As you mentally prepare for the months ahead of icy driving, shoveling snow, and maybe even building snowmen in your yard, don’t forget your pool cover!
Now that you can see your breath in the air when it isn’t just early in the morning or late at night, winter has arrived. As you mentally prepare for the months ahead of icy driving, shoveling snow, and maybe even building snowmen in your yard, don’t forget your pool cover! Snow and ice can wreak havoc on your pool cover, so how can you deal with them quickly and get back to shoveling?
What to Do with Rain
Rain, especially in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area, occurs throughout the year. If you have a solid pool cover, an electric cover pump will be your best option. You can purchase cover pumps that are about $50 for your pool cover, but they typically do not last more than two or three seasons of rain. If you spend a little more and get a larger pool cover pump, they can outlast most of the year and get rid of water faster.
What to Do with Ice
Ice presents a potentially bigger problem for your pool cover. If you are not using a cover pump, the water from rain or snow will freeze across your pool cover. As the ice melts and refreezes over the course of the week, the edges of the ice can become sharp and actually puncture your pool cover, damaging it or rendering it useless. If you have an aboveground pool, snow and ice can hurt your pool from the top of the pool cover and underneath your pool. Air pillows can prevent a sheet of ice from forming and putting any pressure on the walls of your aboveground pool.
What to Do with Snow
It takes a lot of snow before you need to be really worried about your pool cover. If you use a solid pool cover, you don’t need to take any sort of action until there’s over 3 feet of snow on the surface. If you have an aboveground pool, it takes about 5 feet of snow before you need to worry. A plastic shovel works well for removing excess snow and saving your pool cover.
Keep Your Pool Working Well Year Round with Sunrise Pool Builders
Whether you want an in-ground hot tub installed or are looking for the perfect portable hot tub, Sunrise Pool Builders are here to help. We are happy to walk you through every step of the design process and ensure that your pool or spa meets the needs of every member of your family and all of the activities you want a pool or spa for. If you are ready to design the perfect pool or spa for your home, contact the experts at Sunrise Pools & Spas. For more information on our services, contact us online or give us a call at 410-349-3852. To see examples of our work, check us out on social media on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Google+.