To Cover or Not to Cover?

[achristie]

I've had my pool for four years and I've never closed or covered it. The guy who installed my pool recommended I not spend the money on one. When the pool and all associated equipment is brand new, it seems like good advice because it's so easy to keep everything clean. However, as time goes on and parts wear, it becomes much more difficult. I'm running the pump during the winter almost constantly to try keep things clear, which I estimate is costing me about $100/month. With about eight non-swimming months in VA, the savings from not having to run the pump would quickly pay for the cover. Does anyone see any flaws in my logic?

Now, I will admit, I have not been properly maintaining my pool. I didn't realize the importance of keeping balanced water. We have a SWG and I actually thought it took care of all of that. Now that I found this site and have learned how to maintain balanced water, it may result in an overall reduced necessity for the pump. But even then, it still seems like I'd save quite a bit of money over the long haul by closing the pool. Plus, I really like the thought of being able to completely forget about maintaining the pool for eight straight months.

So, in my state of Virginia, is it better to close the pool and cover it or leave it open all winter?

If it's better to cover, what's the best type of cover? I don't have a lip around my pool, the concrete is flush with the edges of the pool, so I'm not sure how the lose fitting covers that use water bags would work.

As far as the tight fitting type of covers that use the anchors that are drilled into concrete, are they really as easy to install as the manufacturer claims?

I appreciate any advice. I think a cover is the best thing, but I just want to make sure I'm investing my money as wisely as possible.

 

[heikejohn]

I cover my pool for the 6 month I can't use it.

My cover is history after the last 3 years. Just ordered one on ebay for $60.00 with an eight year guarantee. (Might make it 5 years?)

Check out winter covers right now, they are last years overstock & should be about 50% off. You should get a good deal PLUS save all the electricity and chemicals for the time you are not using your pool.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I didn't realize the swim time in VA was so short. My pool is open May-sep and the rest of the time I close. But we freeze here, I suppose that's not an issue for you? I would cover. Either way you may open to a green pool, but why pay all that expense maintaining the pool (or not ) if you can't even use it? Besides, if it does go green, we can help you fix it. So in short: cover!

 

[waterbug]

We are in Va and do cover the pool. I have thought about leaving it open but with all the leaves and extra electricity it seems like a lot of extra work. We used a mesh cover this year and really liked that, much less pumping off water throughout the year and much less water needed upon start-up. We opened to crystal clear water last week and were in swimming on the weekend.

Now if we could just lose the worms :grrrr:

 

[achristie]

Just ordered one on ebay for $60.00 with an eight year guarantee. (Might make it 5 years?)

What kind of cover? Will that type work with my type of pool where the concrete is flush with the lip of the pool? How do I keep the cover from slipping in the pool? Do you have a link to photos that show how they're secured? My understanding is that the loose fitting, tarp style covers can be a hassle because they collect the rain water, which if isn't removed, will get into the pool when the cover is removed, requiring extra clean up.

Is there anybody that has experience with both types of covers that can tell me if it's worth it to spend the extra $500 or $600 for the tight fitting cover? I certainly don't want to spend that if I don't have to.

I didn't realize the swim time in VA was so short. My pool is open May-sep and the rest of the time I close.

We're pretty much the same. May thru August is four months. I find that the water gets cold very quickly in September. Maybe we'll get some swim time the first week or two of September, but that's about it. When you're used to 90ish degree water, nobody seems to want to get in when it drops below 80.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Just ordered one on ebay for $60.00 with an eight year guarantee. (Might make it 5 years?)

What kind of cover? Will that type work with my type of pool where the concrete is flush with the lip of the pool? How do I keep the cover from slipping in the pool? Do you have a link to photos that show how they're secured? My understanding is that the loose fitting, tarp style covers can be a hassle because they collect the rain water, which if isn't removed, will get into the pool when the cover is removed, requiring extra clean up.

Is there anybody that has experience with both types of covers that can tell me if it's worth it to spend the extra $500 or $600 for the tight fitting cover? I certainly don't want to spend that if I don't have to.

[quote:b02ye628]I didn't realize the swim time in VA was so short. My pool is open May-sep and the rest of the time I close.

We're pretty much the same. May thru August is four months. I find that the water gets cold very quickly in September. Maybe we'll get some swim time the first week or two of September, but that's about it. When you're used to 90ish degree water, nobody seems to want to get in when it drops below 80.[/quote:b02ye628]

Except Beave. (inside joke)

I'm not sure about securing the cover, but if water collects on it, an inexpensive submersible pump from Home Depot can be used to drain the water off, either periodically or when you're ready to open. I picked up one for about $80, but they have even less expensive syphon type ones that you can use. You just attach hoses to either end and it begins the syphon action for you and you just drain it to a low spot away from the pool....

 

[robrinker]

For the first two years we had our pool, we used a standard winter cover. It would collect leaves, get rained on, and make soup. I would put a pump on the cover to pump off the excess water, but I could never get it all. Last year, I walked out one morning in april to witness 10s of thousands of tadpoles on the cover. That did it for me and we bought a safety cover (the ones that anchor in the concrete, like you mentioned). It was expensive, but the store we bought it from installed it for $100, so I didn't think it was worth bothering trying to install it myself. I also read here that safety covers last about 5 times longer than standard winter covers, so the price ends up being pretty equal.

The safety cover is mesh, so the rain/snow drains right through into the pool. This made it easy to see where the water was in relation to the skimmers, so I just kept an eye on it, let the winter snow melt and early rains fill the pool back up, and only ended up needing to add about 2" of water to open. It was also pretty easy to free up a corner of it when I did need to drop the sump pump in to pump out excess water over the winter.