Although the
pool has been covered, that doesn’t mean that it can be completely forgotten
about until it’s time to open up in the spring.
There are several steps that can be taken to make sure your pool is
prepped for winter and will be in top shape for opening.
A Good Cover
The better
the cover you put on your pool, the better your chances for an easy pool
opening. Both solid and mesh safety covers do a great job of keeping debris
like leaves, sticks, and the occasional wayward animal out of your water. Merlin’s
patented SmartMesh™ Safety Cover technology provides 100% shade, which inhibits
the growth of algae and other contaminants. This makes it nearly impossible for
algae to grow under the cover.
Periodically
throughout the colder months, it is a good idea to check on your cover to make
sure that everything is working properly. Keep an eye out for anything that
looks out of the ordinary or potentially harmful to your pool or cover, like
large sags, loose straps, or any wear of the cover on the coping. These issues
should be addressed immediately.
Water Levels
Inspecting
the water level on a pool is imperative – even during the winter. Never drain
your pool completely when winterizing. The water is needed for both the liner
and the cover to function at their best. It is important to check the water level
from time to time, even in the winter, to make sure it is at the appropriate
level. Do not lower it more than 18 inches from the deck level. Also, keep the
water below the tile on a concrete pool.
An automatic pump can be placed on your steps to help maintain these
proper levels.
Remove Debris
If your pool
is surrounded by many trees, leaves falling around the pool area and onto your
cover are going to be inevitable. A covered pool will keep leaves out of the
water, but they tend to accumulate on top of the cover. In order to make sure that falling leaves and
branches do not harm it, take the time to remove the debris off of the top of
the cover. This is as simple as using a
leaf blower to remove them. Make sure not to use anything sharp that could
puncture the cover.Allowing leaves and debris to collect and remain on your cover can create a situation like a steeping tea bag which can result in a pool opening mess.
Checking the Pump
Some covers
come equipped with pumps that take the water off of the top of a cover. This
pump should be checked regularly to make sure that it is properly removing the
water. Without this, too much water can accumulate, putting stress on the
cover. If too much weight is left on the
cover, this will cause it to over-stretch and reduce its useful life.
Following
all of these steps will aid in a better pool opening, and will also increase
the longevity of your cover. A safety
cover that is taken care of can last for many, many years. Good luck with and
have a safe winter!
At Merlin Industries, Inc. we take pride in both our mesh and our
solid Safety Covers. We offer several
different types of mesh safety and solid covers, as well as our patented
SmartMesh™. SmartMesh™ features a high-tech weave that allows water to
pass through while providing 100% shade and filtering debris to 40 microns. All of these covers have different colors
to choose from. We provide measuring and
installation training to our independent dealers and installers. For more information,
visit www.merlinindustries.com.
