Suggestion on Closing Above Ground Pool

[AnnaE]

I have a 24 feet above ground pool with decking all the way around the pool. I've had problems every year with getting the solid winter cover to stay on the pool. Because my decking is very closely built underneath the pool rails, I can't tie the cover underneath the rails. In the past, I have used sandbags to hold down the pool cover.

This year, my husband and I was thinking of doing one of the two methods listed below. Please let me know what you think.

1. Use a winter mesh cover. I'm thinking that if water flows through this cover, perhaps wind will run through it too? For those of you who uses the winter mesh cover, what is it like? My biggest problems with the solid cover is the wind getting underneath the cover and tearing it off the pool whipping around like crazy. The sand bags certainly hold it down, but we need a lot of sandbags.

2. Use no cover at all. We live in a fairly new subdivision and don't get too many leaves. We would use the Aquador skimmer cover, return cover and unhook all the plumbing. I'm not sure if we should lower the water level to below the skimmer since we're using the skimmer cover. For those of you who don't use a cover, what do you do?

We live in a South suburb of Illinois. We do freeze solid. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Poconos]

I quit using a mesh LoopLock probably 5 years ago. Here in Northeast PA we do usually get multiple snowfalls and the snow would weigh the cover down, melt a little, refreeze etc and in early Spring the cover would be thoroughly embedded in the ice block. I gave up using it and don't bother with a cover anymore. Have to add I don't have a leaf problem once they fall before the freezes.
Al

[AnnaE]

Thanks Al.

I am leaning towards closing my pool without any cover. I really don't get a lot of leaves although I do get some stuff that gets blown into the pool with all the wind and stuff. But, I can scoop that out with the leaf net before the water freezes.

We're going to use the Aquador skimmer cover and the return plug. Do you suggest that we still drain the pool below the skimmer?

[daisy11]

I am in NY state, and I've used a mesh cover for the last 2 years. I've also left the pool uncovered over the winter. I believe you would have the same issue with the mesh cover as you do with the solid cover.

Leaving it uncovered is fine, however you could also cover the pool until the leaves fall, then uncover it before it freezes to avoid having to scoop out the leaves. It may not be necessary in your situation, but it is an option that I've seen others suggest.

I would still lower the water level below the skimmer. If you close the skimmer and plug the return, the precipitation accumulates in the pool all winter. That will cause the water (and ice) level to rise, and if it gets high enough, it will damage your rails. I actually leave my return unplugged until spring thaw, allowing the excess water to run out the return so the pool won't overfill. If you do that, put a board under the return on a slant to direct the water away from the base of the pool.

[AnnaE]

Daisy11,

Thanks for your reply. I'm so glad you told me that the mesh cover will do the same as the solid winter cover -- that's what we suspected too. I really don't get a lot of leaves, so we'll just leave it uncovered all winter.

We will also take your suggestion and drain it below the skimmer. Over the weekend, we had so much rain that it is sitting very close to the rails. My husband is draining most of that rain water today. We had an algae bloom too unfortunately, so we're doing the shock, brush, shock treatment now before we close the pool. Hopefully, we'll get it back to stable by this weekend. I'd like to close the pool this weekend. The kids haven't been in the pool since they started school 3 weeks ago.

[CarlD]

Hmmmm.

Put a horse in the pool.

Then, when you want to close, just pull the plug!


(Sorry--national silly season is upon us. It ends Nov 4th! )

[virangos]

I've covered my pool for the last 3 years and I tend to agree with the cover it till the leaves are done and then uncover it. This way you can still add bleach if you need to and circulate the water with a submirsabel pump. I see your in Ill. I remember some pretty warm spells late in the year so alge could still be a problem.

The cover is nice because it keeps the light alge needs to grow down to a minimum.

Don't know if this helps you any, just adding my 2 cents.

[AnnaE]

Thanks Virangos. It does help. We didn't buy a leaf net, but I think we're okay because we don't have too many leaves. We'll just scoop it out as we see them. You're right about the Illinois weather. We've been in the 80's this week. We have not closed our pool yet because of that. We'll probably drain below the skimmer once the warm weather has subsided and then unhook everything and do the usual closing procedure except covering.

I like to be able to add bleach since it won't be covered.

Thanks again!