elements, but what is protecting your pool cover? Here are our tips to make sure your pool cover can do its job all winter long.
Why do I need a pool cover?
First, if you don’t have a pool cover let’s explain why this is a big NO for pool owners. Your pool has to be covered, as this provides winter pool protection from the cold as well as all the debris blowing around. After all, you want to avoid skimming and vacuuming the pool in negative temperatures at all costs. This also minimizes your cleaning in the spring. The winter winds toss all kinds of debris around, including larger branches, old fall leaves, and garbage you don’t want to have floating in your pool all winter
3 Steps to Protecting Your Pool Cover
It might seem silly to take steps to protect something that is designed to protect your pool but looking after your pool cover will not only provide added protection, it will also help you get more life out of it. Here are our tips to help your pool cover do its job.
1.Buy a good quality cover
It might be tempting to try to secure a basic plastic tarp to your pool as a make-shift cover. This is not advised. Instead, you should be shopping for a proper pool cover. There are three main types of pool covers available: the standard cover held down with water bags, the lock-in cover that clips into aluminum tracks to avoid the use of water bags, and the safety cover that stretches across the pool.
2.Keep it secure when using a standard pool cover
Your pool cover should be held in place using water bags. Though it may seem like a good idea on a budget, do not use other weighted items such as coffee cans, bricks, or boards because if they are knocked into your pool, there is a high chance they would damage the pool liner.
3. Add water to the top of the cover
You should add a 1/2 inch to one inch of water to the top of the cover to help protect it from wind damage.
4 Elements To Consider When Protecting Your Pool Cover
There are many elements to take into consideration when trying to protect your in-ground pool cover. From typical ice over the winter to surroundings such as trees, or weather such as wind, here are some things to keep in mind when preparing your pool for the elements.
1.Ice protection
If ice forms on your cover, do not try to remove it. You can injure yourself, your cover, and your pool due to the sharp edges of the ice. Instead, let the ice melt and then remove the water with a cover pump.
2. Wind protection
In hand with the 1/2” of water, if you are using a tarp you can use water bags to keep your cover secure. As mentioned earlier, do not use coffee cans, bricks, boards, or any other weights not specifically designed for this purpose, as if they land in the pool they can damage your liner.
3. Tree protection
It’s always in your best interest to ensure all of the trees near your pool are well trimmed. In the fall, always have a tree professional come in and look for overhanging tree limbs that should be removed. Leaf nets are also available to install over your cover in the fall time for added protection from falling leaves.
4. Animal protection
Protecting your pool cover from animals requires maintenance. Keeping debris that might attract animals off your cover will help.
Don’t Forget to Look for Damage
Keep an eye on your cover for signs of damage. It’s best to do this before it is installed. If you spot damage in the winter be very careful if attempting to make repairs. If you have a mesh cover, specialty patches are available at your local pool supply store.
If you have questions about closing or winterizing your in-ground pool, call the experts at Solda at 289-201-2487 or contact us here.