I have bought a forclosed house with this mess(hope you see pic) I have read here and think I know where to go in the pool but what about the grass and mess on the cover. I am worried I will be adding half of that into the pool if I pull the cover off? Any Ideas where to start before attacking the pool itself? I'm closing in a week and am trying to get a headstart idea. Thanks for any help[attachment=0:1t5x4nx8]inground.jpg[/attachment:1t5x4nx8]
Newbie Don't know where to start
- Thread starter autowizzard
- Start date
Welcome to TFP!!!Well, that is certainly a first for me to see. We have seen trees growing in a filled pool, but not grass on the cover.
I would suggest trying to shovel off as much of that as you can before pulling the cover off. Although, given how long the cover has been on, dropping some of that into the pool is probably not going to make anything worse.
Whenever you start this process, please please please take lots of pictures every step of the way. This could be conversion of the decade!
Jeetyet
0
Even though I have never removed a cover, I suspect that lots of folks helping would make a big difference.
Starting with a blower sounds like a plan.
Welcome to the forum
Starting with a blower sounds like a plan.
Welcome to the forum
I have a relation who had this situation. The lush green growth will be firmly matted in the mesh of the cover, which will make it heavy. Hopefully it will hold together sufficiently to get it off in one piece but be warned it may just tear and fall apart in which case its going to have to be fished out any way you can. You need plenty of strong willing help to gradually peel back the cover from the far end and make sure you've got plenty of space to dump the cover out of the way when you're done. (Hint: if someone trips and falls in, DO NOT LAUGH.) It helps if you ease/wiggle/remove and replace each of the fixings before you start so you know they will come out OK when you need them to. Undo them gradually as you move along the pool with the cover to the shallow end. You may be lucky and it will come off quite easily, just depends on the integrity of that cover.
I would be surprised if the grass will blow off. I'd get several people to help and tie ropes to the straps on one of the long sides. Loosen the straps and throw the ropes over the pool. Keep the other straps in place. The objective is to roll the cover over while the end straps hold it in place and keep it from sliding into the pool. Take the remaining straps off as needed.
You probably don't have it but there is a tool to remove the spring loaded straps from the pins that stick up. It looks like a piece of pipe with a notch in the end. The pipe drops down inside the metal ring on the end of the strap. The notch fits in the free space. When you rotate the pipe the notched section slides between the ring and the pin. This lets you lever the strap and ring up off the pin.
Be careful, the springs are pretty strong. If you are levering the ring up with a screw driver it's going to jump back when it comes off the pin. A pool store may sell you or loan you the tool if they also close/open pools. It's a PITA without the tool.
That winter cover is pretty strong. Hopefully, it is in good enough shape that it stays together.
You probably don't have it but there is a tool to remove the spring loaded straps from the pins that stick up. It looks like a piece of pipe with a notch in the end. The pipe drops down inside the metal ring on the end of the strap. The notch fits in the free space. When you rotate the pipe the notched section slides between the ring and the pin. This lets you lever the strap and ring up off the pin.
Be careful, the springs are pretty strong. If you are levering the ring up with a screw driver it's going to jump back when it comes off the pin. A pool store may sell you or loan you the tool if they also close/open pools. It's a PITA without the tool.
That winter cover is pretty strong. Hopefully, it is in good enough shape that it stays together.
Make sure you have the correct tool to remove the spring loaded straps from the anchor points. It can be very dangerous if you don't! Hopefully the tool was left some where around the house. Please do take lots of pictures this will be an interesting thread!
http://www.poolsuppliessuperstore.com/p ... MgodgQoAVAGuinnessPhish said:
I don't know anything about the vendor but the picture is correct.
I really want to watch this one!
PLEASE take a lot of pics. Not only for our enjoyment, but once you "got this" and know what you're doing, you will look back on the "before" pics and be very satisfied with yourself.
PLEASE take a lot of pics. Not only for our enjoyment, but once you "got this" and know what you're doing, you will look back on the "before" pics and be very satisfied with yourself.
Yes. Part D is the rod I was talking about. You can see the notched end that lets you get between the ring and the pin.GuinnessPhish said:
The allen wrench (part E) is to lower the pins once you have the cover off.
Where are you located?? I know if you were near me i would be willing to help just for the learning experience .... who knows you may find someone here to help you in person 
Goodluck! get lots helpers and take your time! You are definitely in the right place for help. Keep us updated. Cant wait to see the progress
I wonder how strong the cover is. If it has been sitting a while it may be dry rotted and fall apart on you. If it is strong enough you may be able to use a pressure washer to push the dirt and Crud to the side of the pool before you attempt the other methods mentioned above to remove the cover. From the looks of the trees you are not located anywhere around me but I would be willing to help remove it if you are close enough.
They are very strong but there is no telling if it is dry rotted or not. I wouldn't use a pressure washer myself. The water you will add will just increase the weight on the cover. You can cut a groove in things with a jet nozzle if you are not careful.rotenka said:
Just my $.02.
Looks to me like you just need to grab this bull by the horns and do it. Remove the cover and then deal with the overgrowth.
If a blower helps maybe but it simply looks like it would remove the light debris which is not your primary issue. Not sure I would trust the integrity of it either until you get the live stuff out of the weave.
Good luck.
If a blower helps maybe but it simply looks like it would remove the light debris which is not your primary issue. Not sure I would trust the integrity of it either until you get the live stuff out of the weave.
Good luck.
Jeetyet
0
A good blower will blow away the water on the surface plus any debris in it. At least thats the way it worked when I opened the pool I'm taking care of this year. I didn't have a rice paddy growing on top of it though so it may not work quite as planned here. 
You might want to get one of those plastic rakes and see how easy the grass pulls off.
You might want to get one of those plastic rakes and see how easy the grass pulls off.