Tag Archives: Above Ground Pools

Pool Closing and Winterizing

How Will You Secure Your Winter Pool Cover?

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Winter Pool Cover Accessories

Winter is coming, and pool season is at an end for a majority of the country.  Once you’ve winterized your above ground swimming pool, how do you plan to keep your winter pool cover in place for the duration of the off-season months?  If not secured well, a winter pool cover can be easily blown around on breezy days, exposing your pool to the elements and ruining the hard work you put into winterizing.  Three of the available options include pool cover wall bags, winter cover seal, and cover clips.

Pool cover wall bags are designed especially for above ground pools and are positioned around the inside perimeter of your pool, fastened to your pool cover’s cable. Wall bags should be filled only three quarters full with water to make room for the water to expand should it freeze.

Winter cover seal is another way to keep your pool cover in place, and while it looks very much like a large roll of plastic wrap, it’s really a tough poly blend film packed with UV inhibitors. Winter cover seal is wrapped around the covered pool several times to create a tight seal, which prevents wind as well as dirt from getting under the cover and causing damage and premature wear and tear.

Cover clips are a third option for securing your winter pool cover. Cover clips are exactly that — handy fasteners that hold your pool cover in place. They grip your top rail like a clothes pin and hold securely throughout the winter season.

However you choose to secure your winter pool cover, be sure to use something that will keep your cover in place through the entire winter season.  Doing so will protect your cover and your above ground pool from possible damage and exposure to the elements.

Pool Cover Wall Bags Winter Cover Seal Winter Pool Cover Clips

Pool Accessories, Pool and Spa Maintenance, Pool Closing and Winterizing

Preparing Your Above Ground Pool for Winter

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Above Ground Winter Pool Cover

The end of swimming season is near, and it’s time to begin preparing for winterizing the above ground swimming pool.  Here is a handy guide for preparing your pool for the winter season:

Step 1
Before closing your pool, make sure the water is chemically balanced. Adjust the chemical levels if necessary. Chemically balanced water protects the pool from corrosion or scale buildup that can occur while the pool is not in use. Your chemical levels should be as follows:

  • pH: 7.2 – 7.6
  • Alkalinity: 80 – 120 parts per million
  • Calcium Hardness: 175 – 250 parts per million
  • Chlorine: 1 – 3 parts per million

Step 2
Remove all deck equipment, including ladders, stairs, etc.

Step 3
Brush down the sides and floor of your pool and then vacuum.  This step prevents staining, which can occur if any dirt or debris is left to sit in the pool.

Step 4
Add winterizing chemicals by broadcasting them into the deep end of the pool.  These chemicals help protect water quality during the off season months.

Step 5
Clean the filter, skimmer, and pump basket. Remove all unused chlorine product from the chlorinator. Cartridge filter elements and D.E. grids should be cleaned and stored. If you have a sand filter, backwash it.

Step 6
Some people insert a skimmer guard into the skimmer and plug the return line. Others lower the water in the pool below the returns (where the water jets into the pool) and the skimmer. Either method is fine — the choice made is based on personal preference. NEVER COMPLETELY DRAIN A POOL! This can cause your above ground pool to collapse.

Step 7
If your pool is plumbed with detachable, flexible hoses, remove them and store for the winter. Remove all drain plugs from the pump, filter tank, and any other pool equipment. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific equipment. Place all drain plugs in the pump basket for storage.

If your pool is hard plumbed, use an air compressor or shop vac (attached to the blower side of the vac) to blow water out of the system by forcing air down the skimmer and through the plumbing.

Step 8
If you are using an air pillow, inflate it by using a shop vac. Tie the air pillow at two places and position it in the center of the pool. Tie strings to the pool wall so the pillow will not move during installation of the pool cover. Air pillows are commonly used, but not absolutely necessary. They are a good idea in colder climates in case the water freezes and expands. The water will freeze inwards on the pillow instead of outwards which can potentially damage the pool wall. Pillows are NOT used to create a dome-like effect to keep rain off of the cover.  Rain water will always settle around the pillow.

Step 9
Place an above ground pool winter cover over the pool surface, black side down.  Some homeowners who have children or pets prefer to cover the pool with a safety cover over the winter.

