These days almost all residential pools have automatic pool covers instead of manual covers. Mechanical tracks make it easy to retract a pool cover or put it back on, and they’re more effective at keeping debris out. Pool owners know the basics of pool cover maintenance, but for those that don’t, or those who are considering a pool from Prestige Pools, let’s talk tips for auto pool cover maintenance.
Tip 1: Keep Water & Debris Off
Our first tip for auto pool cover maintenance is to clear the cover of any debris before uncovering your pool. You can do this either by hand, if you’re able to reach, or with a garden hose. Never use something stronger than a garden hose, such as a power sprayer, because you risk tearing your cover. If there’s a significant amount of rain water on top of your cover, your pump will do an efficient job of removing it.
Tip 2: Uncover Your Pool Daily
In the summer months, it’s likely you’re using your pool often so it’s being uncovered on a daily basis. If you aren’t using your pool often, it is still a good idea to uncover your pool daily for a couple of hours, especially if you’ve just added chemicals.
This is an important part of cover maintenance because gasses created by the pool chemicals need to escape in order for the water to be safe to swim in.
Tip 3: Inspect Tracks but Leave It to the Experts
It’s always a good idea during auto pool cover maintenance to keep an eye on the cover tracks. Leave any major issues to the experts at Prestige Pools, but if you’re able to catch something small early on, it’s usually an easy fix.
Visually look to see the cover is running straight. If it’s not, reverse the direction and run it approximately 5’-10’, then proceed to run it back in the direction you intended to go.
Tip 4: Get Inspected Annually
Pool cover maintenance really doesn’t require a lot, as long as you’re getting it inspected on a regular basis. We recommend getting your cover inspected once a year. Whether you choose to get it inspected at the beginning of the summer, or at the end is up to you.
Tip 5: Replace Cover After 10 Years
Our last auto pool cover maintenance tip is to keep track of the lifespan of your cover. Depending on how religiously you maintain your cover, you could get more than ten years out of it! But as a rule of thumb, we typically say pool covers last about seven to ten years.
Contact Prestige Pools for More Pool Cover Maintenance Tips
Still have questions about auto pool cover maintenance? Contact the Twin Cities-area pool experts at Prestige Pools.