Once the summer swimming season comes to an end, Canadian pool owners will be busy covering their pools for the winter. Many owners already have a swimming pool cover, but others could be planning on buying one for the first time and are wondering which type will suit them best. We’ll take a look at three of the most common and popular options and point out the good and bad points of each to help you decide.

Standard Pool Cover

A standard swimming pool cover typically does a fine job of keeping, dirt, snow and sunlight out of your pool for the long, cold winter months. These covers are generally made out of a tarpaulin type of material and are usually held in place by water bags. A standard cover will usually last up to three years before it needs to be replaced because of wear and tear on the material. Be aware that it’s not safe to walk across this type of cover since it isn’t designed to hold much in the way of weight. In fact, it’s not advisable to walk across any type of pool cover regardless of how much weight it can handle. The snow and ice Be aware that it’s not safe to walk across this type of cover since it isn’t designed to hold much in the way of weight. In fact, it’s not advisable to walk across any type of pool cover regardless of how much weight it can handle. The snow and ice melts on a standard cover and needs to be pumped off in the springtime. However, you may also need to pump the water off after a winter thaw to make sure the weight of it doesn’t collapse the cover. A standard pool cover is generally the least expensive option and does a decent job, but they don’t have a long lifespan.

Safety Pool Cover

Most Canadian inground pool owners now use a security cover each winter. These covers somewhat resemble a trampoline in appearance and consist of thousands of tiny holes. When the snow and ice melts it sifts through the filter-type holes and enters the pool. Since the holes are quite small, larger pieces of dirt and debris are kept out of the pool. The cover is kept in place by spring-loaded straps which connect to small bolt-type anchors which have been drilled into the concrete around the outside of the pool. The straps are attached with a specially-designed bar and a cover and can be placed or removed in approximately 20 minutes. This mesh-style security cover is designed to take a lot of weight and since the water seeps through it and into the pool there’s no need to pump any water. Security covers can be quite heavy, but they’re durable and often last for as long as 15 years or more. If the mesh material does happen to tear it can usually be patched up with a repair kit. There are also security covers available which are made of solid vinyl, but these need to be pumped off in the spring. However, the pool water will be cleaner since nothing has seeped into the pool during the winter. The mesh-style covers don’t keep the water as clean, meaning it may take a few days to clean it with chlorine after opening the pool. But another benefit of them is the fact they have a longer lifespan than the solid vinyl type. Security covers typically cost more than standard options but are less expensive than automatic covers.

Automatic Pool Covers

There are several types of automatic swimming pool covers to choose from and these are the most costly options. They make great solar covers can keep intruders out of the pool. In addition, they’re designed to keep the dust and debris out which saves cleaning time. These covers are made out of a vinyl material and usually last for about five years. Be aware that since they also act as a solar cover you may find the pool water may be a little too warm for your liking during the hottest summer months. One of the problems of an automatic cover is a possible breakdown since it consists of pulleys, ropes, an aluminum track and a motor etc. If any of the components fails to work it’s almost impossible to remove it and this means you won’t be able to use the pool until it’s repaired. These covers are designed to hold approximately 2,000 lbs in weight, but may cave in after a very heavy snowfall. Therefore, many pool owners don’t consider them to be true winter covers. However, if a heavy snowfall is predicted you can open the cover before it comes and allow it to enter the pool. It can also act as a safety cover all year long. One of the problems of an automatic cover is a possible breakdown since it consists of pulleys, ropes, an aluminum track and a motor etc. If any of the components fails to work it’s almost impossible to remove it and this means you won’t be able to use the pool until it’s repaired. These covers are designed to hold approximately 2,000 lbs in weight, but may cave in after a very heavy snowfall. Therefore, many pool owners don’t consider them to be true winter covers. However, if a heavy snowfall is predicted you can open the cover before it comes and allow it to enter the pool. It can also act as a safety cover all year long.

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