modifying a safety cover?

[Vinyl_Guy]

Thanks for the info.

We have children - the smallest is 4 years old but the pool area is fenced in separate from the rest of the yard and we keep it closed up when the pool is not in use. I'm not concerned with them getting over there.

We ARE however surrounded by huge trees. Every year if the pool isn't covered once the leaves start falling it's a real mess. Last year I decided to just leave the pool running all winter. I figured I'd go out every day and scoop out the leaves and it would be fine. Big mistake. I would come home to hours of work trying to get them all out. And if I had to work late, or go out of town for a day or two... disaster. Soon as much as I fought to keep up - the pool turned into a swamp.

This past spring it took months to drudge out all the algae covered leaves from the bottom. Then forever to get it clear. The pool is gorgeous now and I don't want to go through all this again. Every year I put off getting a safety cover, but they really seem like the best way to go.


Thanks again.

That's good, I like to hear about fences and pools locked up accordingly. It's the business owner in me I still can't shake. Safety first.

Yeah a safety cover is your best bet. Be advised though your water quality won't be as good as the traditional solid (not porous) "tarping" method, of winterizing. That's the trade off.

The meshed (porous) safety cover "rebounds" after the weight of snow on it (or stays taunt in warmer climates) . Thus allowing it to stay dry. And all the debris on top stays dry and can be easily cleaned before removal. But it drys because it drains into the pool. Even though the mesh is very fine it does put foreign material into the pool. But for a guy who left it open all winter and got it back up and running this additional chemical, filtering, and vacuuming work should be nothing. What were you thinking? (Just kidding it goes through every pool owners mind at one time or another).

As for the opening due to the slide's leg. Weight it down with waterbags as best you can to minimize the opening. Don't use "blocks" or something abrasive and heavy. If there's snow where you are, the cover does move back and forth and anything on it will cause friction over the years. Waterbags are heavy , roll, and are nonabrasive.

Even if you don't take these precautions the only leaves that make it under are the ones that will find their way there. Wind and lots of trees with leaves falling increases these chances. You'd be surprised over the course of an off season what gets pushed under, by natural forces.

It's not usually a lot from my experiences , but compared to practically nothing when there isn't these circumstances, it is relatively more.

With a vinyl liner pool it's not nearly an issue. But with gunite or painted concrete it can be. Obviously because of the staining problems inherent with those building techniques. I don't have too much experience with gunite, some concrete (mostly commercial), hence my forum name. But I have seen gunite IGs with a single impression of one leaf in them.

For one or two legs of a slide, I still think your on the right track for keeping your pool closed properly and at a reasonable cost.