Please assure me (Pictures)

[linda1]

Please assure me that my water level isn't too low. I followed the direction in pool school and lowered my water 6 inches below the return. That leaves about 32" of water. The more I look out the more worried I get. We are in Western Pa. and will get lots of snow and ice. I have been using a hose to drain the water from cover, but hard to keep up with all rain we keep having.

 

[dmanb2b]

Looks good to me The only thing I would advise is that it looks like you may get wind during the winter and would suggest using clips around the pool to avoid wind getting under the cover or you can use half filled empty bleach bottles to weigh the cover down. The clip will help you avoid debris getting under the cover.

 

[dorpo75]

Your cover depth looks a lot like mine, or shall I say mine looks a lot like yours. We seem to be ok. Here's my question, when we are draining water off of the cover, are we also in fact draining water from inside the pool??? Say it isn't so...

If your top rail is real thick and wide like ours, the clips won't work but with the way your set up is, I'll bet you can get the shrink wrap for pools and secure that cover so the wind won't pick it up.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

As long as the cover doesn't have any holes in it you should only be draining off the top of the cover. The covers are only good for a season or two unless you buy the super expensive ones. Linda, looks good to me too.

 

[linda1]

Big sigh of relief! I just couldn't stop worrying about this, so thanks for reassuring me.

 

[X-PertPool]

I don't bother draining above ground pools anymore. I install an Aquador (skimmer block off plates) on all the above ground pools we close. You get the keep the pool and normal running level during the winter. I would invest into an automatic cover pump or at least a siphon pump to pump off excess water

 

[kjcole]

X-PertPool,

Thanks for that post. I've often wondered whether freeze damage to the returns or skimmer (blocked off as you do) as the ice moves up during expansion in an AGP is really a risk. Or, are you at greater risk for liner damage by draining down and allowing the exposed liner to dry out. This is my third year draining down below my return and next year I'm thinking about taking your approach.

For others in the industry (I'm not), what is the rate of freeze damage to skimmers (properly blocked off) and returns (likewise) when pools are not drained? What is the rate of liner damage from drying vinyl (assuming properly covered so not exposed to wind-driven ice, snow, and debris)?

Kelly

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I have an aquadoor, didn't drain for 6 years to winterize. Never experienced any freeze damage. What I did find is if I didn't stay on top of draining excess rainwater, the weight of the water on top of the cover displaced the water in the pool. It would go up and out under the top rails, and in several areas the sand cove has been washed away because of this. I'm not going out there in jan/feb to drain water. if the pool isn't getting used it's sorta out of mind, ya know?

Last year we drained it to replace the return gasket. This year we drained, cuz, i wasn't supervising LOL

 

[gqjeff]

Please assure me that my water level isn't too low. I followed the direction in pool school and lowered my water 6 inches below the return. That leaves about 32" of water. The more I look out the more worried I get. We are in Western Pa. and will get lots of snow and ice. I have been using a hose to drain the water from cover, but hard to keep up with all rain we keep having.

Linda, I am like you. Mine looks the same way. I will next yr get something to put in the return and also something over the skimmer. This will def help on the longevity of the covers. I am a commercial roofer and I just feel with the water so low and the cover stretching that with a large load of snow the cover will rip. That's just my personal opinion and I hope its wrong. As I said next yr I will plug and cover and not drain and the cover will def sit more relaxed and flush with the wall under a water load on top or snow for that matter. My dad was actually told to put no less then 3" of water on his cover to keep it down.

 

[kplaster]

The only sugestion ..Speaking from experience ...I will take a pool hose &connect the skimmer&return together..What happen's the more rain water that collect's on top of the cover will push the pool water out of the pool..By putting the hose on.Water will go back into the pool not out to the ground.Every so often you just pull up on the hose to clear the water out of the hose.

 

[dmanb2b]

The only sugestion ..Speaking from experience ...I will take a pool hose &connect the skimmer&return together..What happen's the more rain water that collect's on top of the cover will push the pool water out of the pool..By putting the hose on.Water will go back into the pool not out to the ground.Every so often you just pull up on the hose to clear the water out of the hose.

I would not suggest this approach, where hard freeze occurs. Using a gizmo/aquadoor or just plain leaving the skimmer open is needed to avoid skimmer freeze damage. We plug our skimmer with a gizmo ($9) and plug the return with a plug ($3).

 

[kplaster]

I have never had a problem..Alway's drain water below return..No water above that...Leave my valves open..with hose left on..Have never had a problem.

 

[Jeff74]

I was instructed (by the pool cover directions) NOT to siphon water that collects on top of the cover. They also made sure, that when installing the cover, to tuck it against the walls all around, making sure not to stretch it tight. They said it voids the warranty and it can rip very easily. I guess they want that slack in it for the extra weight of the rain/snow. I looked out my window about 2 weeks ago and found a very large golden retriever helping himself to my covered pool. I went and got him out very quickly and inspected my brand new cover and found there to be NO holes. I assume if the cover was stretched across the pool and looked like yours, there would be holes instantly.