Conference 7.286::home_work

    I use the water "logs" too.  It's a pain, but let me tell you what
    my brother-in-law did.....
    
    He used cinder blocks.  The down-side is that the cinder blocks
    did the same thing some of my water logs do every spring, they get
    pulled into the pool.  Now this might be tolerable if he had a gunite
    pool, but these blocks play all kinds of hell with the vinyl liner.
    
    Even with my cover tied to stakes around the outside of the pool-deck,
    and what seems like 100 water logs, some of the cover always gets
    blown into the pool.  I agree the water logs are a real pain, but
    I can't think of anything safer to use.
    
    I did find a good way of filling them at the end of pool season.
    Fill them 3/4 full of pool water by throwing them in the shallo
    end.
    
    I have a solid cover too, and I find the process of pumping it off,
    cleaning it on both sides, and folding it up a real drag.  Got any
    ideas on cover care?
    
    BC
    

    My solid cover is oversized because of steps that extend out from
    the 20x40 pool. Although the length just makes it, the width is
    long enough to really handle the blocks so they would not *drop*
    in. I would never use them for the two ends, if I didn't leave the
    water level real high at the end of the season the cover would never
    reach end to end, so I have extra big water bags for the ends, the
    cover also has handles to insert the bags in, but as you said if
    they are too close to the edge, handles or not they will end up
    in the pool. I gravity feed the rain water off with a garden hose
    until the weather gets too cold, so it does not get too heavy in
    the winter, then in the spring, either syphon more off or reverse
    it back in the pool.
    
    As far as a tip on cleaning the cover, I was so p*ssed this year
    washing all those bags, I put it out to dry dirty, brushed off the
    dried up leaves and folded it clean side up and covered it with
    a giant plastic bag I got somewhere. I pass out rubber gloves
    every year to put it back on, and the smell only last for one day.:-)
    

It sure is a pain in the, uh, neck.

Since winter pool covers aren't cheap, I'd really think twice before
putting it away dirty.  I'm sure the rot will take a few years of life
off of it.

I haven't had a problem of water bags getting dragged into the pool.  I still
would use them over concrete blocks to prevent the cover from ripping unless
you're VERY careful.  It gets pretty cold around here and I would bet the
cover's a little more brittle in the winter and subject to easier ripping.
I did have one bag leak (I think my dog did it!) this winter and a corner of
the cover fell in.  Guess I won't have clean water when I open up this year :-(

A trick I picked up for cleaning... after pumping off most of the water, push
the debris to one end; either by snaking a hose or use your pool brush.  Then
using a laundry basket, scoop up  the junk and haul it up.  The water will run
out the holes of the basket, but the bigger debris (I have LOTS of leaves) will
stay in the basket.  I found this to be a lot less messy than cleaning up the yard 
after pulling the cover off with the leaves.

Another tip someone gave me is to then clean as much of the cover as you can
while it is still on the pool.  Then when you pull it off, you only need to
clean the edges up, dry it and fold it.

Are these things that other people do anyway.  I've only owned the pool 3 years,
so I'm still learning the hard way.

    I saw some very interesting ad's in POOL LIFE  
    One was of an automatic powered pool cover with a petite person
    ready to go swimming removing the cover by pushing a button. 
    (not a New England pool opening).
    
    The other ad was for custom covers and it showed the cover attached
    to cleats recessed in the concrete around the pool. (they appear
    to close flush similar to work bench dogs. 
    
    I don't recall prices but they were not cheap and both companies
    as I remember were on the west coast.
    
    
    
    

    I agree the water bags and cleaning the cover is a pain! One thing
    I do which makes it easier to keep the leaves out of the pool when
    taking the cover off is that I use the leaf rake and clean all the
    leaves off the cover before I remove it. In addition I fill the
    pool up to the normal level which also makes it easier to get the
    cover off without it falling in. I have found that using the water
    bags with the double chambers helps to keep the cover from slipping
    during the winter as the bags don't have the tendency to roll over.
    
    Phil

Here's the method I use. 18' diameter IG vinyl pool (4' deep) with steps on
one side, concrete deck all around at pool-top level. I bought a 25'x40'
plastic tarp the first year I had the pool ('85). This is kind of a flimsy
close woven mesh thing which is "pretty" waterproof.

