Southern California in-ground pool... to close or not to close and how?

[Pizza]

Hi Everyone,

Ahh alas Summer weather is coming to an end, even here in sunny Los Angeles.

I've been away for a couple of weeks twice this summer and as an experiment both times I simply adjusted chems (per pool math) and brought CL to SLAM level.
Turned off pump and simply covered the pool with a standard blue tarp (well, it took 4 tarps of different sizes) and both times the pool was sparkling clean, little to zero algae.

It saved me a bunch on my electric bill and water since there was practically zero evaporation.

I'm wondering if this procedure will work for the winter? I'd be closing this weekend until May or June of 2019.

Thoughts?

PS: I'm looking at buying a large enough cover so I don't have to use 4 tarps. Anyone know anything Blue Wave Bronze cover?

 

[mknauss]

No. Your pool water temperature will not stay below 60F for that amount of time.

You can reduce your pump time to a couple hours each day or even every other day. And you should only have to add chlorine every few days to a week.

You can use the tarps. But the surface of the pool should be left open to the sunlight for a few hours every few days to burn off CC.

 

[Pizza]

Hey Mod,

Sorry for the delayed thank you but... thank you

 

[randytsuch]

I use a winter cover (live in Brentwood) and it will save a bunch in evaporation and reduced chlorine usage.
I basically leave it covered until next spring, and it works fine for me.

Only problem is when it rains you will need a pump or something to get the water off of the cover, unless we have another drought year.
You may be better off uncovering before a major storm, and then put it back after.

 

[peterl1365]

My two cents from experience with a cheap above-ground pool years ago:

The blue tarps will break down from UV exposure after a few months, and you'll have thousands of little blue plastic fragments floating around in your water. If you want to cover it, it needs to be something designed for prolonged sun exposure.

Even in L.A. the sun can be brutal due to rare cloud cover.