Winter Pool Covers - Make an Informed Choice

Closing your pool for the winter is one of the mostwhen properly installed. To meet this standard the
important steps in maintaining a pool properly. Do it rightcover must support up to 4000 lbs.! They are
and spring opening is no sweat. Do it wrong and youconstructed of a heavy-duty mesh reinforced with
could meet the creature from the black lagoon, upwoven, heavy straps that cross the pool's width and
close and personal. Your choice of a winter cover isbreadth. They are anchored with heavy-duty springs
key to a successful pool closing. There are four typeshooked to anchors that are drilled and set into the pool
of generally available pool covers on the market today,deck.
each with its strengths and shortcomings. The mainAdvantages
types are solid, mesh, mesh safety covers and solidSafety covers give invaluable peace of mind knowing
safety covers.the pool is secure from any unauthorized access. As
Solid coversthey are built to a minimum standard safety covers
Solid covers represent the largest number of pooloffer reliable quality and very long service life; up to ten
covers sold in any given year. They are constructedyears and more. If you have a custom pool with a
of woven polyethylene "tapes" in what is called theunique shape this is probably the cover for you as a
scrim. Think of this as a flat piece of woven textile.large percentage of these covers sold every year are
This scrim then receives a coating of plastic on eachcustom made.
side for waterproofing. While made by Canadian millsDisadvantages
for many years most of these covers today comeAll this peace of mind and performance comes at a
from Asia.price. Safety covers generally cost several times the
Advantages-Solid covers are relatively inexpensiveprice of a solid cover. Only pools with a deck can use
and easy to install. When properly installed they do aa safety cover as the anchors for the covers must
reasonable job of keeping your pool clean and readybe in concrete or wood. This limits the safety cover
for the next season.option to in ground pools or above ground pools with
Disadvantages-The fabric is subject to wind damagedecks all the way 'round and a minimum of 2 feet in
due to flapping of the material, they collect water andwidth. Safety cover mesh also lets fine dirt and
debris and the methods to hold the cover in place cansediment pass through which some owners find
cause problems during the winter.objectionable.
Mesh CoversSolid safety covers
Mesh covers are made just like the solid covers butMade exactly like mesh safety covers except the
omit the plastic coating as they are designed to letsolid vinyl is substituted for the mesh fabric. Only
water pass through.incorporating a small, sealable mesh panel for drainage
Advantages-Mesh covers are lighter and less subjectthe solid safety covers lets virtually nothing through
to wind damage. Water drains through so springwhen installed.
removal is easier and not as messy.Advantages
Disadvantages-By allowing water to penetrate meshIn addition to the advantages of a mesh safety cover
covers also allow fine dirt and sediment to penetratethe solid covers allow no light to penetrate or debris to
and end up in the pool. Mesh covers also allow a smallenter virtually guaranteeing a clean pool in the spring.
amount of light to reach the water, which can allowDisadvantages
algae to grow as the weather warms toward poolThese suckers are HEAVY! A solid safety cover for
opening time.an average in ground pool tips the scales at nearly
Safety Coverstwice the weight of a mesh safety cover. This has
A relatively new entrant, safety covers have gained arecently somewhat minimized with new, lighter fabrics
solid place in pool covers. They are called safetyfrom some manufacturers. Solid safety covers also
covers because they are recognized by the ASTMcommand a premium of roughly 15% above the price
as preventing accidental access to a swimming poolof a mesh safety cover.