Anyone Using a Mesh Winter Cover?

[MikeInTN]

hmmm, I've never removed snow or ice from my winter pool cover, and I am in PA. Should I be doing this?
Does it matter if the cover is weighted down? Doesn't it just sit on the water anyway?

No, you should be fine. I bought this particular cover because it's supposed to be a micromesh cover that lets water through, so come springtime I don't have a mini-swamp on top of my cover. Seriously, last year I rescued about 200 tadpoles from the water on top of my winter cover before I took it off, and then ended up dumping a bunch of Crud in the water when the cover tore while trying to take it off.

 

[MikeInTN]

All my friends that have in ground pools outdoors have tried the solid covers and are not talented enough to pump them off with out getting most of the leaf/nasty soup in the pool. My dad just bought a fine mesh safety cover... that allows the liquid thought.. but it doesnt get as nasty because the leaves dont sit in the watter.. infact most blow right off.

As far as green in the spring... around here the color depends on how quickly you open it. If you open and treat befor the weather gets warm its not too bad. the few times people have tried to save money and wait to open.. their pools had already turned green/brown and nasty.

My personal advice, I like the mesh cover, and opening / adding chems sooner rather than later.

Good Luck. let us know and take pics!

OK, here's the first pic, after two days of off and on rain. Methinks I'm gonna like this cover..no standing water..

Aren't you suppose to let those kind of covers lay on the water, and not pull it tight? I am confused but the picture appears to be pulled tight. Unless I am wrong the only above ground cover that is designed to be tight like a drum is this one http://www.arcticbluecovers.com/product ... /223/ci/70 I ask because I just forked over the extra money for The Eliminator for that reason. am I wrong?

That's the million dollar question I've got to find an answer for. This isn't a standard winter cover, it's supposedly a micromesh cover that's supposed to let water drain through, much like the center stripe in your cover. I would think it would need to be pulled tight so the water can drain through the cover, but I need to go make sure of that. Letting it lay on top of the water would seem to be counterproductive, unless the water would migrate through and the cover end up floating on top again.

 

[Durf]

As far as green in the spring... around here the color depends on how quickly you open it. If you open and treat befor the weather gets warm its not too bad. the few times people have tried to save money and wait to open.. their pools had already turned green/brown and nasty.

My personal advice, I like the mesh cover, and opening / adding chems sooner rather than later.

Good Luck. let us know and take pics![/quote]

OK, here's the first pic, after two days of off and on rain. Methinks I'm gonna like this cover..no standing water..

[/quote]


Aren't you suppose to let those kind of covers lay on the water, and not pull it tight? I am confused but the picture appears to be pulled tight. Unless I am wrong the only above ground cover that is designed to be tight like a drum is this one http://www.arcticbluecovers.com/product ... /223/ci/70 I ask because I just forked over the extra money for The Eliminator for that reason. am I wrong?[/quote]

That's the million dollar question I've got to find an answer for. This isn't a standard winter cover, it's supposedly a micromesh cover that's supposed to let water drain through, much like the center stripe in your cover. I would think it would need to be pulled tight so the water can drain through the cover, but I need to go make sure of that. Letting it lay on top of the water would seem to be counterproductive, unless the water would migrate through and the cover end up floating on top again.[/quote]

Hopefully one of the pros will chime in here because it is a little confusing.

 

[yeggim]

Seems like letting a mesh cover come in contact with the water negates the whole purpose of the system. If it's slack, any leaves would still be soaking in the water. Sorta like a giant leaf teabag.

 

[savdoc2]

I have used a mesh cover for several years now in conjunction with a homemade version of this. I do not lie the cover on the water put pull it as tight as I can. I have been very happy with the micro-mesh cover. What color the pool is in the spring has more to do with the water temps after closing and before opening. I have not had any debris sift through the mesh.

 

[MikeInTN]

I called Amerimerc today and they confirmed that with the mesh covers, you don't want them lying on the top of the water, but pulled tight so that water will drain through them.

I like the look of the pool tree. I think I'm going to start doing something like that as well. Thanks, savdoc2!

 

[colormesummer]

we live in the pnw (wash. state) & drain the pool a few inches below the input holes every fall (& put on a micromesh cover) that traps all the leaves & debris but lets water thru.. i couldnt imagine have to mess with draining off water plus junk from a solid cover in the spring.

 

[MikeInTN]

Trust me, it's not fun at all. Well, I take that back..catching the tadpoles this past spring was kind of fun... :lol:

 

[MikeInTN]

OK, reporting back as I said I would. After using the micromesh cover for a winter, I give it a resounding thumbs up!