If covering your pool with a winter cover, place the cover over the pool, then thread the cable through the loops or grommets. Use the winch provided with the cover to tighten the cable.

If your above ground pool has a deck, place wall bags end to end around the edge of the pool. Fill the bags 3/4 full with water.  Do not over-fill because the bags could burst when the water inside freezes.  Never use bricks, concrete blocks, etc. to secure the cover because they can damage your pool cover or your pool.

Step 10
Place a cover pump in the center of your pool cover to drain excess water accumulation.  Too much water on top of the cover can cause the cover to rip, or it can pull the cover and wall bags into the pool.  Either way, you’re in for a messy cleanup effort.

Planning now for winterizing will help make the process go faster and easier once the time to winterize has arrived.  Until then, though, enjoy the remaining days of summer warmth in the refreshing comfort of your above ground pool.

Innovative Solutions, Pool and Spa Safety

Above Ground Pool Safety Netting are NOT Safety Covers!

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Above Ground Pool Safety Covers
We have been telling people for years about the live-saving benefits of pool safety covers for in ground pools. They prevent countless drowning accidents and can literally be a lifesaver.  For years, we have had people inquiring about safety covers for their above ground pools also. Because of the usual lack of decking around the entire pool, traditional safety covers were usually not an option.  We found that Water Warden is an above-ground safety net and is better than nothing! Water Warden nets have created the solution to unwanted visitors and help to keep your children and pets safe. It installs quickly and is lightweight for easy removal. The netting is stretched over your above ground pool and attaches to the pool using a bracket system.  The nets hold up to 485 lbs of weight without tearing. Your child or pet would not be able to submerge into the water, keeping them from falling undetected into the pool.  They are available in several sizes and install in minutes with only a drill. Make your above ground pool as safe as possible with this innovative breakthrough in safety netting!

Keep in mind these do NOT qualify as a safety cover and do not satisfy many requirements of local codes for a safety cover or fencing for your pool.

Do a google search for “Water Warden Safety Netting” to find them as we currently do not offer this product.

Outdoor Entertaining, Pool Fun

No Public Pool This Summer? No Problem.

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Above Ground Pool

Public swimming pools across the country are closing due to budget cuts and monetary deficits ( http://bit.ly/jQaRCN ). Because public pools can be costly to maintain due to the huge volume of swimmers, they are considered an unnecessary extravagance in many cities. This takes away a staple summer past-time from both kids and parents in the affected towns. If your local public pool has closed, bring the pool experience to your own home! Pool ownership is affordable and fun! Here are a few options that you can choose from:

  • In Ground Pools are available in many shapes and sizes. They offer a long-term solution for many families looking for an at-home swimming option. However, they are very costly to install and can represent an investment of $20,000+.
  • Traditional Above Ground Pools are available in a wide variety of sizes and are great for large families or if you have frequent visitors. They are much less expensive that in ground pools and are easy to maintain. You can usually have your pool set up in one or more days (compared to weeks or even months with an in ground pool).
  • Soft-sided Splash Pools are similar to traditional above ground pools, but more simple. You can have the pool set up and filling with water in around one hour. It does not require tools and can be easily stored when not in use. They are available in several sizes and depths.
Pool and Spa Safety, Pool Fun

Break a World Record and Help Prevent Drowning

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Swimming Safety

You can help set a world record on June 14, 2011, when you join the “World’s Largest Swimming Lesson” in your community.  The goal of this event is to raise awareness about the importance of teaching children how to swim.   A whopping 3,971 people from 34 states and 5 countries participated in this event in 2010 — you can help break that record in 2011.

The “World’s Largest Swimming Lesson” was put together by a coalition of the nation’s leading water safety and training organizations, including the International Swim Instructors Association, National Recreation and Parks Association, United States Swim School Association, and the World Waterpark Association, among others.  By raising awareness about water safety, these organizations hope to reduce incidents of accidental drowning, which is the second leading cause of death for children ages 1-14.

To find out where you can participate in the “World’s Largest Swimming Lesson” in your community, or to become a host facility for this record-breaking event, visit the event website at www.worldslargestswimminglesson.org.