There is a tool for this, right? Skimmer cover removal.

[glitter&guns]

I am only a couple of weeks into pool ownership. I am not generally squeamish, but i am developing a healthy concern for pulling the cover off of the skimmer. In my 2 weeks I have opened it up to find 3 wet and very unhappy huge bumble bees (thankfully wet and cold makes for slow bees), a giant spider (ok, giant is a relative term, but it was really big), roughly 12 million rollly polly bugs clinging to the underside of the cover, and on our warmest day I found a snake just a few inches away from the cover sunning itself (I had been pulling shrubs and assume I disturbed it's winter den) - thankfully it was just a rat snake and harmless and it was technically not IN the skimmer, but it really made me think about the fact that warm weather may change where I am finding snakes.

So, I am getting concerned with sticking my fingers into the little holes on the cover. The cover is new and fits tightly so I really have to yank on it. I assume there is some tool for this job? What is it called because I am coming up with nothing when I search "skimmer cover remover thingie".

Thanks y'all!

 

[jblizzle]

:lol:

you just need anything with a little hook on it ... maybe a tent stake, or take a wire coat hanger and bend it, or just get a short piece of wire and bend it.

Be creative

 

[duraleigh]

I used an old, very cheap garden hoe and cut off the blade leaving the "hook" part of the metal still attached to the hoe handle. Works great.

I just know Mr. Spider is in there scheming to grab my index finger and gnaw mercilessly.

 

[Taterfink]

Could you add a second small hole next to the finger sized hole and run a zip tie thru them both to give you a"handle" to pull the cover off with? It would be low profile, and not sharp so wouldn't hurt any ones feet. Or knot a piece of nylon rope pass it thru the hole and tie another knot on the other end. Nothing to trip anyone and nothing to hurt the feet. Air could circulate thru the hole around the rope and you'd have a fairly permanent handle. Oh, and it would be one less tool you'd have to hunt for everyday!

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[jblizzle]

Could you add a second small hole next to the finger sized hole and run a zip tie thru them both to give you a"handle" to pull the cover off with? It would be low profile, and not sharp so wouldn't hurt any ones feet. Or knot a piece of nylon rope pass it thru the hole and tie another knot on the other end. Nothing to trip anyone and nothing to hurt the feet. Air could circulate thru the hole around the rope and you'd have a fairly permanent handle. Oh, and it would be one less tool you'd have to hunt for everyday!

I like these ideas

 

[Taterfink]

Thank you!

 

[carolina pool]

We have used the knotted rope on occasion. Its a good solution.

 

[Christian]

Could you add a second small hole next to the finger sized hole and run a zip tie thru them both to give you a"handle" to pull the cover off with? It would be low profile, and not sharp so wouldn't hurt any ones feet. Or knot a piece of nylon rope pass it thru the hole and tie another knot on the other end. Nothing to trip anyone and nothing to hurt the feet. Air could circulate thru the hole around the rope and you'd have a fairly permanent handle. Oh, and it would be one less tool you'd have to hunt for everyday!

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BRILLIANT!

 

[mmcgovern]

For what it's worth, I have two very tight skimmer covers. I have a wooden dowel rod that fits in the center hole. I can put the dowel rod in the hole and gently pry up on the sides and corners of the cover to nudge it open. While I occasionally find a friend in the skimmer, we meet face to face before we shake hands.

 

[gtemkin]

I have a autofill cover that gets really tight if there's any dirt or sand on the ledge area of the housing. Just a couple of grains of sand make the difference between loose and having to use a knife to pry the thing free. If there's dirt on your skimmer's ledge, get a rag and while pressing real hard, circle around the ledge area a few times to get everything clean. May also need to break up any hardened dirt by dragging a small screwdriver around the same area. Make sure the cover outer edge is similarly clean.

Who knows....in the process you may pull out a drowned rat from the skimmer like I did once! - not realizing at first that I had a rat in my hand among all the dead leaves. Yuck.

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Get a skimmer angel or similar device once you sort out the cover handle. The skimmer angel lets you get the skimmer basket out without reaching into the gunk.

I have had a snake in mine...

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