This will be my first year to leave the pool up, frankly because taking it down and putting it back up are such a chore for a one-man (old man) crew...
Anyway, I've read the bit in the Pool School about Above Ground Winterizing, and looked through a few pages of posts here, and I have some questions from what I've read and experienced.
Feel free to address them all or just one. Any opinions on these matters are better than no opinions!
1. I've read in a couple of places that the water temps need to dip below 60 degrees (F), and one place mentioned for 5 days. Why? I haven't seen an explanation on why that is important. Is it because of algae? I'm about at the point where my job (I'm a teacher) doesn't allow me enough time to maintain the pool. The water is cold but I'm pretty sure it is nowhere near 60 (I'm in Arkansas). I'm getting a thermometer this weekend.
2. Pool covers. My pool came with a nice & heavy pool cover. Unfortunately, sturdy was not one of it's features. The drawstring tore through the cover on it's second or third use and I threw it away. Not keen on purchasing another Intex pool cover. Any other brands I should look at?
3. I've seen mention of "pillows" and tire tubes. Are there some guidelines on how many I should purchase? Too few? Too many?
4. Definitely getting a leaf net ASAP. We have a 60 foot Willow Oak that in a couple of weeks will drop about 6 billion skinny leaves all over the neighborhood (my neighbors probably hate me), plus a 50 foot pine, and 50 foot Pin Oak in the front that drops leaves all winter long, even until the new leaves push the old ones off in spring. Okay, not really a question here...
5. What about water that collects on the pool cover after closing? Does it need to be pumped off with a sump pump or something?
Thanks for any help!
Anyway, I've read the bit in the Pool School about Above Ground Winterizing, and looked through a few pages of posts here, and I have some questions from what I've read and experienced.
Feel free to address them all or just one. Any opinions on these matters are better than no opinions!
1. I've read in a couple of places that the water temps need to dip below 60 degrees (F), and one place mentioned for 5 days. Why? I haven't seen an explanation on why that is important. Is it because of algae? I'm about at the point where my job (I'm a teacher) doesn't allow me enough time to maintain the pool. The water is cold but I'm pretty sure it is nowhere near 60 (I'm in Arkansas). I'm getting a thermometer this weekend.
2. Pool covers. My pool came with a nice & heavy pool cover. Unfortunately, sturdy was not one of it's features. The drawstring tore through the cover on it's second or third use and I threw it away. Not keen on purchasing another Intex pool cover. Any other brands I should look at?
3. I've seen mention of "pillows" and tire tubes. Are there some guidelines on how many I should purchase? Too few? Too many?
4. Definitely getting a leaf net ASAP. We have a 60 foot Willow Oak that in a couple of weeks will drop about 6 billion skinny leaves all over the neighborhood (my neighbors probably hate me), plus a 50 foot pine, and 50 foot Pin Oak in the front that drops leaves all winter long, even until the new leaves push the old ones off in spring. Okay, not really a question here...
5. What about water that collects on the pool cover after closing? Does it need to be pumped off with a sump pump or something?
Thanks for any help!