If you are thinking about purchasing an in ground winter pool cover you should know some of the benefits and drawbacks before you buy one. Here are a few things you might want to consider.
Winter pool covers are great at preventing leaves, pine needles, twigs and other debris from dirtying your pool and at preventing evaporation of your pool chemicals over the winter months. They are not pool safety covers, nor will they help keep heat in your pool. Inground pool covers are available in mesh or solid configurations and are kept in place by water bags or blocks, planter boxes, cinder blocks or other heavy weights that will prevent the cover from blowing off or sinking into the water. They are also available in a variety of colors; usually blue, black or tan, to blend in with your landscaping.
Inground winter pool covers are made of UV resistant vinyl material to resist deterioration. Better quality pool covers are made from multiple layers of materials that add strength, prevent punctures and help deter algae growth.Theygenerally stay on until you open your the next spring. The cover lies on top of the water, below the level of the pool deck.
This creates one of the most serious drawbacks of a solid pool cover, namely that they require continuous maintenance. Because the cover lies below the level of the pool deck and the cover is impermeable, it collects rain water, snow and ice that are trapped there and create a potential drowning hazard. As leaves, dust and other debris collect on the top of the pool cover, a slimy mess develops that is extremely dangerous to small animals, pets and children.
In order to eliminate this potentially life threatening hazard, a pool cover pump needs to be used on a regular basis to remove standing water. Leaves and other solid debris should also be removed frequently so the pump does not get clogged. Keeping in ground winter pool covers clean and dry makes opening the pool in spring much easier since you don’t have to deal with the added weight of the dirty water or worry about spilling it into the pool.
You can avoid this maintenance in one of two ways: either add a leaf net to the top of the solid cover and remove the accumulated leaves and debris frequently (you will still need a pool cover pump to remove standing water) or use a mesh winter pool cover. A mesh cover will permit rain, snow and melted ice to drain into the pool but holds the leaves and other debris on top where they can be easily removed. This simplifies winter maintenance, makes pool opening quicker and eliminates the need for a pool cover pump. A mesh in ground pool cover is not as effective as a solid cover at preventing algae and evaporation, but it is better than leaving the pool uncovered.
The advantages of in ground winter pool covers are that they are fairly reasonably priced and they keep your pool water clean throughout the fall and winter seasons. This saves a lot of work when the time comes to open the pool in spring.
Keep in mind that a child-proof safety fence should always be in place when using in ground winter pool covers because these covers do not meet the standards of the ASTM for pool safety covers.
To learn more about specific pool covers check out our pool cover reviews
