Winterization in December (Michigan) and pool cover options.

[Helium]

Hello everyone! We just bought this house and I am a newbie to pools. The pool was professionally closed before we bought it. I want to make sure it is clean before I install a pool cover and that it stays that way over the winter. I have a few questions:

- I understand the good pool covers like HPI (18' x 36' for $1200) with a 99% shade rating will prevent growth inside the pool. Is this true?

- My other reason to install a pool cover is for safety. I don't want any wandering children or deer ending up in my pool. What do you think about the Vevor brand? Any website recommendations for pool covers?

- It is already snowing here. I really don't want to get into the pool to remove the leaves, but they annoy me considering I'm a bit of a clean freak. Does the pool have to be clean before I put the cover on?

- I've poured chlorine powder packets into the pool occasionally, it did remove the green algae only to come back a few days later. Is there anything I can do over the winter to keep this growth at bay? The house came with chlorine pucks and and these floating pods. Can that be used to slowly leach choline into the pool to shock it over time? Are there any other chemicals I should consider?

- Do I have to pump water out of the pool as it accumulates water from snow and rain? What level should the water be kept at?

 

[wireform]

I understand the good pool covers like HPI (18' x 36' for $1200) with a 99% shade rating will prevent growth inside the pool. Is this true?

Not true. The chemistry is what prohibits growth.

My other reason to install a pool cover is for safety. I don't want any wandering children or deer ending up in my pool. What do you think about the Vevor brand? Any website recommendations for pool covers?

Loop lock and merlin are the common ones known for the safety factor

It is already snowing here. I really don't want to get into the pool to remove the leaves, but they annoy me considering I'm a bit of a clean freak. Does the pool have to be clean before I put the cover on?

You can use a pool leaf rake to remove the large debris but I'm not sure I'm comfortable with a robotic cleaner at this point as it'll do wall climbing and possibly knock some of the winter plugs rendering your pool not protected from busted pipes.

I've poured chlorine powder packets into the pool occasionally, it did remove the green algae only to come back a few days later. Is there anything I can do over the winter to keep this growth at bay? The house came with chlorine pucks and and these floating pods. Can that be used to slowly leach choline into the pool to shock it over time? Are there any other chemicals I should consider?

I wouldn't drop any granular chlorine packs into the pool now as it'll just sit on the liner and degrade it. You can use liquid chlorine but that still needs to be brushed in or use a submersible pump to distribute. My take is leave it alone and deal with it early spring before the water hit 60°.

Do I have to pump water out of the pool as it accumulates water from snow and rain? What level should the water be kept at?

You only need to pump water out when the water goes above the skimmer bottom and there would be more rain and snow that will cause it to be at the top of the liner
The cover you have in the picture doesn't do much of anything and is technically more dangerous then not covering it at all. Should an animal or human fall on top of it , it'll become a trap like quicksand.

 

[Helium]

Thank your for your responses wireform.

winter plugs rendering your pool not protected from busted pipes.

I'll have to check tomorrow to see if the pool people installed plugs. It appears the water is above the jets right now, I'll check the skimmer as well.

I wouldn't drop any granular chlorine packs into the pool now as it'll just sit on the liner and degrade it.

When I added the chlorine powder, I noticed it sitting on the bottom of the liner and figured that can't be good. I waved the pool net around a bit until it dissolved.

You can use liquid chlorine but that still needs to be brushed in or use a submersible pump to distribute. My take is leave it alone and deal with it early spring before the water hit 60°.

What do you think about a floating chlorine puck dispenser? I'll look into liquid chlorine.

You only need to pump water out when the water goes above the skimmer bottom and there would be more rain and snow that will cause it to be at the top of the liner

What kind of pump or brand do you recommend?

Not true. The chemistry is what prohibits growth.

I'll look into a winterization kit.

 

[wireform]

What do you think about a floating chlorine puck dispenser? I'll look into liquid chlorine.

Not a good idea as when it'll freeze it will be useless and possibly break apart leaving the chlorine tabs on the pool bottom. I say leave well enough alone. At most you can add liquid as I said before but only if you can mix it like with a submersible pump.

What kind of pump or brand do you recommend?

https://a.co/d/4Vvzau1

I'll look into a winterization kit.

Nothing for now. That will be for next season to deal with.

 

[wireform]

I'd recommend you use the winter to get educated with the provided links.
Pool Care Basics
FC/CYA Levels
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
SLAM Process
PoolMath
Test Kits Compared

 

[Helium]

Thank you for the recommendation and advice wireform. I have a lot to learn over the winter, I'll read up on those helpful links.

 

[Bperry]

Thank you for the recommendation and advice wireform. I have a lot to learn over the winter, I'll read up on those helpful links.

Read up on the SLAM process. The picture of the green water shows some serious algae growth.

