Pillow

[jjpaul]

Searched for an answer for this but didn't find anything.

What size pillow do I need for a 21ft round AG...is bigger better? What is the preferred way to attach the winter cover.

Many thanks.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I don't know if bigger is better. I've used the 4 X 5 and 4 x 4 pillows. Some years they have collapsed and others not. There are many who don't cover their AG pool at all...

I've seen several methods, from clips to dangling milk jugs to bungee cords....kinda depends on where you are at and if it's very windy. One tip is make sure the metal grommets are not touching the pool if you can help it - they will mar the paint/surface. Make sure you keep a little water on top of the cover but if you get a lot of rain water buildup you should drain most of it off with a pump.

 

[X-PertPool]

I don't recommend air pillows as they don't do anything as far as I am concerned.

• They don't do much for expansion as they float on the surface of the water
  You can't make a teepee out of the cover by stretching it tight because it voids the warranty of the cover (read the box)
  I think they just add another wear point to the cover.

I recommend using the wire and winch and if you have high winds you can use a pallet stretch wrap to stop the cover from blowing up.
When using a wire and winch make sure not to have the wire ontop of the skimmer or return when tightening or you can do damage, if you have some extra slack in the cover you can rollup up the cover under the wire so that the wire itself isn't touching the pool but actually has a layer of cover as padding.

 

[kjdiver]

Hi x-pertpool,

I have an inground pool with a mesh cover (that sinks and gets flodded over the winter...not that that matters?...does it?). Would you also not put an air pillow in that? I was thinking about putting something under my cover this year to help break up some of the ice. I am in Virginia. sorry to hijack the thread but appreciate any input. Thanks!

I don't recommend air pillows as they don't do anything as far as I am concerned.

• They don't do much for expansion as they float on the surface of the water
  You can't make a teepee out of the cover by stretching it tight because it voids the warranty of the cover (read the box)
  I think they just add another wear point to the cover.

I recommend using the wire and winch and if you have high winds you can use a pallet stretch wrap to stop the cover from blowing up.
When using a wire and winch make sure not to have the wire ontop of the skimmer or return when tightening or you can do damage, if you have some extra slack in the cover you can rollup up the cover under the wire so that the wire itself isn't touching the pool but actually has a layer of cover as padding.

 

[X-PertPool]

I don't use air pillows at all, and even when I do see them they are only on above grounds; I've never seen it on an in-ground. Regardless this is just my opinion, I just have never seen anything positive come out of them. Although I think I might buy one this year to use as a cushion stopper at the end of my vinyl liner slip and slide :-D

 

[kjdiver]

I don't use air pillows at all, and even when I do see them they are only on above grounds; I've never seen it on an in-ground. Regardless this is just my opinion, I just have never seen anything positive come out of them. Although I think I might buy one this year to use as a cushion stopper at the end of my vinyl liner slip and slide :-D

Why don't you just use your pool :-D

Would a pillow do anything in this situation? Wasn't sure if it would help reduce some of the streching on my cover. Thanks for the response and if anyone else had any input!

 

[barnyard]

I've used pillows on my AG pools. I think the pillow distributes the water from rain and melting snow all around the pool instead of allowing it to congeregate in the middle. On the instances that my pillow has deflated in mid-winter, I have noticed the water and ice and snow want to go to the center and it really seems to pull on the cover. The pillow seems to make the water and stuff put less stress on the cover IMHO. The pillow also makes it easier to get the cover off in the spring. The water is easier to siphon or pump off the cover and all the leaves and debris are right around the edges so you can get just about all water and stuff off the cover before you try to take it off.

Of course, your results might vary.

 

[X-PertPool]

I don't use air pillows at all, and even when I do see them they are only on above grounds; I've never seen it on an in-ground. Regardless this is just my opinion, I just have never seen anything positive come out of them. Although I think I might buy one this year to use as a cushion stopper at the end of my vinyl liner slip and slide :-D

Why don't you just use your pool :-D

Would a pillow do anything in this situation? Wasn't sure if it would help reduce some of the streching on my cover. Thanks for the response and if anyone else had any input!

Is that a safety cover? If so I wouldn't recommend it; it's supposed to do that over the winter.

 

[MikeInTN]

I've used pillows on my AG pools. I think the pillow distributes the water from rain and melting snow all around the pool instead of allowing it to congeregate in the middle. On the instances that my pillow has deflated in mid-winter, I have noticed the water and ice and snow want to go to the center and it really seems to pull on the cover. The pillow seems to make the water and stuff put less stress on the cover IMHO. The pillow also makes it easier to get the cover off in the spring. The water is easier to siphon or pump off the cover and all the leaves and debris are right around the edges so you can get just about all water and stuff off the cover before you try to take it off.

Of course, your results might vary.

Yep, that's about the only thing I find it useful for, too. We don't get too much ice in these here parts to need any compensating for..

 

[NWMNMom]

We have an Arctic Armor micromesh winter cover that freezes into the surface and when spring rolls around, allows the melted snow, ice, rain water to fall through so do not use a pillow either. I have never had ice or snow pull the cover off or the walls in and have never had a green swamp on my cover. We have had it for several years now in what I can safely say is probably about the coldest area of the country and pretty darn close to the windiest. It has never ripped from wind - it has a wire with a winch unit to pull tight. We always open to clean water. It looks solid black but has a very fine weave that is almost invisible but all moisture falls through and no debris. Just an alternative to the solid covers and all that hassle of pumping off water, etc.

We use the regular solid winter cover that came with our pool to cover our horses round bales of hay - a much better, less hassle use than it was intended for.