Mesh safety covers

[Brillo724]

Thinking about investing in a safety cover. I'm looking for thoughts or comments from people who have safety covers. What about mesh vs solid? Are they more or less work when opening o closing? Any input would be helpful. Thanks.

[JimK]

When we had our pool installed in 2004, we opted for a mesh safety cover which I used for several years. While it is safe since water doesn't accumulate on it, it has some downsides that ultimately motivated me to switch to a solid cover (actually, I lay an inexpensive solid cover over the mesh cover).

For me the disadvantages are as follows:

1. Allows dirt through making spring cleanup more difficult
2. Since rainwater still gets into the pool, your winter chemicals get diluted making a green pool upon opening more likely. While you don't have to pump water off the mesh cover, you do have to keep and eye on the pool water level and pump out when necessary. Of course, letting water through is also what makes it a "safety cover".
3. Enough light gets through to allow algae blooms to occur. You have to wait to close very late in the year and open very early to avoid algae problems. Even then I've opened to a green pool sometimes. Since going with the solid cover, I've not had a single algae bloom even though I'm closing earlier (early Oct) and opening later (early May). As a matter of fact, a couple years ago in early May when I removed the cover we found the liner had pulled down from one side. We put the cover back on until we could get it fixed which wasn't until early June. Despite the water being warm, the water was still clear when we removed to cover for the repair.

Since going with the solid cover, spring cleanup is MUCH easier and I can close/open when I want. You just have to make sure you pump water off of it as it accumulates.

Hope this helps.

[TomC]

I switched out from a solid tarp type cover (the kind you hold down with water bags) to a mesh safety cover last year. With the mesh cover, I loved the fact that I didn't have to constantly pump the water off my cover, nor did I have any leaves to constantly remove. It also looked much nicer in my yard. But when I opened my pool this spring the water was black, filled with algae and other debris. This year's opening may be atypical though, because my pool was closed for 2 weeks before they got the correct size cover made for my pool. It was totally green when they put the cover on.

Anyway it took me about a week to 10 days to get my water sparkling again. When this cover needs to be replaced, I'm going to get the solid cover with the mesh panels in it, my neighbor has one of these and says only a little debris gets through. Good luck!

Tom

[PoolDoc]

I think if you're going to use a mesh cover, setting up a 60 ppm borate level could make things much easier. Waterbear has reported that, with 50+ ppm borates present, he's able to go on vacation in summer in Florida, and come back to a clear pool, even though all the chlorine is gone!

Also, another factor to consider is that when your pool turns 'black with algae', you'll almost certainly experience bacterial bio-degradation of all your CYA. Often it goes to nitrogen gas, but sometimes it goes to nitrates (encouraging algae) or ammonia. This season we had a bumper crop of pools with ammonia, and cleaning it up was a nightmare for those pool owners.

I *think* that with borates > 60 ppm at closing PLUS periodic doses of bleach poured through the cover (and rinsed off - though it shouldn't matter too much) you should be able to open to a clear pool in spring.

[Racker]

Hi. I was wondering if there's a reason for me to get a mesh (or even solid) safety cover to replace my old fashioned tarp-and-water bag setup. I looked into having a company install a safety cover last year but it was extremely expensive (over four thousand dollars, for a 20x40 rectangular pool) and I decided to just use the tarp again. Now I'm kind of wondering if there is any point to a safety cover other than making it safer for children? The instructions with the cover I have specifically state not to drain the water from the cover until spring, and that the water helps keep the cover in place during windy winter storms; it seems that mesh covers make keeping the pool clean and spring cleanup more difficult; and I solved the leaf-in-cover problem by draping a net across the cover and pulling them all out at once after they had stopped falling.

Since I have no children to worry about (and my yard is very enclosed) is there any other reason I'm missing for buying one of these?

[kelemvor]

You should probably have started a new thread instead of reviving an old one but...

The point in a safety cover is to prevent people and animals from drowning if they fall on top of the cover. They're supposed to be strong enough and properly anchored so they can support the weight. Tarp covers like you are using are much more dangerous because if someone falls on top if it, it wraps around them preventing them from swimming up. Here's a recent post about it from PoolDoc: http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?19652-Solar-Covers-and-Safety&p=104837#post104837


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DndZsC25noQ

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swimming_pool#Covers

[CarlD]

I've used a mesh safety cover for 10 winters so far and wouldn't have anything else. I used to put air pillows under it but that was a waste of time and money. Of course, I don't have trees around my pool, but there are many,many evergreen trees around the property...neighbors use them for privacy.

[tfrailey]

Pool Doc, how do I set up a +60ppm borate level? I use a mesh cover and I usually cover the pool in late September and uncover it in mid May. Every year, so far I have opened a pool of green murky water. Also, how much bleach and how often are recommended through the winter. I apologize if there is already a thread covering this info - I did not see one.

[singingpond]

Pool Doc, how do I set up a +60ppm borate level? I use a mesh cover and I usually cover the pool in late September and uncover it in mid May. Every year, so far I have opened a pool of green murky water. Also, how much bleach and how often are recommended through the winter. I apologize if there is already a thread covering this info - I did not see one.

I think you've wandered from the title of this thread, which may be why you're not getting a quick response.

I had a similar question in the thread linked below, which may help you get started on the borate question:
http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?21867-question-about-estimating-borate-levels

Of course, if you have already added borax or some other source of borates to your pool in the past, you should measure how much is already in the water before adding more.