I took the cover off of the pool this past Saturday, and the only thing on the top of the cover was some dried pollen. The water was a touch hazy, and there was some dirt in the bottom of the pool, but nothing that can't be easily remedied. No standing water on the pool cover, no pumping water off of the cover, and no wet, moldy leaves.

All in all, I'm very satisfied with the cover.

 

[poolgranny]

Great review. I had wondered if these would work. I am going to buy one for this winter as I hate the mess of the regular covers and when we take it off it ends up dumping stuff in anyway so this sounds like it maybe the answer.

 

[Jepman]

This has been a helpful thread to read, especially since this year will be my first winter closing. I'm new to the forum too and TFP has been helpful.

MikeinTN - I could not tell from the photo - did you use a pool pillow? Or just tighten the cover as much as possible to keep it off the water? How was the winter for you? Heavy snow - ice or mild? Any issues with the cover getting into the water during the winter?

I just got a micro mesh winter cover too. I'm now making final decisions on pool pillow or not. Tight cover or not. And finally if I want return inlet plugged or not. I've read some plug it and others leave it open so any extra water flows out.

I'm in Massachusetts and winters can be heavy snow, rain, sleet, you name it. Just want to be prepared.

Thanks.

 

[Azmp1]

Very good and helpful thread. I'm in the process of buying a cover for my IG pool and definitely leaning towards a 99% no sunlight through micro mesh.
I have one question though, since the water has to be drained below the waterline tile line to prevent any potential freezing damaging the tile and since with the mesh cover the water will be draining into the pool, sooner or later it will probably fill enough to reach the tile, do I need to keep an eye on the level and open and drain the water on the regular basis? What's typically done here?

Thanks


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[toofast]

Very good and helpful thread. I'm in the process of buying a cover for my IG pool and definitely leaning towards a 99% no sunlight through micro mesh.
I have one question though, since the water has to be drained below the waterline tile line to prevent any potential freezing damaging the tile and since with the mesh cover the water will be draining into the pool, sooner or later it will probably fill enough to reach the tile, do I need to keep an eye on the level and open and drain the water on the regular basis? What's typically done here?

Thanks


Sent from my iPad using Tapawhat?

I am wondering same thing...

 

[Saleen455]

I've had really good luck with my 28' round arctic armor mesh pool cover. Going on my 6th year with the same mesh cover. Cost was around $120. Wouldn't go back to a solid cover if you gave it to me for free. Nothing beats the "maintenence free" aspect of a mesh cover. No sagging cover....no pumping water.

I've never had any success with the cheap air equalizer pillows. Each year I'd fork over $15.00 on the long oversized air pillow only to find it completed deflated halfway through the winter season leaving my mesh cover submerged in water. About 6 years ago, I decided to purchase something more durable to equalize my pool and keep the cover from sagging into the pool over the long winter season. I bought three Intex Intex River Run II rafts to use as my ice equalizer pillows during the winter. Happy to say I'm going on my 5th year with them. They do a fantastic job (espically with the high-back pillow on the raft) keeping the cover suspended over the water and preventing rain/snow melt from puddling on the cover. They also inflate and deflate in less than two minutes with a threaded cap unlike the convention air pillows which use that incredible frustrating one-way air valve. I also use ten 8' water bags to hold the cover down, then I use 30 2" steel spring clamps (with rubber ends) to roll the cover under the top rail/cap and "clip-it" with the clamps kind of like hanging a t-shirt on a cloths line. Knock on wood..... ten years and never had a cover fall in. All rain water and melted snow pass through the cover without issue. I breakout the back-pack leaf blower in November and blow the cover clean of all leaves and twigs. Add a gallon of shock (thru the mesh cover) in November and then another gallon in May. Pool is always clear in June when I pull the cover. Usually a quick vacuum to remove any fine silt on the bottom, SLAM the pool (per Pool School directions), and two days later the pool is crystal clear ready for the kids.

 

[Jepman]

Great post Saleen. Thanks.

Is your pool 28' round or just the cover and your pool is 24' round?

I ask because my pool is 24' round and I don't know if it can take three of the Intex River Run II rafts you mention, unless your pool is 24' round.

You also mention "They also inflate and deflate in less than two minutes with a threaded cap...". So a bicycle pump or a local gas station pump does the work?

