If you live in a cold climate, like here in Canada,  you should cover your swimming pool before the winter weather shows up in your backyard. The reason for this is to keep the pool protected and clean, but it’s also a good idea to protect the winter cover as well. This will help save the cover from the destruction or damage caused by the winter elements. A winter pool cover can suffer damage when the freezing temperature arrives due to icy conditions. However, you can protect the cover if you follow certain procedures. These are five tips which should help extend the life of your inground or above ground winter swimming pool cover.

1-Removing ice and water from the cover

When your cover is covered in ice and/or water the best way to remove it is by pumping it off. However, you should wait for the ice to melt before doing so. Since ice usually has jagged edges it could put a hole or tear in the cover. You generally need to have about an inch of water on the cover during the winter to weigh it down, which will keep it in place during a heavy wind. Any more than that usually isn’t needed though.

2-Pumping water off a cover

It can sometimes be difficult to pump the water off of a winter swimming pool cover if it’s littered with debris and leaves. If you try to pump off water that is filled with leaves you could easily clog the impeller or filter of the pump. Even if you clean the clogged parts the pump could clog up again and again. One way to get around this problem is to place the pump inside of a five-gallon pail which has several holes drilled in it. You can then take the pump and bucket and place it on your winter cover and it should stop debris and leaves from clogging the pump.

3-Protecting the winter cover

You’ll often find that heavy rainfalls and winds can blow your winter pool cover around and could even blow it completely off of the pool. If this happens the cover is in danger of being torn or even shredded. Therefore protecting the cover from the harmful elements is important. This means you need to make sure the cover is properly secured after it’s in place. You can do this by making sure that the cable and winch are nice and tight. In addition, you can use pool clips pool clips which attach to the pool’s railing. Some people prefer to use other types of weights such as sand or water-filled beach bottles and place them around the pool on the edge of the cover. To be sure the winter cover stays in place you can cover the top of it in about an inch of water. This can usually be achieved by running your garden hose for about 10 minutes.

4-Protecting an inground winter pool cover

When it comes to a winter cover for an in ground pool the steps above will help, but you won’t need the cable or winch. However, you can weigh the pool cover down with water bags and even use bricks or cement blocks, though they may rip your cover.

5-Protecting a winter pool cover from branches and leaves

One of the main causes of pool-cover holes is tree branches. These often fall down from above and pierce holes in a winter cover. You may want to consider removing tree limbs which hang over your pool. You can also protect the cover by installing a swimming pool leaf net on top of it. These nets are typically made out of a mesh-type material. This enables the water to drain through it while the leaves and branches are kept at bay.

More winter pool cover tips

If the winter pool cover uses a spring system, double check to make sure they’re tight enough to keep the cover from sagging. If the springs happen to pop off the cover it means there will be less support and it could result in rips or tears. When closing your pool for the winter, try not to lower the water level too much. When the water’s lower it means the weight of the snow could cause the cover to stretch too much. It’s recommended that you lower the level to just a few inches below the skimmer. If you get a lot of rain or melted ice and the water level rises too high you should pump some of it out. A winter pool cover is designed to protect your swimming pool, but it can’t handle the job properly if it’s not in tip-top shape. By making sure the winter cover is in excellent condition you may save a substantial amount of money on repairs  to the pool and the cover itself.

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