How to Protect an Above Ground Winter Pool Cover

An above-ground winter pool cover is an essential piece of gear to prolong the life of your pool and save you money in the long run. Although they are typically less expensive than covers for in-ground pools, you don’t want to have to replace your cover every year. 

With proper care, an above-ground pool cover will last longer. So don’t winterize your above-ground pool without one.

Secure the Cover

If you’re buying an above-ground winter pool cover for the first time, make sure you buy a good, heavy-duty cover with grommets. These are holes around the edge of the cover that have metal rings. If you just use a plastic tarp, it may not have grommets, and it’ll be more difficult to secure.

A winter cover for an above-ground pool should come with a cable and winch to help secure it in place. To install the cover, wrap it under the pool rails and loop the cable through the grommets. Make sure the cover is tight when you ratchet it down.

Use Cover Clips

In addition to the cable-and-grommet cover, we recommend the use of clips as an extra level of safety for your above-ground pool. These are simple devices that attach to the cover directly under the pool rail. They’re inexpensive, so the more you use them, the better.

Add Water to the Cover

Even when properly secured, a pool cover is susceptible to wind damage. One gust of wind can blow it off, and repeated gusts can tear it. Adding just one to three inches of water on the cover top will help weigh it down and protect it from wind damage. 

Remember to keep an eye on the water level, though. If it rains, and you get too much water on top, the cover may sink into the pool water. Keep a pool cover pump handy to remove excess water.

If you allow too much snow to accumulate on your pool cover, the weight of the snow will push the cover down into the pool. Make sure you remove snow from the pool cover before it gets to that point.

Use an Air Pillow

• An ice compensator, or pool pillow, helps protect your above-ground pool from damage caused by freezing temperatures and expanding ice.
• If the water in your pool freezes during the winter, the expanding ice can put pressure on the pool walls and potentially cause serious damage. The pillow under the cover will absorb the expansion and help to prevent this type of damage.
• In some cases, the ice can cause so much damage that you will need to replace the entire pool. By using a pool pillow, you can help to avoid this costly scenario.

What is a Winter Pool Cover?

The name is pretty self-explanatory, but you may be asking what the difference is between a winter pool cover and any other type of pool cover. 

The main difference is that a winter pool cover is specifically designed to withstand the colder temperatures and harsher conditions that winter brings. 

Winter pool covers are typically made from thicker, more durable materials that can withstand heavy snowfall and ice and withstand the weight of any furniture or debris that may blow onto the cover during a storm.

There are three main types of security winter covers:

• Automatic Pool Cover
• Solar Pool Cover
• Pool Safety Cover
• Winter Pool Cover

Automatic Pool Cover

Owning a pool is a great investment, and whether you’re just building one in your backyard or you already have an in-ground pool, it’s important to understand the importance of having a cover to protect it. Automatic pool covers are safe, reliable, and easy to use – you can open or close your automatic safety cover with the push of a button.

Automatic pool covers offer incredible peace of mind for homeowners who want to prevent accidents or keep loved ones and pets out of harm’s way.

In-ground safety covers are a great way to keep your pool area safe when not in use. They work with the help of a few key elements, specifically tracks and a small, efficient motor. Typically, on one end of the pool, there will be a sleek “roller” where the pool cover material rolls up and is stored when not in use.

When the switch is activated, the motor turns on and the electric pool cover automatically rolls across the pool area with the help of two tracks on either side of the pool. These tracks can be built inside the lip of the pool for a seamless design, or lay on either side of the pool, above ground.

Automatic inground safety covers are a great way to keep your swimming area safe and clean when not in use.

Solar Pool Cover

A solar pool cover is a great way to protect your swimming pool from the sun and rain. It also allows you to use your pool during daylight hours when it would be otherwise inaccessible.

Solar covers are made of durable materials that will keep the water warm and comfortable, even in cold weather months. They can also help reduce algae growth since they prevent salt water from corroding the deck or walls of your swimming pool. 

When choosing a solar cover for your swimming pool, make sure you consider factors such as size and shape. Some covers are designed to fit over entire pools while others are more tailored for specific sizes or types of pools.