Are those electrical clamps from a home store? I was considering the plastic wrap stuff, but the clamps seem very workable as you've described.

Finally you mention using ten 8' water bags to hold the cover down. Are those actually 8 foot water bags? Dam those must be heavy when filled. They aren't in the photo which makes me wonder what they look like or where one might get them.

Anyway - thanks again.

 

[Saleen455]

"Is your pool 28' round or just the cover and your pool is 24' round?"

My Pool is a Sharkline Coronado 24' round with a 18" walk around deck. I opted for the 28' cover because I wanted to have enough overlap to completely cover the pool + the walk around deck. The 28ft Artic Armor Fine Mesh cover (8-year warranty) gives me full coverage over all the equalizer pillows, complete overlap around the 18" walk around deck, and about 2' extra overlap material that I "roll-up" and clip to the top rail/cap. If you don't have a walk around deck, I would just go with a standard 24' cover (which is really a 28' cover with the 4ft overlap provided by the manufacturer). I don't use the supplied cable and ratchet system with my cover. Just the thirty 2" steel/rubber tipped work clamps and the ten 8' water bags/tubes.

My 24' pool easily handles the three Intex River Run II rafts with about 3'-5' space between them.

"They also inflate and deflate in less than two minutes with a threaded cap...". So a bicycle pump or a local gas station pump does the work?"

No reason you couldn't use a bicycle pump, but it's going to take a longer to fill. I have a 33 gallon air compressor in my garage, so I just fill the rafts with air in the driveway and carry them over to the pool.

"Are those electrical clamps from a home store? I was considering the plastic wrap stuff, but the clamps seem very workable as you've described".

Yes, those are just standard 2" steel spring clamps with rubber tips that you can purchase at any home center. Once they're clipped to the top rail/cap they don't move. Best system I've used to keep the cover nice and tight. However, I do release the clamps and allow the cover to sit very loose on the rafts once it starts snowing. Any kind of heavy snow accumulation on the cover when it's pulled super tight will eventually cause tearing. Once the threat of snow has ended (around late March), I pull the clamps off the cover (one section at a time) and gradually pull the cover tight again. The real trick is to keep the cover clean during the winter and spring. Get out the leaf blower and clear the cover periodically so the leafs and sticks don't have a chance to breakdown and decompose on the cover.

"Finally you mention using ten 8' water bags to hold the cover down. Are those actually 8 foot water bags?"

The 8ft water bags are actually those light blue "tubes" you see in the picture. You can get them at any pool supply store. They cost about $5.00 each. I lay them empty around the pool, then come by with a hose and fill them halfway (to allow for freezing expansion in the winter). They weight about 25-30lbs when half filled. Again, with the 18" walk-around deck, I have plenty of room to use the waterbags. To be honest, I'm not sure the water bags really do a whole lot because the spring clamps seem to do all the work. I guess I just use the water bags for extra protection. This system really works for me. Never had a cover fall into the pool and the water has always been relatively clean when I pull the cover in early June.

 

[Jepman]

I get it now. That's a nice system and very helpful information. Thanks.

 

[chclark]

I have a IG with a solid saftey micro mesh cover. It does let some fine silt through but nothing too bad. What i did last year to combat the water that is let through the cover was.... buy a submersible pump ($60) and place it in a 5 gallon bucket then drop it in the pool. I left it there all winter. Only had to pump out water 2 times. Just be careful not to pump if it is already frozen over! Overall, I am totally satisfied with the cover. I also open my pool early so this year I did not have a issue with algae.
hope this helps!

 

[Saleen455]

Very good and helpful thread. I'm in the process of buying a cover for my IG pool and definitely leaning towards a 99% no sunlight through micro mesh.
I have one question though, since the water has to be drained below the waterline tile line to prevent any potential freezing damaging the tile and since with the mesh cover the water will be draining into the pool, sooner or later it will probably fill enough to reach the tile, do I need to keep an eye on the level and open and drain the water on the regular basis? What's typically done here?

Thanks


Sent from my iPad using Tapawhat?

I am wondering same thing...

I can't speak to IG pools, but on my 24' above ground pool I only drain the water down to the inlet return level. In fact, I don't even plug the inlet return in the winter. I connect a discharge hose to the inlet return line so as the rain and snow melt pass through the mesh cover, the excess water drains out the discharge hose connected to the return line. Never had an issue doing it this way despite some of the coldest winters on record the past 8-10 years in New England.

 

[richierich]

I know this thread is 4 years old but this is an amazing post #34 by saleen.