Winter pool cover suggestions for In ground pool

[forwinns]

I am looking for some suggestions regarding my in ground pool and a winter cover. I just installed my pool and concrete this spring, I have been reviewing covers and see a lot of them where you are suppose to drill into the concrete. I am not sure if I am open to the idea of drilling 40 little holes into my new concrete. Any other suggestions or ideas would be appreciated!!!

Thanks

 

[forwinns]

More info: Pool is 18 x 30 with steps on end.

 

[Melt In The Sun]

Well, you have two main options: a safety cover (which requires drilling holes), and a tarp-style cover with weights holding it down. the tarps are cheaper but uglier and more difficult to install/uninstall and keep clean.

 

[JohnT]

Drill the holes. You close your pool in the fall and don't think about it until spring except to drain water once or twice. The waterbag covers are a pain.

The safety cover is flat and leaves blow off. The waterbag covers are at the water level, so the leaves accumulate.

 

[zimm]

Drill the holes. You won't notice them with the brass pins screwed in, they weather to nice dark patina.

 

[bmoreswim]

Agreed, drill the holes. However, in IL your cover won't be flat much of the winter because it will have snow on it which will cause it to be resting on the water surface (and possibly to freeze to the water surface). So make sure the water surface isn't lowered below the cover manufacturer's recommendation. I think ours says 18" below the deck level, and it must be below the skimmer level, so you have a window where the water level should ideally reside. Ours is a Merlin Smart Mesh which I'm very pleased with. I'm sure the leading manufacturers of the covers are equally good products as well. You can see page 6 of our build thread in my signature for some discussion of the installation and winter procedures with pictures.

 

[bmoreswim]

I meant to say it must be below the tile level to reduce chances of popping tiles off.

 

[wjr75]

We have an auto cover but still also have a separate winter cover with the concrete inserts. We open the auto cover before putting the winter cover on and the pool is drained about 30%. The cover allows water to flow thru into the pool during the course of the winters snow and other rain and has springs from the cover to the inserts to compensate for the weight. Sometimes in early spring I may have to drain some extra water from the pool from all the water that has collected during the winter. When I see the jugs in the skimmers float popping the skimmer covers that's when I know when to drain. I just put a garden house through the skimmer and start a syphon and let it run a day or so. I have the same type of winter cover as Zimm has ^^^^. Also the pins screw in flush to the concrete when you take off the winter cover.

 

[swimcmp]

Depending on your pool you don't have to drain any water to winterize. All of our vinyl lined and fiberglass pools we leave full with either aquadoor lids or skimmer plugs. Now our gunite customers we do drain below the skimmers. If it was mine I would get a solid cover with no mesh drains.