WInd is terrible--first year pool owner

[deweypip]

We're into the last week of Dec of our first yr being pool owners. I was on my secong cover, looks like now I need a third.
Winds have been shredding our covers. The last one was split in two, litterally.
Question---lost the last cover last week--had no time to replace, now cold weather moved in an froze the pool up. What remains of the split cover is now froze into the pool, along with 2 inner tubes for ice expansion.
Where to go now??? Replace cover--leave it as is, as sure as type this another good storm will certainly destroy another cover.
What do folks in high wind areas do???

Drained pool 3" below skimmer. Water from storms has entered pool. I now have frozen ice line @ maybe 1" below. I have no skimmer protection. Saw someone say put a piece of cut noodle in skimmer as ice expansion material?? Is this good enough??

This pool thing is starting to get old?? Did I do the right thing?? Help???

Bantam

 

[JasonLion]

Winter covers need to be well secured and it helps to have an inch of water on the cover to help hold it in place and down against the water in the pool. There shouldn't be any give/movement around the edges where it ties down to the wall and enough weight to hold everything in place (gallon milk jugs 2/3rds full of water are good tie down weights).

All that said, if your pool tends to remain frozen solid all winter there isn't any real need for a cover (except maybe in the spring and fall). A cover reduces the spring cleanup a little by keeping debris out and helps prevent algae. While solid ice can grow algae in rare cases, that is quite unusual. In any case, all can be cleaned up easily enough even after a winter of no cover.

Preventing freeze damage normally involves defense in depth, ie several different things that are each individually sufficient to prevent freeze damage. Low water level prevents water from getting in the skimmer in the first place. Pool noodle stuffed in the skimmer can work very well as long as there is something to hold it down in the water/ice. Otherwise the noodle can ride up on top of the ice and do nothing. Another option is something called a gizmo, a plastic thing that screws down into the opening in the bottom of the skimmer. Skimmer opening covers are another good line of defense, though not used as commonly.

 

[deweypip]

Did the water jug thing. Wind had actually blown 1 gal water jugs filled 2/3 to 3/4 full into the pool. It is crazy wind where I am.
Good to know once frozen over pretty much good to go. We are in a big flat field not much debris to blow in pool. Guess I'll leave it as is.
Thanks

 

[Speedo]

Using 2 or 3 of the winter cover seal it might be possible to keep wind from blowing under the cover (as much).