Avoiding last year's closing problems

[dlaslo]

Last year was my first closing. I dosed the pool with slam levels of FC and I removed the pump,winterized the filter , and drained the pool to the pump return pipe. I didn't use pillows or cover pumps and I used a pool cover which was 2' larger diameter plus a leaf cover. Before the rain water was sufficient to hold the cover down, it flapped madly when the wind blew. I bought many plastic cover clamps and pushed them on the circumference about every foot or so. Surprisingly the wind still flapped the cover. The pool cover I got suggested I let rainwater buildup in the cover. We went on a winter vacation and when we returned, the rain water had accumulated quite a bit and had forced out maybe a foot of pool water (like a manometer - the weight of the rainwater pushed out the pool water through the lowest hole). The pool cover was ruined. It had ripped and bent some of the pool wall. The water in the pool cover was filled with algae and some spilled into the pool water when I removed the cover.

This year, I bought a pool cover pump, another pool cover...the same diameter, and a plug for the lowest hole. I assume the pool cover pump will not freeze and is useable year round ? I got a Little Giant with a Coverblast spray. We don't get enough cold days in TN to use a pillow - but I bought one anyway. Not sure if I'll use it.

Any suggestions to improve my close so I don't get a repeat of last year???

 

[zea3]

Honestly I think above ground pools should only be covered until the leaves have stopped falling. I would drop the water level below the skimmer, plug the returns, and remove and drain the pump and filter. If you have hoses on the skimmer I would remove them and let any rainwater drain out the skimmer opening to the ground. I would not want a large accumulation of rain and snow/ice to bend my pool walls. If the water accumulated on the cover freezes the cover pump will freeze as well.

 

[dlaslo]

Hmmm--- good idea.

 

[dlaslo]

I'm having second thoughts with the 'no cover' idea. My wife reminds me that we get a short winter in TN and there are manny days in the 70's If we have an open pool, won't it be green?