Loop Loc installation into dirt

[darrylg]

My new pool just completed construction, and I don't have a patio yet. I would like to go ahead and install a loop lock immediately, so I don't waste money on a tarp and water bags.

My question is, can I just install the cover with stakes for this year, or do I really need to do the "anchor in pipe" method. If so, do I need to purchase the LL pipe, or can I just go to the hardware store and find pipe that fits the anchor?

Also, once the anchors are pressed into the pipe, are they re-usable?
TIA!

 

[bmoreswim]

You may want to put a recent picture from your build thread here to make your sure you get the best advice possible. It appears that the dirt around your pool is not consistently up to the level of the top of the bond beam (looks like no coping yet) and your skimmers are sticking up above the soil. Those factors will play into how well your cover works and what damage may happen to it as the snow weighs down your cover and stretches the springs - which moves the cover material back and forth over that unfinished bond beam/skimmer area potentially causing abrasion or ripping. I don't have specifics on the anchor pipes but I'd expect the anchors to just barely slide into the pipes. So the could come out easily or could also be encouraged out via the opposite end when you remove the pipes next year. If the soil around the pool was all disturbed, I'd expect it will be tough to get pipes to remain stationary when put under the stress of being spring loaded with thousands of pounds of snow weighing the cover down to the water level (which is how they are designed to work).

I understand the interest in not spending money on temporary cover, but I'd be tempted to get a big honking tarp and buy the water bags to weigh it down. Collateral damage to a brand new safety cover would be discouraging. I'll be interested in the thoughts of others as well.

 

[440dodge440]

I can't imagine the loop loc anchors surviving any length of time installed in dirt, even if there is a tube in the dirt that accepts the anchor. On mine, the springs are rather tight, and any rain that wets the soil and/or snow adding extra weight to the cover would be enough to fail anchors in the dirt.

 

[Geebot]

I can't imagine the loop loc anchors surviving any length of time installed in dirt, even if there is a tube in the dirt that accepts the anchor. On mine, the springs are rather tight, and any rain that wets the soil and/or snow adding extra weight to the cover would be enough to fail anchors in the dirt.

True dat. Snow loads on an average-sized pool cover are pretty massive. There's no stop-gap measure which will provide adequate support.

 

[darrylg]

You may want to put a recent picture from your build thread here to make your sure you get the best advice possible. It appears that the dirt around your pool is not consistently up to the level of the top of the bond beam (looks like no coping yet) and your skimmers are sticking up above the soil. Those factors will play into how well your cover works and what damage may happen to it as the snow weighs down your cover and stretches the springs - which moves the cover material back and forth over that unfinished bond beam/skimmer area potentially causing abrasion or ripping. I don't have specifics on the anchor pipes but I'd expect the anchors to just barely slide into the pipes. So the could come out easily or could also be encouraged out via the opposite end when you remove the pipes next year. If the soil around the pool was all disturbed, I'd expect it will be tough to get pipes to remain stationary when put under the stress of being spring loaded with thousands of pounds of snow weighing the cover down to the water level (which is how they are designed to work).

I understand the interest in not spending money on temporary cover, but I'd be tempted to get a big honking tarp and buy the water bags to weigh it down. Collateral damage to a brand new safety cover would be discouraging. I'll be interested in the thoughts of others as well.

Very good point. They're still not done with the final grading, so I'll take pics when it's finished. The pool builder gave me the option to do this for me, and put down foam padding as anti-chaffing material around the bond beam/skimmers. However he also wanted a decent amount of money.

After doing some shopping, it does seem that a tarp and water bags are cheaper than I had anticipated, so I'll probably do that.