You should also decide on whether you want a passive or active solar system – active systems require less maintenance but may not provide optimum coverage depending on the angle of sunlight hitting your swimming pool surface. 

Once you have chosen a solar cover for your pool, installation is easy – just attach it using brackets or screws provided with the kit. Make sure to read all instructions carefully before beginning so that everything goes according to plan.

Pool Safety Cover

Pool safety covers are a simple but essential item for anyone who spends time in a swimming pool. Not only do they protect children from getting caught in the water by an accidental fall, but they also help to keep adults safe from tripping over objects or drowning when walking around the pool. There are a variety of different types and styles of pool safety covers available on the market, so it is important to choose one that will fit your needs and be comfortable to wear.

Some of the most common features found on pool safety covers include straps that attach them directly to clothing or accessories, reflective materials for night-time use, and waterproofing capabilities. It is also helpful if the cover has pockets so items like phones or wallets can be stored securely while wearing them.

It’s always best to take some basic precautions before entering any type of body of water, including using caution around pools. By using a Pool Safety Cover, you can reduce your chances of being injured or becoming trapped at the poolside.

Winter Pool Cover

Winter pool covers are a great way to keep your pool safe and protected from the cold weather. Not only do they protect your pool from harsh weather conditions, but they also help reduce the number of algae that forms in pools during the winter months. Algae spoils swimming water quickly, making it unsafe for people to swim in. By using a winter pool cover and best pool vacuum for algae you can avoid this problem altogether.

How to Protect an Inground Winter Pool Cover

There are a few things you can do to protect your pool cover during the winter season. First, make sure that it is properly installed and secure. Second, keep the cover clean and free of debris. Finally, use a weatherproof coating on the inside of the cover to help prevent water damage.

Remove Ice

In order to protect your pool cover from ice damage, you should allow the ice to melt naturally so that you can remove it safely with a cover pump. Don’t try to force the ice off the cover, as this could result in sharp edges that could tear the material.

Put Water on the Cover

The weight of just one to three inches of water on the cover can help protect your pool from wind gusts that can make the cover flap and tear, or even blow it off the pool.

Remove Rain and Snow

If you want to keep your pool cover from getting weighed down by rain or melting snow, you should remove any excess water (more than the one to three inches you need to keep there to fight wind) with a cover pump.

Remove Overhanging Tree Limbs

Dead tree limbs are the number one cause of torn pool covers – and nobody wants limbs falling into their pool in the first place. 

To keep your pool cover and pool safe, hire a professional tree specialist to remove any overhanging tree limbs that could potentially fall into your pool.

Keep Animals Out

Installing a pool fence is an effective way to keep animals out of the pool, especially during winter when the pool cover is on. A five- or six-foot fence should be sufficient to deter most four-legged animals. 

Keeping the cover clean will also make it less attractive to animals.

Patch Holes Immediately

If you’ve got a rip or tear in your cover, don’t worry – duct tape can help you fix it up in a jiffy! There’s not much that can’t be fixed with duct tape, so use it to patch up holes and tears as soon as they happen to prevent them from getting worse.

FAQ For Winter Pool Cover

Should you put the cover on the pool for winter?

At its core, a swimming pool cover protects your pool from debris that could fall or blow into it. It can also help prevent accidents around the pool. In colder weather, a pool cover will also protect the surface of the pool from cracking or other damage.

What is the difference between mesh and solid winter pool covers?

Solid pool covers have a smooth, plastic, or vinyl appearance with no holes. They are completely solid all the way across, so debris can’t get through. Mesh pool covers are made of very fine, tightly knit fibers that allow water to pass through but not debris. So, they have a more textured look than a solid cover.

How do I choose a winter pool cover?

In addition to the water, your pool cover needs to be properly weighted in order to stay in place. This means that a cover ordered as 18’x36′ will actually measure about 23’x41′. The same rules apply to above-ground pools – you want to order the same size cover as your pool. So, if you have a 16′ round pool, you’ll need to order a 16′ round cover.

How much bigger should your pool cover be than your pool?

The pool cover industry relies on the ASTM standard for safety and reference purposes. This company is known and referenced by many for its ability to set high standards for different industries. According to the ASTM standard, pool covers must be able to hold at least 435 pounds.