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Once your pool has been
properly closed, please do not totally forget about it ! With a
minimum of care and maintenance throughout the winter months, your
cover will last longer and your pool will open up with less problems
in the spring. Follow the instructions below for best results.
Loop
Loc Mesh - Spring Type Covers
- Tightness: The springs and straps on
your cover will need to be adjusted from time to time,
especially during the first few seasons of use. The cover
material, as well as the straps, will start to stretch as soon
as the cover is initially installed. THIS IS NORMAL. Check cover
periodically over the first few seasons of use, and retighten
the straps as necessary.
- Water Level: The water level in your
pool should be kept at or just below the skimmer when the cover
is in use. However, the water level should not be lower than
18" from the top of the pool. If your water level goes
down further than 18", the cover could stretch out too much
and either rip or cause anchors to pull out of your deck. If you
experience a lot of precipitation over the winter months when
the cover is in use, it is possible that the pool could fill up,
no longer allowing the water from the cover to drain into the
pool. Check pool water level periodically over the winter,
adding or removing water when necessary with your garden hose or
cover pump.
- Water Clarity: Remember, this is a
mesh pool cover. Sunlight and rain water will get through the
cover to the pool water. Most pools covered with this type of
cover will remain clear until April or May, depending on the
weather. It is strongly recommended that you open your pool
early to avoid the green "swampy" water that occurs
when strong sunlight and temperatures over 80 degrees are
present. As a rule of thumb, you should open your pool prior
to May 15 to avoid a green water situation. It is also a
good idea to add 2 or 3 gallons of chlorine shock to the pool in
the beginning of April to ensure good water clarity at opening
time.
Solid - Spring
Type Winter Covers
- Tightness: The springs and straps on
your cover will need to be adjusted from time to time,
especially during the first few seasons of use. The cover
material, as well as the straps, will start to stretch as soon
as the cover is initially installed. THIS IS NORMAL. Check cover
periodically over the first few seasons of use, and retighten
the straps as necessary.
- Water Level: The water level in your
pool should be kept at or just below the skimmer when the cover
is in use. The water level should not be lower than 18"
from the top of the pool. If your water level goes down further
than 18", the cover could stretch out too much and either
rip or cause anchors to pull out of your deck. For most
manufacturers of Solid Spring type pool covers, this could void
your warranty ! If you experience a lot of precipitation over
the winter months when the cover is in use, it is possible that
the pool could fill up, no longer allowing the water from the
cover to drain into the pool. Check pool water level
periodically over the winter, adding or removing water when
necessary with your garden hose or cover pump.
- Cover Draining: Although the mesh
center drain panels of your cover will allow rain water to drain
into your pool, they are not designed to drain off every drop
of water from your cover. Because of the way that the cover
straps are situated, some water will puddle in areas of your
cover. THIS IS NORMAL AND THERE IS NO WAY TO STOP THIS FROM
HAPPENING. Do not try to over - tighten the cover straps in an
attempt to get all the cover water to drain into the mesh
panels. It will not work, and you run the risk of over -
stretching the straps and springs. For most manufacturers of
Solid Spring type pool covers, this could void your warranty !
The center mesh drain panels are primarily designed to let most
of the water drain off the cover. Some Ultra-Loc Solid covers do
not come with drain panels at all and will need to be pumped off
with a pool cover pump from time to time. This is normal.
These covers come with cover draining pumps in most instances.
Do not let tons and tons of water and/or leaves and debris sit
on your cover for long periods of time. Utilize the cover
pump that came with your cover for best results.
- Mesh Panel: To ensure proper
drainage, make certain the mesh center drain panels are clear of
leaves and debris. Check cover periodically over the winter and
remove debris from panels as it accumulates using a pool leaf
net, vacuum pole or broom. This is especially important for
pools located in heavily wooded or treed areas. If you walk
on the cover to get to the panels, make sure you are not wearing
shoes with spikes or heels, as this could puncture the cover.
Failure to keep the mesh panel free from leaves and debris will
result in improper water drainage from the surface of the pool
cover and will cause too much water weight on the pool cover.
This could cause the cover material, straps and/or hardware to
stretch or break. For most manufacturers of Solid Spring type
pool covers, this could void your warranty !
- Water Clarity: Remember, these covers
have mesh drainage panels. Some sunlight and rain water will get
through the cover to the pool water. Most pools covered with
this type of cover will remain clear until April or May,
depending on the weather. It is strongly recommended that you
open your pool early to avoid the green "swampy" water
that occurs when strong sunlight and temperatures over 80
degrees are present. As a rule of thumb, you should open your
pool prior to May 15 to avoid a green water situation. It is
also a good idea to add 2 or 3 gallons of chlorine shock to the
pool in the beginning of April to ensure good water clarity at
opening time.
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