Nectarologist
Well-known member
- Apr 3, 2015
- 642
- Pool Size
- 21000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Indeed, I just bought a micro mesh cover based on this thread. Hope I like it as much as the op.
Anyone Using a Mesh Winter Cover?
- Thread starter MikeInTN
- Start date
Indeed, I just bought a micro mesh cover based on this thread. Hope I like it as much as the op.
I am going to go with mesh. So it should be tight and i assume lower the water a little more than usual and no pillow? I'm I correct.
Yes you want the micromesh cover tight so it is not touching the water. I don't use a pillow. What I use was some big 72" whale float that elevates the cover above the water. The pillows tend to deflate rather quickly.
I lowered my water level to below the returns. I left my hose attached to the return so when it rains the water will just drain out of there. However during the brutal winter months, I will take the hose off and use a threaded return plug for the return and used an aquador cover for my skimmer so I don't get water damage. I will still in like January or February maybe put a sump pump in the pool to lower the water levels below the returns just in case. I don't want the ice expanding upwards and damaging anything.
Some people don't drain at all and just use an aquador and threaded return plug. I'm too nervous to do that.
Also, since we get a lot of snow here on Long Island I may just take my cover off the pool so I don't have 2 feet of snow pulling the cover inward and possibly bending the poles and uprights. But that is yet to be determined.
Maybe someone else can chime in about the snow..... But i have read a few posts that the weight of snow bent poles
I lowered my water level to below the returns. I left my hose attached to the return so when it rains the water will just drain out of there. However during the brutal winter months, I will take the hose off and use a threaded return plug for the return and used an aquador cover for my skimmer so I don't get water damage. I will still in like January or February maybe put a sump pump in the pool to lower the water levels below the returns just in case. I don't want the ice expanding upwards and damaging anything.
Some people don't drain at all and just use an aquador and threaded return plug. I'm too nervous to do that.
Also, since we get a lot of snow here on Long Island I may just take my cover off the pool so I don't have 2 feet of snow pulling the cover inward and possibly bending the poles and uprights. But that is yet to be determined.
Maybe someone else can chime in about the snow..... But i have read a few posts that the weight of snow bent poles
I'm in Poughkeepsie, my only worry is the weight of snow sitting on top of cover if pulled flat.
The frozen water provides support for the cover during heavy load times, that's why you want the water a maximum of no further than 10" from the cover.
wayner
LifeTime Supporter
- May 31, 2012
- 830
- Pool Size
- 100000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
I am in Toronto and we get snow here, eh?
The snow will cause the cover to sag, especially earlier in the winter when the water level in the pool is very low. But it tends to melt and run through the cover in all but the coldest stretches. And by March-April the pool is pretty much filled to the brim. My deck is flagstone paving stones and they have holes drilled for the anchors - I am guessing that these are about 3/4" in diameter. This has caused cracks in some of my stones - I assume that this is due to the lateral pressure on the stones and the holes causing weak points. But the anchors haven't bent. Perhaps the weight of the snow causes this to happen as well as it will increase the lateral force.
Sorry - I just noticed that this forum is for Above ground - my pool is in ground. I will leave the posts in case anyone finds it helpful.
Yeah that's my worry. I may take my cover off in the snow months. As I'm reading in other threads kim
says there are a lot of posts about poles bending due to the cover being pulled inward.
tcat
Silver Supporter
- May 30, 2012
- 1,590
- Pool Size
- 17000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool Edge-40
And it's now 2018! Great thread. Thought I'd put my 2 cents in. I'm in Texas, so no "winter". Used solar bubble covers for 2 or 3 years, too much crud ends up in the pool (13'x35' in ground kidney). Tons of oak pollen. Tried a leaf cover last year, keeps leaves out, but all kinds of stuff "sticks" to it. Reading about this micromesh got me thinking that's what I'm going to try at end of this season. My thoughts:
Using ½" pvc tube arched over the pool from side to side. I have 3d printer, thinking of making brackets to hook to coping and support the pipe (or could just assemble some fittings). So it's basically a pvc pool dome, maybe arched 12-18" above coping. Then lay the micromesh over the frame. Thinking leaves and pollen would roll off. Some water might drip through, but water should stay clean. Mesh is lighter than solid and should have less wind issue. Might even be ok to swim under it while water is warm. Thoughts?