 

[Homebrewale]

You can use a pool leaf rake to remove the large debris but I'm not sure I'm comfortable with a robotic cleaner at this point as it'll do wall climbing and possibly knock some of the winter plugs rendering your pool not protected from busted pipes.

Some robots have a setting where it only vaccums the bottom of the pool.

 

[sande005]

Vevor seems pretty dodgy. No info about how to contact, except a web form. No physical address, no phone. Who knows where in the world they are?

Loop Loc and Meyco are the big boys in the safety cover brands. Usually have to be ordered through a pool store, but do more exploring to verify that statement. Mine have always involved custom measuring and installing, despite my very conventional rectangular pool shape. Custom orders may not make it to you before the snow gets too deep. Ditto on the drilling of the anchors in the decking - will likely have to wait until spring (and then you might as well schedule everything for next fall - just make sure to get the order in with LOTS of lead time).

Ditto on the lack of safety for any other kind. Watch the old movie "Unbreakable" for one example of falling into a pool with a leaf protection/water bag style cover. Just leave it open. You should have fencing to prevent neighbor kids from getting in. And may want to search here for reasonable, but not perfect, temporary fencing ideas for discouraging your own kids over the winter. (I don't mean to imply that solid leaf covers are wrong at all - just that if the OP's priority is safety, then the solutions become more involved...)

Scoop what you can out of the open pool periodically with a leaf net this winter. Don't obsess. With very cold weather, the green will not grow. Plan on getting things circulating ASAP in the spring - I fire up my pump as soon as the water is all liquid. The longer you delay, the more chance you have things will grow. There will be junk (dirt, leaves, worms, etc,) in the pool, but nothing that will be of serious concern. You risk more problems by adding chemicals than you do by just leaving it.

Forget adding anything now - do that in the spring. Plan on buying liquid chlorine (ONLY) for now. But read up on all the info on this site over the winter, so you have better in depth knowledge. Definitely get one of the test kits recommended here. That is not the place to save $$.

We'll get you going in the right direction, and save you a huge amount of money and frustration. And you have the perfect time to get up to speed while your new pool is sleeping over the next few months.

 

[Helium]

Ditto on the lack of safety for any other kind. Watch the old movie "Unbreakable" for one example of falling into a pool with a leaf protection/water bag style cover. Just leave it open. You should have fencing to prevent neighbor kids from getting in. And may want to search here for reasonable, but not perfect, temporary fencing ideas for discouraging your own kids over the winter. (I don't mean to imply that solid leaf covers are wrong at all - just that if the OP's priority is safety, then the solutions become more involved...)

I'll remove the solar cover soon, it appears to be degrading anyway. When I touched it with a pool rake, it tore very easily.

We have a fence around the pool which includes the back yard.

Loop Loc and Meyco are the big boys in the safety cover brands. Usually have to be ordered through a pool store, but do more exploring to verify that statement. Mine have always involved custom measuring and installing, despite my very conventional rectangular pool shape. Custom orders may not make it to you before the snow gets too deep. Ditto on the drilling of the anchors in the decking - will likely have to wait until spring (and then you might as well schedule everything for next fall - just make sure to get the order in with LOTS of lead time).

I would love to get a Loop Loc but the price is $1000 more than the next decent brand HPI. Some cursory research shows HPI is not a fly buy night operation. Are you familiar with HPI?

I agree with you about Vevor, looks like a generic + Amazon brand that is making it's way to Home Depot. Reviews about their covers indicate that it is a glorified thin material tarp.

I don't mind a little drilling in the winter to get this cover installed. We do occasionally get days in the 40s and 50s, which I am really hoping for now lol.

I fire up my pump as soon as the water is all liquid. The longer you delay, the more chance you have things will grow. There will be junk (dirt, leaves, worms, etc,) in the pool, but nothing that will be of serious concern. You risk more problems by adding chemicals than you do by just leaving it.

Well I sprinkled in about 4 packets worth of Clorox chlorine powder over the past 2 months. I noticed the powder sinking to the bottom of the pool and figured this contact isn't a good idea so I just waved a pool net around the bottom until it disappeared (maybe 10 seconds), I hope this didn't cause any damage.

Thanks again for the advice. I will take some photos today and upload them to show the status of the pool.

 

[Bperry]

I'll remove the solar cover soon, it appears to be degrading anyway. When I touched it with a pool rake, it tore very easily.

We have a fence around the pool which includes the back yard.


I would love to get a Loop Loc but the price is $1000 more than the next decent brand HPI. Some cursory research shows HPI is not a fly buy night operation. Are you familiar with HPI?

I agree with you about Vevor, looks like a generic + Amazon brand that is making it's way to Home Depot. Reviews about their covers indicate that it is a glorified thin material tarp.

I don't mind a little drilling in the winter to get this cover installed. We do occasionally get days in the 40s and 50s, which I am really hoping for now lol.


