Which winter cover should I get??

[Tredge]

I put one of these on last year. http://www.amerimerc.com/pool_supply...ety_covers.asp

I installed it myself and drilled the anchors with a hammer drill I rented for a day.

Looks great and seems to be a quality product. I've only had it for one season but I'm happy so far.

It does let a lot of fine particles through and algae will grow under it because enough sunlight gets through.
If you have a freezing climate the snow and ice will pull the material into the pool no matter how tight you make it. Generally this isnt a problem and it pulls back into its drum-like position after it melts.

I'm going to get a "black-out" blanket for underneath that is supposed to keep the pool cleaner over the winter and block all sunlight.

Overall I'm happy with my decision and prefer it over a solid cover. It is easy to put on and off (30 minutes) but I wouldnt want to do it very often or by myself.

[tmack]

Hi. I have a had a 15x30 AG for 3 years now. The first two springs I cleaned the cover, dried, folded and stored it (time consuming and a hassle). This year I just threw it out, figuring I'll get a new one in the fall when I close the pool up. It cost about $40, so I figure if I get 3 years out of each one that's no bad. After i put the cover on, I try my best to rake leaves off and pump any rain/melted snow off before it accumulates. Usually after a bad rain or snow storm the water will freeze and then it won't thaw for months, so sometimes it puts a lot of weight/stress on the cover and i think that is the cause of them deteriorating so quickly.

I was wondering if I should have saved the old cover and put that over the new cover this winter, it might extend the life of the new cover by a year or two. Does anyone have any thoughts on that?

[MarkC]

I have a 16X32 kidney inground and have a loop lock style mesh cover. The only downside is I have to periodically drain some water out during the winter or the water level will be up to the coping with rain and snow. I wish I had an overflow in the pool. I open to a slightly cloudy pool with lots of worms in the bottom but it cleans up nicely in less than a day.

[billk]

How far down does everyone drain their pools? Are there any special procedures you do with your skimmers?

[MaxxFusion]

How far down does everyone drain their pools? Are there any special procedures you do with your skimmers?

I go a few inches past the skimmer. Most guys use the Aquador on the skimmer. That way you dont have to drain the water. You just snap the cover on.

[adl6009]

I knew there had to be a few informed opinions out there somewhere
I am leaning towards the safety mesh cover because 1. They look nice and clean in the backyards I have seen them in. 2. They are supposed to provide a layer of safety against accidental or unauthorized entry. 3. I have been told they are easyto put on and take off.
I am worried about them because of the overflow potential. Do you have to pump out the pool thru the winter? I guess the water in the skimmer isn't a big deal as my skimmers as yet haven't been destroyed. Will the thing I screw into the skimmer port protect a skimmer FULL of water??
I am glad Tredge said he installed his own, I am kinda on a do it myself kick right now.

[bryjen]

Heres my 2 cents. Our inground pool was installed last summer. It came with a solid safety cover (blue). They lowered the water level about 12" below skimmer when they winterized it. The cover also came with a pump that automatically pumped water off cover when needed. When we opened the pool in april after 5 mo's of being covered the water was just as blue as the day we closed it. My neighbor has the mesh cover and everything seems to go thru it. His water is never as clean as mine was, and during winter is when the stains have come.

[stualden]

I knew there had to be a few informed opinions out there somewhere
I am leaning towards the safety mesh cover because 1. They look nice and clean in the backyards I have seen them in. 2. They are supposed to provide a layer of safety against accidental or unauthorized entry. 3. I have been told they are easyto put on and take off.
I am worried about them because of the overflow potential. Do you have to pump out the pool thru the winter? I guess the water in the skimmer isn't a big deal as my skimmers as yet haven't been destroyed. Will the thing I screw into the skimmer port protect a skimmer FULL of water??
I am glad Tredge said he installed his own, I am kinda on a do it myself kick right now.

We have an Anchor Industries mesh cover for our 23x41 kidney-shaped. It looks very good (straps are on the underside) and is relatively light and easy to put on / take off (but still a 2-person job). Quite a bit of junk falls through over the winter (Eastern PA, lots of trees around) but one thorough spring vacuum takes care of it. Overflow has not been a problem because I leave the cleaner line (which comes out slightly below the tile line) open and it acts as a drain to the woods behind. If I can, I try to brush a heavy snow off the cover; otherwise it pulls the cover down to the water until everything thaws, but so far no damage (have had the cover for 6 years). I always put something crushable in the skimmer and have not had a problem in 15 years (knock on wood).

We considered but rejected the solid "safety" cover (also Anchor), which comes either with a mesh panel in the center or with a pump that sits at the low spot on the cover. Besides being much heavier (harder to handle) and somewhat more expensive than mesh, I didn't like the idea of all the debris piling up right under the mesh panel (although that might be okay) or having to remove the pump during freezing conditions (according to the instructions). If it weren't for that freezing problem, I think the solid cover with a pump would be ideal for my conditions. Mesh is certainly ideal for warmer, tree-free conditions.