   1) End of season - clean pool, flush DE filter, pump water down to below
      the inlets, add 10 lbs of SOCK-IT, remove ladder and handrail.
   2) Plug skimmer outlet (in skimmer leading to suction side of pump) with
      a 10" length of PVC with a 1�" male thread packed with fiberglas insul.
   3) Fill skimmer to the brim with styrofoam popcorn and replace lid. Remove
      inlet eyeballs and replace with plugs.
   4) Unfold plastic tarp and spread over pool, leaving 25' width across
      sides (evenly) and 40' length from steps to other side (evenly). When
      I say "evenly" I mean with same slack on both ends. Tarp "floats" on
      water surface which is about 12-14" lower than pool-top level.
   5) Fold slack edges back over themselves all around pool so the "edging"
      of the tarp extends no more than a foot from the pool edge.
   6) Place weights all around the perimeter. I use cinder blocks, some
      spare 6"x2' flue tiles I've got lying around, and several pieces of
      cord wood. One piece of cord wood gets placed directly on the tarp on
      top the skimmer lid.
   7) Watch leaves, rain and snow fall on pool cover for about seven months.
   8) Wait for ice to melt on cover, then throw submersible pump on top of
      cover and run attached garden hose under the tarp and back into the pool.
   9) When cover floats back up to the top (normally the "full" level), rake
      leaves, twigs, corpses, acorns, etc. off of cover by gathering into a
      pile and lifting off with leaf screen a little at a time.
  10) When cover is relatively clean, remove all "weights" being careful to
      quickly replace the one on the skimmer lid. Drag off tarp, hose down,
      allow to air dry, fold and store.
  11) Replace inlet plugs with eyeballs. Carefully remove lid from skimmer
      and scoop all of the styrofoam popcorn, which will float to the top
      (and out), into a bag or box for use in the fall (see step 3). Remove
      the threaded PVC pipe and replace skimmer basket.
  12) Prime pump, add 10 lbs of SOCK-IT, charge DE, wait a day or two to
      vacuum and start the solar heater.

  I've never lost a cinder block (or a piece of cordwood) into the pool, nor
  have I ripped the tarp. I think that the reasons may be linked to the fact
  that there is never really that much tension on the cover anyway. It starts
  out floating and really stays that way. As water and debris accumulate on
  top of the cover and "weigh down" the center, this forces water in the
  pool to ride up around the inside edges of the cover keeping some sort of
  hydrostatic or hydraulic equilibrium. Likewise in the spring, I force water
  under the cover as I'm taking it off the top. The biggest weight that ever
  is on the cover with a propensity to "sink" is the submersible pump and
  whatever debris is there. The dry weight of the debris is the only thing
  that can contribute to the weight, I believe (as the entrapped water is of
  the same specific gravity as the pool water). This dry weight is probably
  negligible (certainly under 25 lbs). Even when there's ice on the cover,
  there's ice under it as well, and anyway, Ice being less dense than water
  will float, thus relieving stress on the cover.

  -Jack

    I am closing my IG pool for the first time... I need a pool cover.
    Should I buy a cover from a pool company? Should I just buy one of
    those woven plastic tarps? I have also seen the custom covers with the 
    anchor hooks in the deck.
    Which is best way to go?
    
     
    Thanks.

    The ones you get from pool places have pockets into which you can
    insert bags filled with water.  These hold the cover down and keep
    stuff from blowing under the cover.  Cheap ones cost a little more
    than a big tarp, better ones get more expensive.  Most have guarantees,
    prorated of course.  I suggest going to your trusty pool place and
    listen to what they have to say.  Then decide what you think is best
    based on cost, ease of installation (ability to make the cover stay
    put) and effectiveness.
    
    FWIW, I used a tarp cover one year after my pool cover was trashed
    due to improper storage.  Spring time opening was not pleasant; I
    bought a new pool cover for the next closing.
                                                 

    I have used a "solid" cover for the 20 years I have owned my inground
    pool. I am on my second one. Bought it at Namco in Natick,Ma. They
    weigh a little more but they keep the water cleaner. The "mesh" covers
    allow the rain and silt to penetrate through during the winter.

    NAMCO is having a pool cover sale which ends late July (27th, I think).
    Solid covers, Platinum brand, limited 12 yr warranty, 24' x 44' for $199.  
    
    Anyone with any experience with this brand pool cover or with prices
    that can comment on this deal?

I bought a 24'x 44' cover last year in September/October from NAMCO it has 
an 8 year warranty, I paid $ 99.00 for it. 

When I had the pool installers come out to close the pool they asked where I 
bought my cover, they said they sell the same cover for (are you ready) $255.00.... The cover worked well
This spring the water was clear and no debris was in the pool.


 The only PAIN is since my pool is in-ground I have to use water bags....