Solid Winter Cover Automatic Pump question

[rstandi]

I just finished installing the Deck Lock Aquamaster solid winter cover. It went pretty well, but my Hammer drill was underpowered. Had to rent a better one.
My question is about a cover pump. I live in Northwest Ohio and we get a ton of snow. Is it okay to keep an automatic cover pump on the cover or will freezing damage the pump. And, is it even necessary....

Thanks
rstandi

 

[dfahrion]

At a minimum you are going to want something to get the water/snow melt off in the spring. We need a cover pump anyway with our autocover during the summer, otherwise I would consider a manual siphon pump with a hose running down the hill beside our pool for the few times in the winter there is liquid water available to pump off.

All of the cover pumps I have seen have freeze protection, but I usually try to take it off before it freezes anyway. Last year that didn't happen and it spent the winter in a block of ice protected from the sun by a layer of snow. It took a few days in the spring after the ice/snow turned to water for some reason but eventually it did start pumping again, so apparently it didn't mind being in a block of ice for most of the winter. Even though it does have freeze protection I did unplug it while it was frozen.