Leaky winter cover

[virangos]

The first year my winter cover was water proof. I would have to pump it off after a heavy rain or snow melt. When I opened the pool the water looked like the day I covered it.

Now 3 years later the cover fills up with pool water anywhere it touches the surface, and when it warms up the alge starts growing and leaches back into the pool. when I open it, it still isn't as green as it was pre cover but green nonthe less.

I was wondering if it would be adventagious to cover the pool with a sheet of 6mil plastic than put the black cover over?

15x30x48" o.g.

[b2001]

I've been watching this thread to see if anyone had any ideas. I guess I'll share misery with you.

I've got the same problem. I have a real mess on my hands in the spring; both on top of the cover, and in the pool when I get the cover off.

My cover has lasted 5 years. I'm hesitant to spend $200 on another cover.

It would seem to me your suggestion has advantages and disadvantages - probably experience will show what the deal is, and at least, so far, no one else seems to have experience.

I would be concerned about rainwater seeping through the cover, onto the plastic sheet, and about firmly securing the plastic sheet so that it does not go over the edge into the water. Part of my pool is up against a deck, and it's not as easy to secure a cover as it is where there is not deck.


It does seem if it is secured, it will isolate the pool water from above. I wonder if the use of velcro in many places, or something else to "attach" the plastic sheet to the bottom of the cover would help minimize the collection of water between the two.

I'm also entertaining the idea of not covering the pool, although I have an awful lot of trees, and am not certain about this. There's another post on this in the Pool Equipment and Operations subforum ...

[virangos]

Thanks for the thoughts. Never considered the water getting between although I would think that since the cover is pretty water permiable most would come out while pumping the excess off.

As far as securing it I was thinking of using the large spring clips. Lowes has them for about a 99 cents each. I have the same problem with the deck. It can be done but is a pain.

I had a lot of trees a few years back and didn't cover the pool. I wouldn't recommend it. Even the mess under the cover has got to be better than that 1st. year when I left it open.

Good luck and thanks, I think i'll try it and see how it goes.

[ctwine]

I had the same problem with my cover in the third year, they just get old and fall apart. I have to cover our pool as we have trees around our entire backyard, so the leaves land on the pool no matter which way the wind blows. Someone else said it in another thread...budget a new winter cover purchase every third year (or fourth depending on winter severity). I purchased a $99 cover in September of 2004 and just purchased another one last week. I only use bleach before closing, never used Polyquat or other closing stuff. $33 to $40 per year to close is not a high price to pay in my book! Every year I've opened to crystal blue water! Also... we own a 27' round and I always purchase a winter cover for a 30' round (34' total diameter) to have that additional overlap which really helps keep, at least, some of the wind from getting underneath and I use two piece clips to hold the cover down.

[virangos]

3 years on a $99.00 cover isn't so bad. Thats about what I paid for ours. Like the idea of a bigger one.

[CoffeeBean]

We had the same problem -pea soup on opening so last year tried a solid cover. When I opened I had crystal clear water but only half a pool full! The short end of the story...The weight of the snow/ice pulled the cover into the water which forced it up and over the edges. The ice under the cover broke the skimmer plate into little pieces.

Another thread mentioned that the weight of the snow/ice/thaw put a strain on the spring tie downs. I didn't have that problem because I used concrete blocks but even then the cover pulled loose sometimes.

I thought of doing what you're thinking of doing but I think the weight of the stuff on the cover would seep through to the plastic and you'd have the same mess we did, maybe worse if the plastic sinks to the bottom.

CoffeeBean

[NWMNMom]

We put on an Arctic Armor micro mesh cover. They look just like solid covers but have a really finely woven material that lets the water drop through but not the crud. Open to crystal clear water each year, no swamp on top.

[virangos]

Sounds worth looking into, Thanks.
I think I'll abandon the plastic idea and leave the cover on until the leaves are done.

[b2001]

We put on an Arctic Armor micro mesh cover. They look just like solid covers but have a really finely woven material that lets the water drop through but not the crud.

On my 18' x 36' ag pool I've always had issues, even with air pillows, with the cover sitting on the water at some points and the water seeping back through to the leaves and crud so that it never dries out and remains a mess. It would seem that I'd have the same issue with the mesh cover.