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Do I need a safety cover for my swimming pool?

Opening a Pool,Pool Closing,Pool Equipment,Pool Safety

You do have a couple pool cover options but some are more safe than others.

There are a lot of gizmos and gadgets you can purchase to make your swimming pool look awesome and cement its place as the hot spot for all of your friends to cool down. That being said, one area you should never skimp on is safety. During the winter months, your pool is going to be full of icy cold water and it can be a dangerous place for a curious kid or your family pup Scruffy. To avoid an accident and have peace of mind as you sleep away those cold winter nights, you need to get outfitted with a safety cover. You have a couple of options.

  • Option 1: A water weight pool coverYes, it is cheaper, but a safety cover it is not. In fact, in some ways it can be even more dangerous, not to mention its painful removal process in the spring. The water weight cover is essentially a giant tarp that you put over the pool. It rests on the waters surface and then hangs over the edge of the pool. You purchase bags that you fill up with water to hold the cover in place over the winter months. If someone were to fall into your pool, there is nothing to stop them from sinking. Because this cover just rests on the water it is a great resting place for all the leaves from your neighbor’s yard who just never gets around to raking. Yes, it is a cheaper option but you get what you pay for.
  • Option 2: A true winter safety coverThese come in all shapes and sizes and are customizable to your pool. These covers are secured with a deck anchoring system. Brass anchors are drilled into your pool deck and the cover attaches to the anchors. In the summer time those anchors are recessed so they don’t become toe stubbers. Once your pool is measured and the cover comes in, your trusted pool company will install the cover by lining it up over your pool and placing the anchors in your pool deck. The cover will then be stretched across your pool. It will be very tight, in fact it looks much like the trampoline you bought for your kids last Christmas, it’s just not as bouncy. Don’t try it. You will end up with water logged Nike’s. That is one mistake I only made 17 times….but never again. These covers are designed to hold thousands of pounds. As the snow piles up they will stretch slightly but they will hold true and strong. They are made out of a mesh material. Not all mesh is created equal. Your basic mesh cover is great for safety but if you feel like spending a few more bucks you can get UV blocking mesh that actually helps fight springtime algae blooms. By blocking the UV, the algae doesn’t have the sun it needs to grow. It can still grow, but it is inhibited. I would still recommend opening your pool early and closing it late in the season to avoid the algae blooms. These covers also come in a solid material that is great for keeping debris out and blocks the even more UV. A pool covered by a solid safety cover will typically open up with clear water in the Spring.

“A pool covered by a solid safety cover will typically open up with clear water in the Spring.”

  • Option 3: An automatic pool coverThese beauties are by far the most expensive, but man are they slick. They are operated by a motor and the cover can be retracted using a turn of a key or a flick of a switch. When you are done swimming you just close the cover back over the pool. This makes cleaning your pool a breeze as most of the leaves and debris never even hits your water. Your pool is also covered and safe all year round so even in swimming season you don’t have to worry about someone unintentionally falling in. There are a couple things to remember with an auto cover. You do need to open it up regularly in the summer months. As your chemicals are treating your water they need to have a place to gas off. If your cover is closed most of the time those gasses get trapped underneath and can shorten the life of your cover and your liner. When you go to winterize the pool, you will need to make sure to fill the pool back up to the normal level once the pool pros are finished with their work. This cover rests on the water to help support the weight of it. If it has no water to rest on and it snows, the weight of the snow can pull the cover out of its tracks causing major damage.

I know that I said I would only give you a couple of options but in my mind option 1 really isn’t a good option or option at all. Stay away from the water weight cover. I would highly recommend looking into one of the other two options. Keep in mind these come in all shapes, colors and sizes to fit your pool perfectly.

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opening a pool,pool equipment
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