Why do I need a winter cover?

[JRBlaylock]

Hey folks! I've read through the posts here and appreciate all your great ideas. In my particular situation, I live in Michigan and have a 24 ft AG pool. Last winter the cover it came with shredded due to high winds. I am seeing that many covers come with mesh to allow water/melted snow & ice to drain through. Where my pool is and due to prevailing high winds, I really don't get hardly any debris in the pool. So, if it's not to keep water and/or debris out, is there some other reason I'm missing for putting on a cover? Thanks in advance for your help!

-Joe

 

[waste]

JOe, welcome to TFP!!

If you don't mind manually removing whatever debris enters the pool and the cover is a nightmare to keep on or keep whole - DON'T COVER THE POOL! You are a prime candidate for NOT using a cover - it seems to be more hassle than it's worth

I know of a lot of folks that don't cover their pools over the winter and don't have problems 8)

 

[pooladdict]

Never used one here, always was watching neighbors (Before we got our pool) and the hassle they went through each spring, freezes up nice an solid, and in the spring, its clear as it was in the fall when we close, once every two days before freeze, I dip out anything that happens to go in it.

Not to mention, the benefit of being able to look at the water until freeze up, we love sitting on deck, with deck heaters blazing in the fall nights.

 

[amjohn]

I have a friend here in Texas who has had a 24 foot AGP for about 8 years. They cover consistently and believe that is why they got 8 years out of their first liner, which they finally replaced this year. I personally do not think that the hassle and expense of the cover is worth the extra year or two they got out of the liner, (but I may think otherwise when I have to replace my liner in 5 or so years). This is our first pool, first winter, and I plan to use a leaf net for the heavy deluge of leaves we are going to have this fall, then no cover at all once the leaves stop. The water will not freeze much or for long here, but we have high winds and have watched the winds tear apart metal barns in the winter- I don't hold out much hope for a cover.

 

[pooladdict]

Provided you keep the water level up high enough, during winter sun....there will be no liner issue, whether covered or not, ice still forms....its the sun that can bleach out the sides, but again, in the summer, your water level is below that top portion, and it gets sun damage in the summer as well.