safety cover for pool with attached raised spa

[mitch08]

Hey guys,

Im getting a safety cover this year. What do I do to close the attached spa?

My pool guy says the covers specially made with attachments for spas arent great when they are raised up and not level with the pool.

Anybody doing this successfully?

Thanks!!!

 

[vln]

Most just drain their spas for the year and or cover them with a tarp.

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

Many raised spas are covered with safety covers successfully. Most makers use durable pillows to fill the gap between the pool deck and spa coping height. Loop Loc uses either a sewn on fabric wedge or heavy gauge poly to cover the gap, depending on the height.

As to how to winterize your spa, the answer depends on how it was made. From the picture, it appears to be a shell of fiberglass or vinyl.

If the drains can be plugged, and not prefabs use pluggable returns, drain the spa and blow and plug all the lines and refill.

If the drains can't be plugged, empty the spa, blow the lines and re-empty. Plug the returns and place a heavy plastic liner over the spa with the liner sides overlapping the coping. Refill the spa with a pump. The liner will protect the drain.

These instructions are valid for any raised spa.

Remember when refilling, if you have a tile line, keep the water below the tile. If you use a mesh cover or solid with drains over the spa, only refill to about 12" below the tile to allow for rain and snow melt.

Scott

 

[mitch08]

Many raised spas are covered with safety covers successfully. Most makers use durable pillows to fill the gap between the pool deck and spa coping height. Loop Loc uses either a sewn on fabric wedge or heavy gauge poly to cover the gap, depending on the height.

As to how to winterize your spa, the answer depends on how it was made. From the picture, it appears to be a shell of fiberglass or vinyl.

If the drains can be plugged, and not prefabs use pluggable returns, drain the spa and blow and plug all the lines and refill.

If the drains can't be plugged, empty the spa, blow the lines and re-empty. Plug the returns and place a heavy plastic liner over the spa with the liner sides overlapping the coping. Refill the spa with a pump. The liner will protect the drain.

These instructions are valid for any raised spa.

Remember when refilling, if you have a tile line, keep the water below the tile. If you use a mesh cover or solid with drains over the spa, only refill to about 12" below the tile to allow for rain and snow melt.

Scott

Thanks a million for the info on the cover.
Im ok with the winterizing... Well technically I'm not ok with doing it, but my pool guy does it every year

I like the idea of the fabric wedge. That sounds like it would be perfect.
I need to look into their product. I dont know why he told me to stay away from these covers.

The guy is really a genius. Hes done "pool magic" for me in the past. :lol: Actually, he put the spa in for me. So I value his opinion very highly. But I will probably go with the loop lock.

Thanks again!!!

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

How high is the spa's coping from the deck? That will determine whether L/L would use the heavy/wide Gap Guard material or the attached cover material wedges.

I also noticed you have pavers. This will require an "anchor in pipe" installation. Make sure the installer drives them in between, not through, the pavers. This does cost more. I also recommend the use of masonry collars to protect the pavers from the steel pipe tool used for attaching and detaching the cover springs from the anchor.

Scott

 

[mitch08]

How high is the spa's coping from the deck? That will determine whether L/L would use the heavy/wide Gap Guard material or the attached cover material wedges.

I also noticed you have pavers. This will require an "anchor in pipe" installation. Make sure the installer drives them in between, not through, the pavers. This does cost more. I also recommend the use of masonry collars to protect the pavers from the steel pipe tool used for attaching and detaching the cover springs from the anchor.

Scott

I would say around 9" high from the deck. Maybe not exactly but definitely less than a foot.

So the anchor goes in between the pavers? Thats interesting. Are they very noticable with the cover off during the summer?

This would be a custom configuration from L/L right? So I guess I should expect to pay a pretty big premium for a custom cover? Ugh...

Thanks again!!!

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

The anchors go in 15" pipes. The pipes go in holes drilled between 2 (usually) pavers. I usually put a 2' piece of #5 rebar in the hole 1st for added depth grab.

The anchors are screwed down in the Spring so people don't get stubbed toes or trip.

Free form pools can't use stock covers. There is anti-chafe strips and wear pads that need to be at the pool edge and spillway or a snow load could cut into the cover . Normally, a 3'x3' square is used on custom free form shaped pools. Rectangles can have up to 5'x5' squares. The 3'x3' squares mean a lot more sewing is going into it's fabrication, hence the higher cost.

The 9" elevation will allow gap guard to be used with a Loop Loc brand cover. This will prevent debris and wildlife from getting under the cover on either side of the spa.

Scott