Pool Cover Protection in Winter: What You Need to Know - Pool Cover Marlboro

Pool Cover Protection in Winter: What You Need to Know - Winter is coming like a freight train, and if you haven’t already done so, it’s time to cover your pool covered for the winter right away. With the first freezing temps of the year, your pool water will become a dangerous mix of ice, slush and frigid water. This is a grave safety concern, to be sure, but it can also do real damage to your pool and cover.

Think you can get away with not covering your pool in winter? Not so. Whether you have an above or inground pool, it’s imperative to cover your pool in the fall to protect the pool itself plus prevent the need to skim leaves and debris out of the pool all winter long. You also want to prevent large or sharp objects from damaging the liner.

Here are some tips to protecting the cover itself:

Inground Pool Covers

Many things can cause damage to your pool cover over the winter, from ice, rain and snow to trees and animals. Let’s show you how to deal with each one of these factors.

Ice: To keep ice from ripping your cover, remove it once melted so sharp edges don’t cut the cover. To keep large ice build-ups from happening in the first place, keep a 1/2″ water level on top of the cover. You can also guard against the tendency for the cover to get whisked away by the wind.

Wind: Got a tarp cover? Weigh it down with water bags or aqua-blocks. Trim back tree limbs and branches that may overhang your pool to keep these dangerous items from falling on top of the cover. Did you know fallen tree limbs account for most cases of pool cover damage? Another option is to buy swimming pool leaf nets to put directly on top of the pool cover.

Rain and melted snow: To keep these things from dragging your cover down, use a pump or siphon to remove the water.

Critters: One surefire way to keep them from getting on top of your cover is to put in a durable fence around the pool, at a height of at least five or six feet. Also, keep the area clean in order to deter critters from coming over in the first place.

Above Ground Pool Covers

Your above ground pool cover probably came with a cable and winch, so wrap the cover under the rails, pull the cable through the grommets and make sure it fights snugly before you ratchet it securely down. Try investing in an air pillow, which acts as an ice compensator. How does this work? Well, when the water freezes, the ice expands. The air pillow’s job is to absorb that expansion so your pool walls don’t get damaged.

If you would like more tips on how to protect and secure your pool cover, contact Central Jersey Pools today at 732-462-5005.