Solar Breeze - Aquabot 4WD - TFP
Using ½" pvc tube arched over the pool from side to side. I have 3d printer, thinking of making brackets to hook to coping and support the pipe (or could just assemble some fittings). So it's basically a pvc pool dome, maybe arched 12-18" above coping. Then lay the micromesh over the frame. Thinking leaves and pollen would roll off. Some water might drip through, but water should stay clean. Mesh is lighter than solid and should have less wind issue. Might even be ok to swim under it while water is warm. Thoughts?
Solar Breeze - Aquabot 4WD - TFP
That: you're brilliant. I was brewing a similar scheme, using some kind strong rigid pipe laid across the "gunwales" of my ABG to create pitch (tent) in the winter cover to shed water.
I'm a DIYer who tends to learn the hard way. "Third time's the charm!" ought to be my motto.
I will give thought to switching to mesh cover with a suspension/lifting scheme underneath. Closing late in cold fall NJ weather helps avoid algae in spring.
Re: suspension: I use heavy duty $10 air mattresses from Walmart, but one or two always deflate :-(. Will consider your PVC tube idea and the PoolTree (DIY) solution (heavy inflatable ball w/ropes). Will report back in winter 2018.
Happy summer guys!
HI all - just read all these posts (after I started my own new thread worrying about a mesh cover and snow weight). I'm on Long Island, and we can get heavy snow from time to time. I read that the water on the top, if frozen, will support the weight of the snow, but that's not a given here since the water might not be frozen (or if frozen it might not be thick enough for support). I have a 33' x 18' oval ABG, and I've been using a solid cover with bungees to hold it (no more wire to tangle). I use stakes that are in the ground to hold the bungees. My thought is that they allow give when the cover gets heavy (also easier to work with than the wire). The solid cover has zillions of tiny holes (for some reason), so water will come through it if it dips into the pool. Before we realized this, we'd pump out the water and then wonder why our cover is so far down in the pool (it took a few years to realize this was happening). So we turned to the bungees and keep the cover off the water and tight and that seems to work. We use the big rectangular bubble for the ice. Now that we finally realized our solid cover is acting like a mesh (with the zillions of holes) I'm thinking we should just get the mesh and make our lives easier since they are light weight. I'm just concerned about snow weight.
linda1
0
I use a solid cover with a mesh strip down the middle. It has worked well. I drain 6 inches below return and by spring the water level is almost where it needs to be which has saved us on the water bill. Ultimate Solid Winter Cover for 30 ft Round Pools, 10 Year Warranty
I use a mesh winter safety cover. I have opened the pool two springs now and have had clear water. There is dust and fine sediment on the bottom, but nothing my dolphin doesn't make short work of. No big debris, leaves, etc. I close my pool in October and open in April. This year the water was 48 degeees when I opened and I think that helps with the Algae. This way you can treat the water before algae gets a chance to take hold.
Hi Linda. I just purchased the ultimate solid winter cover for my oval above ground pool. I have a deck built around the entire pool. I live in south jersey and we also get snow throughout the winter. I too am going to secure the cover to the sides of the deck with bungie straps.
Just to confirm, you do drain your pool 6 inches below the skimmer at closing time? Do you put a pool pillow in the pool under the cover? Do you plug the skimmer plate? Have you had problems with the pool cover sagging from the snow? Any feedback would be appreciated. This is our first summer having an above ground pool and my first attempt at closing a pool. Thanks!
You only need a pool pillow to keep the cover on a slope so rain and leaves don't settle there. If your cover is large enough to fill the whole cavity of missing water including comig up the side walls and then over the wall a little bit you will be ok. Next season all you have to do is pump off the water and remove the cover at once not letting the debris into the water. Pump pillows many times deflate over the winter creating a bigger problem especially when the cover isn't large enough to take up the void letting everything that was on top in to the water.
linda1
0
Yes, I lower the water 6 inches below the return and have never use a skimmer plate. When it rains, the cover will sag but springs back up as the water filters thru the mesh strip. With snow it take until the snow melts for the cover to spring back. I've never had any issues, but I think since there is no weight on the sides of the pool that is why. That is why we fasten the tarp straps over the end of the deck boards. We put the cover on yesterday, and an hour later the water that was on the cover had drained.
Attachments
linda1
0
thefloatqueen
Bronze Supporter
I have used a mesh cover with a pool pillow and anchored to the ground the last two years. No problems whatsoever. I add algicide in March and that usually works until I open it. Last year it was just starting to turn green and with shock and clarifier it was crystal clear the next day.
