Cover for oversized in-ground spa

[PoolDoc]

Ted's right - sorry I forgot to mention it.

Obviously, I can grab it from the link, but if you send it by email, I clearly have the right to repost it. I don't like using links to people's own sites, because the sites go down, or they remove the photo, and then it kills the thread. I've got 100's of threads killed that way. And, when I post it, the photo goes through a virus scanner first.

And, I don't trust vBulletin's photo storage system. They change it every time they do a major software upgrade, and for whatever reason, the photos get killed when I upgrade.

So . . . startling last year, I've been posting them in the PoolForum Picasa album. I figure those will be up till Google fails, and if Google fails, the Net as we know it is gone anyhow!

[JohnASmith]

Hi. I joined the forum over 3 months ago and also paid the $4 via PayPal on Jan 13 in order to have posting privilege. Why am I still restricted? Surely it is obvious by now that I am who to I claim to be.

[PoolDoc]

Hi John;

I've emailed you instructions again a few minutes ago. I guess you didn't get them when I sent them several days ago?

In any case, though you joined the forum several months ago, you only paid for the CheckMeOut function a week ago. And, I couldn't do that very easily until you entered the info in your profile. (I've reproduced the instructions, below.) It turns out I was able to find what I think is your home and work address, but it required a bit of Linux-y nerdy stuff to do so. If you can confirm my guesses, I'll go ahead and upgrade your membership.

Meanwhile, here's your spa photo:

and a link to a slightly larger version.


CheckMeOut Instructions

1. Login as "John A Smith" -- remember that spaces are part of your user ID.
2. Go to http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/profile.php?do=editoptions
This info you put there is visible ONLY to you and the moderators. (Actually, it may not be visible to them, just to me.)
3. Scroll to the bottom of the page, and enter your address and phone number.
4. Email me when you've done so, and I'll check it out, and enable your "Registered+" status.
5. Send me the link on your thread, and I'll put the picture you sent in it.

[PoolDoc]

Just looked at your original post, and the picture.

Either LoopLoc (www.looploc.com) or Meyco (www.meycoproducts.com/PoolCovers.htm) can make a custom cover for that spa. In full sun, in CA, I'm guessing it will last 7 - 9 years. If you get the all-black cover it may last longer. In this area, they've lasted 10 - 13 years, but we don't have the sun you do.

I'd avoid the other cover makers. Their quality has not been as good, in my experience.

[waste]

John, are you still thinking about doing this?

I am more than willing to give you the tips on measuring and installing a safety cover.

[JohnASmith]

Sorry everyone I have had issues logging on which Ben just corrected. I am still interested in a safety cover but I am only trying to protect a 15 pound dog not an elephant He stays clear of it with no cover but I am just concerned that he might interpret a solar cover as a solid surface. I did buy a 15' round 16 mil solar cover with the intent of trimming it to fit. I stopped when it dawned on me I could be putting our pooch in danger.

[waste]

It's cool

It actually sounds to me like you'd be better off not covering the spa. The cover would be costly and you risk marring the deck when the anchors are installed. As long as your dog won't go in without a cover on it, let it ride - it's a little more work on your part to keep the spa clean, but you can get a decent leaf-rake for $15 - 30, to get the large debris and then just give a good vacuum when you want to use the spa again

I'm not sure if you winterize the spa but, either way, I think you'll do OK without a cover.

[JohnASmith]

I have purchased a heavy, 15 mil, bubble type cover that I will need to cut to fit. The cover itself is very capable of holding our 20# dog’s weight except for the edge where he could easily slip under it. So next is formulating a plan to prevent that before I cut the cover. Some thoughts I have in my head are:
1: Cut it oversized so that it laps the deck where it can be attaches with lead anchors in the deck and grommets in the cover.
2: Install lead anchors in the nose of the deck and do similar to #1 but also possibly gluing a rope around the edge of the cover to keep it somewhat taught.
3: Configure some kind of floating thing that will add buoyancy to the outside edge of the cover, maybe kids play noodles or something similar.
I am just thinking out loud here but hoping for some thoughtful feedback. An expensive cover is out of the question since I might as well use more gas to heat the pool and clean it a bit more often. I just have to believe there is a more economical solution.

[PoolDoc]

Hm-mmh.

I don't have any good ideas, that I would want to share. When your dog dies, my plausible idea is not going to sound so good. A co-worker of my wife just lost one of her dogs to a pool cover . . . and I'm really happy that I had NOT offered any suggestions, since the things that had occurred to me, wouldn't have prevented what happened.

Safety covers work.

Otherwise, this scene
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSx3zOG4Fuk
from the first Lethal Weapon movie is what always comes to mind.

It's actually not the best example, because animals that drown because of covers, often do so UNDER the cover, rather than wrapped up in it, as in the movie clip.

By the way, you should make sure your dog can get out of the spa when it's not covered. Dogs can learn to use ladders -- but they usually have to be taught to do so. (Cats can probably learn, too. But I'm not going to be the one to try to teach a cat, unless it's been de-clawed and defanged first!)