You must deal with the buildup of snow on your pool cover if you are in an area that receives a lot of snow. Ice might not seem like a big concern at first because, after all, it will ultimately melt. Yes, in theory, but in practice, it can seriously harm your pool cover in the interim. Additionally, an above-ground pool that has too much snow on the cover may become damaged.
This can be fixed with ease. Just keep the right tools for removing snow from the pool cover on hand and act quickly to stop more damage.
Why Should Snow Be Removed from A Pool Cover?
Have you visited a beach before? Perhaps you accidentally got a few grains of sand on your legs or arms, but you weren’t even aware of it, as a small amount seems to have no weight.
Have you ever gone to the beach and been submerged in the sand? Your body had a lot more sand on it, didn’t it? You could have been able to move, but it would have been difficult.
With snow, the circumstances are the same. A flake or two is insignificant. But as billions upon billions stick together, the weight grows.
What Happens When Ice and Snow Build up On a Pool Cover?
You might be shocked to learn that if you own an above-ground pool, your greatest worry isn’t that the snow might harm the pool cover. The weight of the snow, as was already mentioned, is a worry.
It may result in a buildup of pressure in the centre of your cover. The top rail, fence, and walls of your swimming pool may be harmed as a result of the strain from the drooping cover pulling on them.
The worst-case scenario is that your pool might cave in on itself. Although that is a dire circumstance, it is one that we want to help you avoid.
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If You Choose a Solid Cover
For proper drainage, solid pool covers primarily rely on their paired cover pumps.
Solid pool covers don’t have drainage holes like mesh covers. Therefore, using a submersible cover pump is the only method to properly remove it when snow or water accumulates on it. These pumps draw water in from the centre of the cover and push it outside to be wasted.
The majority of solid surfaces can withstand up to an inch of water—equivalent to around 10 feet of snow—in safety. Therefore, it is your responsibility to prevent the snow from ever building up to that height. And we’ll shortly demonstrate how to accomplish it simply.
If a Mesh Pool Cover Is Being Used
With mesh covers, the cover will start to sink and stretch sooner due to the weight of the snow. This is so because a more flexible material is used to create mesh covers.
Due to the weight of the snow, they can safely stretch and even freeze. They will bend back to their natural shape after they defrost.
Yet there are boundaries. A mesh cover has a limited range of motion.
When they expand, both solid and mesh coverings must be able to contact the water in your pool. Therefore, make sure that your water line is 3 to 6 inches below the level of the skimmer. (Mesh covers have a bit more flexibility, so 6 to 9 inches is also OK.)
Now that we’ve covered the reasons why it’s crucial to get snow off from your pool cover, let’s move on to the juicy details:
- dealing with various kinds of snow
- What you need to remove it securely
- The easiest strategies to clear snow from your pool cover are also
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Above-Ground Pool
We know that a question will come to your mind, “How to remove snow from above ground pool cover?” Don’t worry, we are here to guide you through what should be done.
Your above-ground pool’s walls and rails are sturdy. To hold hundreds of gallons of pool water, they must be large. But that’s all there is. They are designed to accommodate a specific amount of weight and water.
If you let snow build up on the pool cover, it will gradually gain weight and put greater pressure on the cover. Additionally, due to the cover’s attachment to the pool walls, the top rail and walls will be strained by the weight, dragging them toward the pool’s centre. They weren’t designed for that.
If you let it go for too long and it becomes too heavy, the walls can completely collapse, leaving you with messy cleanup and the cost of repairing the pool in the spring.
Recall: Use a pool pillow and your winter cover to further protect your pool.
Inground Pool
There is no chance that the weight of too much snow on the pool cover would cause your in-ground pool to collapse. But the cover might get bigger under that weight and not cover your pool as well as you wanted.
Let’s face it, premium in-ground pool covers may be pricey. To save money, practise snow removal on pool covers all winter long.
Even more, money may be spent on safety covers. To avoid stretching and tearing, it’s even more crucial to maintain your more expensive mesh or solid pool safety cover free of snow. Additionally, the weight can cause your pool’s coping or even the cover anchors to pop out. Additionally, you’ll need to spend extra money.
How to Get Snow Off Pool Cover?
Do you recall the proverb “a stitch in time saves nine”? That concept also applies to clearing snow from your pool cover. The more snow there is, the more difficult it is to get rid of.
By tackling less snow earlier, you can avoid a situation where the snow is too difficult to remove. You can clear the snow off your pool cover in a few different ways:
- To get to the middle of the pool in light snow, use a vacuum pole with a brush attachment or blow the snow away with your leaf blower.
- You should use a long-handled broom to clear up more accumulation.
- Snowmelt water will be removed by a cover pump. (Use an electric pool cover pump with an automated shut-off, as recommended.)
Also Read: Are You Worried? How To Lower Cyanuric Acid in Pool?
Get Snow Off Pool Cover: Do
- Brush the snow carefully off the cover with a long broom.
- Blowing off the cover of snow in light, powdery snow requires a leaf blower.
- If there is a solid sheet of ice or snow on the cover, wait until it melts naturally.
Maintain your water line 3 to 6 inches beneath the skimmer level. - On your cover, sprinkle some pool salt to hasten to melt and prevent freezing.
- Use a water-resistant heat cable to hasten to melt and improve drainage.
- For older, heavier snow, use a pool cover snow removal tool; it is designed for that use.
- To prevent accumulation, sweep snow with a broom or use a leaf blower every 12 hours.
- As the snow melts, keep your submersible cover pump running to drain the water effectively.
Pour a few gallons of hot water into one location on the cover if your cover pump is buried in ice and needs to function.
Get Snow Off Pool Cover: Don’t
- Never use a shovel or anything else that has sharp edges. (A plastic shovel with smooth edges and a long-handled broom are both useful.)
- Make an effort to melt the ice on the lid.
- Ignore the snow covering the pool cover and think no harm will come to it.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How Do I Get Heavy Snow Off My Pool Cover?
Blowing off the cover of snow in light, powdery snow requires a leaf blower. If there is a solid sheet of ice or snow on the cover, wait until it melts naturally. Pour a few gallons of hot water into one location on the cover if your cover pump is buried in ice and needs to function.
How Much Snow Can a Mesh Pool Cover Handle?
approximately 1-2 feet
But if you have a sturdy pool cover, particularly one of the mesh safety covers, you can be sure that it was made with winter weather in mind. One to two feet of snow can be securely held by high-quality pool covers before they begin to strain.
Is It Ok to Leave a Pool Uncovered in Winter?
Pool covers keep debris out of your pool and keep the sun out, saving you money on winter chemicals and preserving the pool’s structure. We advise using a winter pool cover for the best possible protection for your pool during the chilly months.
How Much Weight Can a Winter Pool Cover Hold?
The ASTM standard is used by the pool cover industry and is a widely used source of safety standards for numerous industries. The ASTM standard says that pool covers must be able to hold at least 435 pounds.
Can You Use an Automatic Pool Cover as A Winter Cover?
In conclusion, automatic pool covers can be utilised as winter covers if the right safety measures are taken to guard against unintentional harm. The automated cover needs to be cleaned and rolled up in the cover box if you decide to cover your pool with an additional winter cover.
Do I Need to Remove Snow from My Pool Cover?
The weight of the snow and ice is supported by the water on which your pool cover is intended to rest. The only time snow can be a problem is if your pool’s water level is very low, which puts too much strain on the cover. You do not need to be concerned about clearing snow from your cover if the water level in your pool is optimal.
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