Well I sprinkled in about 4 packets worth of Clorox chlorine powder over the past 2 months. I noticed the powder sinking to the bottom of the pool and figured this contact isn't a good idea so I just waved a pool net around the bottom until it disappeared (maybe 10 seconds), I hope this didn't cause any damage.

Thanks again for the advice. I will take some photos today and upload them to show the status of the pool.

HPI is a decently good brand name and I almost went with them for the pool cover I just got and was about $600 cheaper than Looploc. I decided on Looploc just because they did the original and I figured the existing anchors would have a better chance of lining up with the new cover. Ended up taking just over two weeks to arrive. I’ll say to make sure you get an installation tool no matter where you order.

 

[Helium]

Update:

The pool froze over near the steps and the water has since gone over the skimmer port. Should I drain the water a little? I was going to remove the solar cover but it is crispy frozen. We have weather in the high 40s next week so it should free up by then. What do you think?

 

[Bperry]

Update:

The pool froze over near the steps and the water has since gone over the skimmer port. Should I drain the water a little? I was going to remove the solar cover but it is crispy frozen. We have weather in the high 40s next week so it should free up by then. What do you think?

View attachment 620500View attachment 620501View attachment 620502

Water should be below the skimmer. Don’t let it overflow.

 

[Helium]

Water should be below the skimmer. Don’t let it overflow.

How far should I drain it? Considering expected winter weather I can taker some extra out.

 

[Bperry]

How far should I drain it? Considering expected winter weather I can taker some extra out.

I’m not the best advice for liner pools but water getting up to the bottom of the deck can cause a lot of problems both to the deck and water getting behind the liner. All the advice I’ve seen is to drain below the skimmer but you’re in a much different climate than me. I can drain extra out almost anytime I need.

 

[Helium]

I’m not the best advice for liner pools but water getting up to the bottom of the deck can cause a lot of problems both to the deck and water getting behind the liner. All the advice I’ve seen is to drain below the skimmer but you’re in a much different climate than me. I can drain extra out almost anytime I need.

First thing tomorrow AM I am off to Home Depot to pick up a pump and start draining like there's no tomorrow! Will update with pictures, hoping this does not take too long.

We are supposed to have a beautiful day tomorrow with a high of 30* and snow flurries.

Thanks for your support, this forum is truly a life saver!

 

[Diane e]

Hello everyone! We just bought this house and I am a newbie to pools. The pool was professionally closed before we bought it. I want to make sure it is clean before I install a pool cover and that it stays that way over the winter. I have a few questions:

- I understand the good pool covers like HPI (18' x 36' for $1200) with a 99% shade rating will prevent growth inside the pool. Is this true?

- My other reason to install a pool cover is for safety. I don't want any wandering children or deer ending up in my pool. What do you think about the Vevor brand? Any website recommendations for pool covers?

- It is already snowing here. I really don't want to get into the pool to remove the leaves, but they annoy me considering I'm a bit of a clean freak. Does the pool have to be clean before I put the cover on?

- I've poured chlorine powder packets into the pool occasionally, it did remove the green algae only to come back a few days later. Is there anything I can do over the winter to keep this growth at bay? The house came with chlorine pucks and and these floating pods. Can that be used to slowly leach choline into the pool to shock it over time? Are there any other chemicals I should consider?

- Do I have to pump water out of the pool as it accumulates water from snow and rain? What level should the water be kept at?

I live in Ohio and I keep my water level below the returns. My returns are plugged with screw in caps. I have a loop loc, mesh safety cover and they recommend the water be no more then 18” below the pool deck. I check it periodically in the winter and pump water out as needed. Careful as you get closer to spring so you have plenty of water on opening.

 

[Diane e]

Update:

The pool froze over near the steps and the water has since gone over the skimmer port. Should I drain the water a little? I was going to remove the solar cover but it is crispy frozen. We have weather in the high 40s next week so it should free up by then. What do you think?

View attachment 620500View attachment 620501View attachment 620502

I add pool antifreeze to the skimmer and pack it full of cut up pool noodles. Water will get in the skimmer- the gizmo is supposed to prevent breakage from a freeze, but I’m overly cautious.

 

[Helium]

I live in Ohio and I keep my water level below the returns. My returns are plugged with screw in caps. I have a loop loc, mesh safety cover and they recommend the water be no more then 18” below the pool deck. I check it periodically in the winter and pump water out as needed. Careful as you get closer to spring so you have plenty of water on opening.

Great advice!

 

[Helium]

I add pool antifreeze to the skimmer and pack it full of cut up pool noodles. Water will get in the skimmer- the gizmo is supposed to prevent breakage from a freeze, but I’m overly cautious.

That blue floater is an anti breakage device? I'll look into pool antifreeze, going to hit up the pool store tomorrow AM.