Safety Cover or Tarp
When its time to close your pool for the winter, there are several options to choose from. A traditional solid cover, or tarp, does a great job keeping the water in the pool clean, but requires a lot of maintenance. The solid cover must be properly secured with water bags, so it doesn’t fall into the pool, along with any dirty water or leaves on top. This also means that its up to the homeowner to pump off dirty water as it rains. You’ll also want to remove any leaves or dirt that accumulate throughout the winter or you risk letting the leaves fall into the pool. Leaves falling into the pool may not seem like a big deal, but they can stain your liner and can cost you a lot of extra money in power vacuuming when its time to open the pool.
Protect your family with a safety cover
While the tarp cover is cheaper and can keep the pool cleaned if properly maintained, it doesn’t do much in the category of safety. Pets and children still have access to the pool, and if someone falls in, they will become dangerously tangled in the tarp as it sinks into the water. All of the safety covers we offer conform to the Standard Performance Specification set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). According to the ASTM, a safety cover must be able to support a specific amount of weight, remove standing water, and not allow gaps that a child or pet could squeeze through. Because of the heavy weight of rain, snow, and leaves, safety covers are typically over-designed to handle a substantial amount of weight, which is why there are a lot of advertisements with elephants walking on covers. Whether we are installing a Loop Loc, a Merlin, or a Lacuna safety cover, you can rest assured knowing that your family, pets, and children are safe when the pool is winterized.
Safety Cover Installation
A safety cover is installed with permanent anchors which are drilled into the concrete, wood deck, or pavers surrounding the pool. The anchors adjust in height so they can be connected to the cover in the winter time and so they can go flush with the area around the pool when the cover is not in use. The cover has straps spaced every few feet and each strap is connected to a spring which has a hook. The hooked springs connect the cover to the anchors in the ground to create the tension and strength that the cover needs to perform as its designed. Over the years, the springs might need to be tightened to ensure the cover is still functioning properly. A properly installed safety cover should be nice and tight the whole way around the pool and not sagging into the water.
Pool Closing
When you close a pool with a safety cover, its important to lower the water 12-18″ below the top of the pool. This usually equates to a few inches below the skimmer. This will make it easier to blow out the lines, but it also allows some room for rain and melted snow over the course of the winter. A lot of people also put a submersible pump on the second or third step and run the plug and hose under the safety cover. With this approach, its possible to pump out excess water in the middle of the winter without removing a portion of the cover. Keeping the water level low is good for your liner, but it also makes keeping the safety cover clean much easier, as any leaves and dirt on top of the cover will stay dry and can be easily removed.
Types of Safety Cover
Loop loc, Lacuna, Merlin
Most of the major safety cover manufacturers have a few different options when it comes to safety cover. A regular mesh safety cover is typically the cheapest, but it also allows the most dirt and UV rays into the pool. This means that the pool will open up with a layer of dirt and algae, especially as you wait longer into the season to open the pool. A solid safety cover is typically the most expensive option, as it prevents the most dirt and UV rays from entering the pool. Pools with a solid safety cover tend to open the cleanest, with minimal algae and dirt. Most of the safety cover makers also have a smart mesh, or hybrid mesh, which is a more dense mesh that blocks more dirt and UV rays from entering the pool. These cover are usually more expensive than regular mesh but will open up much cleaner, similar to the solid safety cover.
Free Estimates
Still aren’t sure if a safety cover is right for you? Or which type to choose? No worries! We offer free estimates and are happy to answer any questions that you might have. Call 516-654-7665 or send us an email through the website at https://thethreecousins.com/contact Is it time to replace an old safety cover? Don’t throw your old safety cover to the garbage quite yet. We can match your old cover to the new one, to make sure that all the straps and springs will still line up. This makes the cover look better and saves you money.