Inground Pool Cover Recommendations?

[Watermom]

I live in WV where we have lots of trees and I have a really big one right beside my pool. I am just diligent about keeping leaves removed in the fall and then once they have all fallen, we are good to go. I open my pool pretty early each year since we go from winter to summer temps pretty quick most years. I always open to clear water although there will be a little dirt on the bottom. That is no big deal; a quick vacuum easily takes care of it. There have been no issues at all for us without using a pool cover. Haven't used one in years. (Another former moderator who lives in NE Pennsylvania also never covered his pool in the winter without issue.)

Just something to think about. In my opinion, winter covers are a big PITA!

[TomC]

A couple of years ago I purchased a Loop-Loc mesh cover, I previously had a solid winter cover held down with waterbags. I hated pumping the water off of that cover and raking the leaves off of it. I was in heaven that first winter with my new Loop-Loc cover, no pumping, no raking , wow, it was great!

I was shocked when we opened the pool that first year, it was a swamp. It took me every bit of 7 days to get that water clear. I now hate my cover. There are 2 other Loop-Loc cover types, one is solid and comes with a pump, the other is solid with a few mesh panels to let the water through, but not as much sun. The latter is the type I'll buy when this one needs replacing.

Tom

[JimK]

I started out with a mesh cover when our pool was installed. After several years I started covering the mesh safety cover with a tarp style cover for my own version of a solid safety cover. Either way I have to pump water out of the pool or off the cover. Spring cleaning is MUCH easier with the solid cover; no extra dirt/debris and winter chems aren't diluted over the winter.

I had considered Watermom's no cover approach, but the thought of maintenance during the winter doesn't appeal to me.

[Watermom]

I had considered Watermom's no cover approach, but the thought of maintenance during the winter doesn't appeal to me.

I'm not sure what you mean. I have no maintenance over the winter. Once we get the leaves out in the fall, we're done til spring.

[JimK]

I'm not sure what you mean. I have no maintenance over the winter. Once we get the leaves out in the fall, we're done til spring.

Here it seems like there's always something dropping in the pool year round (we're surrounded by a variety of trees). With the mesh cover there was quite a bit of fine dirt that had to be vacuumed up in the spring (took several vacuumings...a real pain IMO). I imagine uncovered there would be quite a bit more dirt.

Also, I would have to "close" much later in the season and "open" much earlier (I had to do this with the mesh cover to avoid algae blooms).

If I didn't like the maintenance involved using a mesh cover, I think it would be even worse with no cover, at least in my situation.

I'm guessing where you are the water stays cold enough all winter. Here can be pretty mild in the winter so water temp can fluctuate quite a bit, perhaps warming up enough for algae to start blooming, requiring regular testing, adding bleach to keep it in check. I'm other words, regular maint over the winter.

Maybe one winter I'll get the guts to give it a try and see how it goes.

PS - I agree, covers are a big PITA!

[Watermom]

Our winters typically aren't too cold and usually mild and not a lot of snow. (Of course last winter was a fluke -- terribly cold and snowy like the rest of the country!) I do close late. The pump doesn't come off til we start having freezing night time temps -- probably in November most years and I do start chlorinating pretty early in the spring. It gets hot early here and I dont want algae to have a chance to get started.

[Tom.B]

I am with the cover-haters here too. Not only is it more trouble than its worth, I just don't like the look of an ugly covered pool in the backyard. The "water front" look of a pool in the yard, even when the water is 40 degrees, is better than a covered.... monster. I will sometimes use one of those bubble wrap thermal covers during the heaviest leaf period, but even that is a huge PITA to deal with when using a net and leaf-vac for a couple of weeks is so much easier.