Debris / Fabrico Cover for a Doughboy Pool

[MrsDimples]

I'm in the research stage of my decision making process for which pool to get this summer. After buying one last year & then changing our mind within a week or so, I want to make sure I get it right this time . .. .. so apologies in advance for a lot of questions

With my Intex pools I always covered the pool everynight with the debris cover. With the metal frame pool last year, this meant taking the steps out every night. This wasn't a problem as the steps are quite light and the pool isn't very high.

How hard is it to take the A Frame ladders out of a steel wall pool?

Does anyone else cover their steel wall pool every night?

The sites that are selling the pools in the UK, are selling Fabrico Sun Dome covers too. Does anyone have any experience of these?
They look and sound like the perfect solution. Only needing the debris cover, putting on in high winds, I'm struggling to find any reviews of them though.

Any input gratefully appreciated

 

[laceygirl]

Hi there,

You should only need a solar cover for the summer months.... You use the solar cover not to heat the pool but to keep the heat in that its absorbed during the day... It also stops water evaporation and stops your chemicals from being wasted... That's really the only cover you need during the months you're using it...

Winter time is when you want to invest in a really good cover... Something that can be weighed down, or tied down so wind can't get underneath it.....

Hope this is helpful...

 

[Casey]

If this is a solar cover, you can trim it to fit around the ladder. That's what I've done.

 

[MrsDimples]

Thanks Laceygirl and Casey.

I honestly hadn't thought about not covering the pool at night . .. . that's what we've done for the last two summers . . . . but I guess it makes sense. I told OH earlier & he was aghast at the idea. He said, "you'll spend more time scooping stuff out, that you will in it". . . . I do spend a lot of time 'cleaning' my pool and that won't be as easy with a taller pool, as I'm a titch

 

[Casey]

You're a titch... lol

I have a 54" side wall and ohhh boy does it ever make it difficult to sweep around the pool when I'm not in it. I take an old chair and put it up against the side of the pool and stand on it, get off it, move it, get on it.... I'm a titch too! It helps so much when the water is to cold to get in. I've got a deck on part of it and will be adding to it this year when I open the pool.

 

[laceygirl]

Yup I'm not real tall either, so I was grateful when we upsized the pump and filter, so I only vac once every three days...Its a stretch for me to reach everywhere, but the solar cover keeps leaves out of the pool, so its reduced my workload that's for sure...

What used to take me an hour and a half now takes me 20 mins, and that includes pool testing too... And I'm really particular about my pool, I can't have ANY dirt in there at all... lol, so I'll vac if its needs it... I blame this website, for making me addicted to clear water....

 

[Mollyj]

I've been using a heavy duty tarp for mine and it really does keep the heat in - only at night though, then during the day, I've changed to a net cover which is keeping it pretty clear. It would be hard to fit on a round pool but works great on the rectangular ones. Now, though, I'm thinking alight solar cover might be the go next year - leaving the net on overnight sure does make the water cooler - as I found out yesterday Brrrrrrrrrr

 

[MrsDimples]

That's interesting Mollyj

I only used to uncover the pool from it's debris cover on warm days, there was heat radiating from underneath.

A tarp with fixing points on the ground could be a possible plan . . . . sometimes there are weeks of rain & I'd rather the pool had a better cover than the solar cover.

What do you use to vac the pool Laceygirl?