Air Pillow questions

[Red Shirt Ensign]

Hi All its been nice not needing you guys all summer while my water has been so warm and sparkly!!

Questions about the Air Pillow at closing

1. What is its true purpose?
- Is it to keep the cover above water?
- Is it to keep the water around the edges and hence the cover in place against wind etc???

Reason I ask is I have a 24' round and I used one 4x8 per my pool stores closing seminar suggestion.. but I am wondering of course if they this will be enough...

During there seminar they claimed in the winter its common for the pillow to deflat and that its what you want the pillow to do? but why?

My pillow has now floated off to the side and I wonder if it needs to be centered!!

Thanks as always!
RSE

 

[JasonLion]

One purpose of the pillow is to absorb some of the pressure from the expanding ice so there isn't as much force pushing out against the walls. They also help keep the pressure of water accumulating on the cover distributed more uniformly around the pool. If there wasn't a pillow it would be too easy for all the water on the cover to get blow to one side and stress the walls on that side. The pillow isn't critical. If it fails the odds are still fairly good that everything will be alright. But it is nice to have that extra layer of protection.

Ideally you should tie the pillow in place so that it stays more or less centered.

 

[Red Shirt Ensign]

Thanks Jason!