Solar Cover Help

[Dabby]

I put a solar cover on our pool a few weeks ago. I let it sit for a few days and then trimmed it a little at a time over several days until it fit the shape of the pool. My problem is, I thought the cover was supposed to smooth itself out after awhile. I still have wrinkles and creases. It seems that air collects in these voids and keeps the cover from flattening out. I have spent several hours smoothing the wrinkles out and removing as much of the trapped air as possible with a pool brush and long pole only to see the air bubbles return a couple of days later. It just will not lay flat like everyone says it should.

Also, water collects in the low areas caused by the bubbles. I brush the water off and it returns with the bubbles a couple of days later.

Anyone know what I am doing wrong?

 

[erivette]

It took a few months last summer in the Texas heat for the folds/creases in my new solar cover to smooth themselves out but they eventually did. After that I only got pockets of water on top after storms due to wind shifting it and the rain then pooling. Without wind the rain doesn't pool. That's how it worked out for me anyway. I do know that if I just pulled the cover back and let the water fall into the pool quickly before it sits and gets yucky it doesn't affect my sparkly pool at all. Hope this helps.

 

[Dabby]

Thanks for the reply. Sounds like I just haven't waited long enough and we really haven't had very many hot days yet. It does seem to be working though. The water temperature is up 10 degrees since we put it on.

Did you ever have the problem with the air bubbles? Mine has a seam that runs down the middle of the pool. Air collects in this seam and basically creates a hump in the cover. The air seems to spread out from there into every wrinkle. Did you push out the bubbles or just leave it alone and let it smooth out by itself?

 

[erivette]

I didn't have any trouble with my the actual seam in the cover. I had rises from the folds when I took it out of the box which caused air pockets. I didn't ever push the air out. I did occasionally walk around the pool and tug every few feet to flatten it out. Or get one of my kids to stand directly across the pool while we both pulled in opposite directions to pull it taught. Either took minutes. I can imagine doing it with a pole could take some time and effort.

 

[Dabby]

We tried pulling it taught, but it just keeps going right back to the way it was. The seam is where the rises are like you had. I have figured a way to keep them down and that has greatly reduced the amount of air pockets. I do still have trouble with water standing on the cover though.

 

[kwolfe]

I just got mine a couple of weeks ago and had the same issue. It has flattened out a bit but since I drag it on myself, I still get some air bubbles. I can't imagine it is real making much of a difference. You are still halting evaporation and insulating the pool. As for the water on top. Either way, it's going in your pool so I wouldn't worry about that either.