No pool cover!

[greenwich3]

Thanks for the reply. That saves me thousands of dollars.

[Watermom]

I do close my pool for the winter, but do not cover my pool either. The water stays clear all winter long. I do have a little dust on the bottom when we are ready to open it up, but that is easily vacuumed up. Pool covers are a big hassle!

Our fellow moderator, Al, aka Poconos, lives in northeast PA where it gets really cold and snowy and he also doesn't cover his pool in the winter.

[AnnaK]

I live next door to you in the Lehigh Valley and we don't cover our pool. Before it freezes over I scoop out what leaves have dropped in and I do that again once all the ice has thawed. By the time we get pine pollen it's warm enough to connect the plumbing again.

[greenwich3]

Since my water is exposed to the sun without the cover, should I open the pool earlier?

[Watermom]

Yes, you'll most likely need to open it up a little earlier than a pool that has a solid cover. Keep an eye on the water and feel the sides of the walls. If you feel any signs of slipperiness, that is a sign that algae is starting. Even if you do get a little algae, that can easily be cleaned up.

[CarlD]

I guess I'm the odd-ball. I have a safety mesh I cover it with, and, if I open it early enough, the pool is pretty clean.

[AnnaK]

I don't open any earlier in the sense of connecting pump, filter, and plumbing. I do keep an eye on the water once all the ice has thawed. I may pour in a bottle of bleach and stir it up using the pole brush just to remind the algae that this is not their home.