AGP Air Pillow - Yea or Nay?

[lisar670]

Hello,

Looking for some opinions/information on whether I actually need to use an air pillow this winter or not. I live in New England where winters can be pretty cold and snowy.

I've had my AGP for about 10 years now and it seems like every year the pillow deflates and sinks at some point during the winter. I've never noticed any adverse effects when this happens, so I'm not sure if I should just skip the pillow altogether.

Last winter was the first time I didn't drain any water from the pool for winter, I plugged the skimmer and return jet, put a pillow and covered as usual. The pillow deflated and sank about halfway through winter. There was also a small hole near the return jet which caused the water to drain way down below the jet. But, even without the pillow, I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary happening. The hole was patched in the spring and hasn't leaked at all during the summer. So, I'm thinking of just skipping the pillow this year. Thoughts?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Luwi67]

I stopped using those pillows years ago. I haven't had any problems where the ice meets the liner yet, knock on wood.

 

[ghall6292]

I am still using the original cover pillow that came with our pool more than six years ago. Probably just luck! I know many on here swear at them, rather than by them, however.

I actually did purchase a replacement in year one, since I was positive that thing would never make it more than one season. It's still in the basement in the original packaging. So... that's the trick. Buy a replacement before anything ever breaks, and maybe it'll never break. In truth, DON'T do that. Unless you want to end up penniless, living under a bridge.... Lol.

Seriously, I have never inflated mine completely. Only about 1/2 to 2/3 full of air. I believe the theory is that as ice forms, it builds up pressure and needs somewhere to go until frozen solid. Thus, your less-than-full pillow takes the pressure easily; it just gets squeezed, rather than the ice pressuring the pool wall. For the same reason, I stuff hunks of pool noodle into my skimmer bowl, bending them through the mouth of the skimmer into the pool. And my skimmer freezes solid every year with no cracks once the ice leaves.

Also, having that pillow under there makes it much easier to scrape crud off the cover before removing it in the spring, as well as shovel excess snow during the winter.

Good luck with whatever you decide!