Ugh. Winter cover is in the pool

[Smokeyhill]

Well, this isn't good. I haven't been able to monitor the pool for awhile and went out this morning to discover that the winter cover filled with water and pulled off the sides and is now in the pool. It hasn't sank completely, but is still iced in somewhat. With temps expected to hit near 60°F tomorrow, I was hoping I could at least get the edges of the cover up enough to get a pump in the bowl created and get some of the water out.

Any suggestions? I swear, if it's not one thing this winter, it's another!

 

[Texas Splash]

Oh my. On the bright side, it only came loose and fell-in as opposed to damaging the side rails of the pool itself. I suspect you'll need to ensure there's no ice weighing it down so that you can slowly pull that thing out of there and begin your spring clean up. Did you snap a picture?

 

[ajw22]

I would let the cover sit in the water until you are ready to pull the cover off.

Water is going to slosh all over the place if you think you can pump water off the top and resecure the cover without pulling it out of the pool.

 

[kimkats]

I would make sure it is not attached to the coping/walls and leave it be. Don't want the ice to mess up the liner or take any chances of pulling on the walls. What a winter you have had Here is hoping bad things are DONE now!

 

[Smokeyhill]

I will certainly snap a picture of it...and shame myself even further . It is not attached to the walls in any way at all. I suppose I am lucky that it pulled in instead of collapsing the walls...which would not have surprised me a bit with the way this winter has gone so far.

 

[Smokeyhill]

As promised:

 

[kimkats]

Leave it be!!! You will do more harm than good if you try to take it out now. Once the ice is melted then you can remove it. Really that is no big deal. I am almost to the point of telling people to NOT put covers on as we see so many that go wrong and mess up the walls so you are sitting pretty with how it is now!

 

[Smokeyhill]

I'll leave it as is for now. Would it hurt to tease the edges up as the ice melts and try to pump water out of it as it melts? I just shudder at the thought of those leaves going into the pool. I foresee the SLAM of the century in my future

Thanks for the help y'all.

BTW Kim, did you ever get your generator installed? Might as well talk about something while the ice melts

 

[kimkats]

It that ice solid or slushy? If solid do NOT touch it. If slushy then use a shop vac to get the leaves off.

No genny set up yet. Husband needed surgery to help his bad ankle (and it did!) so that took my extra money. I have it on my "books" for this summer. I am just glad I have the genny and know I can plug a couple of things in like the fridge and TV..........you know the really important stuff like cold drinks and something to do!! LOL I do have someone picked out to do it so that is good. That was half the battle!

So did you get your bike ride in? Was it fun?

Kim

 

[Smokeyhill]

The ice is solid and about 5" thick. It's above freezing, so a lot should melt.

Good call getting someone to do the genny for you. If I was closer, I would do it myself. No bike ride the roads are just not clean enough.

 

[rajung]

You actually got lucky with it falling into the pool.
I had the same thing 3 years ago except most of the wire cable was Banjo string tight before I noticed one winter .
Cut it and tossed everything into pool until it thawed. A little extra cleaning in the spring when opening sure beats the hassle of a cover over the course of months with constant maintenance.

 

[richierich]

I would not touch that cover, leave it be. If you're worried about leaves and such maybe you can buy another cover. I use 2 inch spring clamps to keep the covers on my pool.

 

[Leebo]

Almost every year our cover does about the same in one corner or another. Personally, just let it melt and prepare to vacuum the heck out it. Like Patrick said, better it fell in as opposed to collapsing the walls.

Also glad you posted a picture. I’m right across the river from you and was wondering what our pool looks like as things warm up. Now I know not to worry as it’s likely a block of ice still. ?

 

[MIpoolAL]

I've had good luck leaving a cheap submersible pump ($50 Amazon) on top of my cover. On a warmer day I will run it for a little while to get the excess water off of it and keep the level down.

Well, that hasn't worked so well this year considering the snow and temps in (SE Michigan).

Also nice to circulate water around the pool the week or two before i'm ready to open.

 

[Smokeyhill]

Well, temps have warmed up somewhat and the ice is melted. I think we are going to try to tie some small bricks to the eyelets of the cover just enough to raise the edges out of the water. Then we will try to pump some of the water off. I'll let y'all know how it goes.

 

[Arizonarob]

Smokey, in the future save your empty bleach bottles and fill them with water to attach to the eyelets to keep your cover snug for next winter.

 

[Smokeyhill]

I tried that once with milk jugs Rob. It worked great until they froze and busted, then when the temps warmed enough all the water drained out of them I just need to stay on top of it and keep the water pumped off. On the bright side, I have the edges out of the water and a small pond pump working to get the water off.

 

[Arizonarob]

Milk jugs are cheap thin bottles. Bleach bottles filled 3/4 way up with the cap on (caps have vents in them) will do the trick. Much thicker plastic on the bleach bottles.

 

[Smokeyhill]

I'll give it try Rob. The little pump is doing great! The water is coming off slowly but surely.

 

[Smokeyhill]

Saved it!!! WooHoo! That tiny little pump, hardly bigger than a Zippo lighter, pumped nearly every drop of water off the cover. The weight of all that water, snow and ice forced a lot of water out through the return leaving the pool barely half full. I have the hose in it now bringing the level up to within a few inches of the return. I should be able to remove the cover then and clean it. I'll put it back on to keep the pool from greening up too bad. That should hold it until I remove it for the summer around mid April.
I cannot recommend that tiny little pump enough. The bees would be mad if they knew where I got it from. They will be OK though. I'll have their pond running again before they need it.