In the south, a winter cover protects your pool from the cold months but also preventing your pool from filling up with the Georgia pine needles and leaves. Many people question when’s the right time to close their pool. Below we have outlined the type of covers for swimming pool closing and important information about closing your pool. 

Safety Covers

Safety covers are custom covers, meaning they are designed based on your pool’s measurements, fitted only for your swimming pool. Safety covers are a bit more costly than a standard winter pool cover. As well, installation is more labor-intensive as the custom cover is anchored into the deck. Homeowners tend to like custom covers more because of the protection they offer for their swimming pool. Safety covers typically last longer (if properly maintained and stored) and they’re strong enough to keep children and small animals from falling into the water.

In the safety cover family, you can select from two styles of covers, the Solid or Mesh Safety Cover. 

Solid safety covers
The strongest safety cover available is the solid safety cover. It is recognized as a durable and long-lasting pool safety cover that is  designed to stand up to heavy fall and winter debris and snow. The cover also blocks out sunlight, which prevents algae growth. This is important in Georgia. Our leaves tend to start falling in September, but we still have very warm and sunny weather in place. With a solid cover, it protects the pool from filling with debris, so you do not develop green algae. 
The only issue that will cause some maintenance on a solid cover is the fact that you have a solid cover. Once rain, leaves, and snow accumulate on the cover in fall and winter, the cover has no place for rain or melted snow to pass through. At this point you will need to need a pump to keep your pool cover free of excess water. As well, you will need to use a leaf blower to keep heavy leaf debris off the cover. 

Mesh safety covers
Many homeowners find the Mesh Cover to be a great winter cover selection. Mesh covers protect your pool and keep out debris, like leaves and tree branches. As well, they are surprisingly strong. Mesh covers are held in place by a network of heavy-duty straps and anchors placed in your pool deck. This system allows your Mesh Cover to stay anchored in place all winter long. Furthermore, they add a safety feature of being able to support thousands of pounds, providing a peace of mind with families who have small children and pets. Mesh Safety Covers will not block out all sunlight. You will need to add winter algaecide to your pool on a routine schedule to help prevent algae growth. 

Standard Winter Cover
A “standard” winter pool cover is made of a tarp-like material and is designed to keep out dead leaves, debris, and sunlight during the months you’re not using your pool. This style cover is your most economical pool cover. 
This type of cover is stocked and ready for purchase. You will need to know the measurements of your pool for the correct size. This type of cover often described as a water-bag cover is usually easy to install. 
The downside to the standard pool cover is that the cover deteriorates quickly, and most will need to be replaced within two or three years. They’re also not the sturdiest option. Although they are designed to stay firmly in place, in-ground standard pool covers are held in place with specially designed water bags. It is not recommended to hold the cover with anything other than the water-bags. Placing bricks, stones, or flowers pots on a standard cover for anchoring can cause the cover to rip when rainwater or debris accumulates on the cover. 

The other important item to go with your pool closing and cover is a Winter Pool Chemical Kit. Chemical kits can prevent staining, inhibit algae growth, and keep your pool water fresh until the next swimming season. Make sure your winter chemical kit offers winter shock and algaecide. Remember, before closing the pool you will need to clean the pool and make sure the water is chemically balanced. You will need to store any pool cleaner outside of the closed pool, do not leave in your pool over the fall and winter. 

At AquaRama Pools, we offer free quotes on pool covers and can assist you in figuring out what works well with your pool, family and budget. In addition, we can offer a professional pool closing service or we can walk you through the process in our Retail Store. Finally, it is very important to start the planning process of purchasing a new safety cover in July, to allow time for the custom cover to be made and installed before the leaves begin to fall.