Air Pillow deflated

[NJPoolNewbie]

HI all,

I closed my pool about a month ago, and the brand new 4x15 air pillow is deflated already!

Should I remove teh cover - reinflate and try again? or isn't it a big deal not to have the air pillow? I live in Norther NJ so considerable snow and rain build up is very possible between now and opening time.

Thanks
Dave

 

[phonedave]

HI all,

I closed my pool about a month ago, and the brand new 4x15 air pillow is deflated already!

Should I remove teh cover - reinflate and try again? or isn't it a big deal not to have the air pillow? I live in Norther NJ so considerable snow and rain build up is very possible between now and opening time.

Thanks
Dave

My understanding is that the air pillow is used to provide a cushion for ice expansion (as opposed to it blowing out the sides of your pool). It is not there to make snow and rain run off.

The previous owners of my pool did not use one last year

I used one this year when I closed.

My neighbors did not use one last year or this year

We are all Northern NJ as well.

If you tied your in the middle, you could untie one string, tie a longer string on that end, then pull it to the other side with the other sting, reinflate it, and then pull it back to center. All without having to remove the cover (just loosen the wire hold down).

I will say, that with the pillow in there, it makes siphoning water off of the cover a lot easier.

-dave

 

[rjg202]

I use 2 4x8's last year ice broke one. I was talked out of 4x15 by pool store just in case one broke. If it was me I would pull it out, put duct tape over the valve to give a little extra support from the weight of ice and snow pushing it open. The only down side is they usually move to one side I have them tied across the pool on separate lines.

 

[MikeInNH]

Sounds like your pillow either has a hole or the cap wasn't pushed in all the way. I also ended up with a deflated pillow, I tried to get another year out of my old one....not so much. I just installed my new 4x15 pillow today. I tied up one end of the cover so it wouldn't slide off and folded the cover back from the opposite end a bit more than halfway. I pulled the old pillow out, moved my anchor ropes to the new one and dragged it back in. Then rolled the cover back over the new pillow. This after some choice words. Never fun on a big pool and having water on the cover.

As for leaving it out, your call. There are differences in opinion as to if it helps with ice. I would like to think so. It definitely makes the water easier to drain off.