In-Ground Pool Winter Covers - Quick Buyers Guide

In order to keep your in-ground swimming pool in good condition for many years to come, it's extremely important to properly prepare your pool for the winter season.  Having a quality winter pool cover is a vital component of swimming pool winterization and can significantly affect the ease of your spring opening.  Without the right winter cover, the arrival of spring will likely reveal a swimming pool that requires hours of cleaning and hard work before it can be used.  On the other hand, high-quality in-ground winter pool covers can make spring openings a breeze.  The specific type of winter cover that will work best for you will depend on your budget, climate, amount of potential debris in your yard, and personal preferences. There are two main types of winter pool covers for in-ground swimming pools for you to choose from -- solid winter pool covers and mesh winter pool covers.

The importance of using in-ground winter pool covers cannot be stressed enough.  These covers will allow you to protect your investment by preventing damage from harsh weather so you can keep maintenance and repair costs at a minimum.  At the same time, winter pool covers for in-ground swimming pools help to keep your pool water cleaner throughout the winter by preventing leaves, dirt and other debris from accumulating in the water.  When the water is kept cleaner, spring openings are much faster and far easier so you can start enjoying your pool sooner.

Solid winter pool covers make up one category of winter pool covers for in-ground swimming pools and are the most commonly used type of winter pool covers.  Consisting of a woven polyethylene scrim with a waterproof coating, these covers provide a solid barrier between the surface of the swimming pool and the atmosphere.  The best solid winter pool covers come with features such as double-stitched hems, reinforced borders and extra-wide material with fewer seams, all of which provide enhanced durability so that the covers will provide exceptional protection for many seasons of harsh winter weather.

When you are trying to decide whether or not you want to purchase a solid cover for your in-ground swimming pool, it's important to consider both the pros and cons associated with solid winter covers.  For instance, solid in-ground winter pool covers tend to be fairly heavy and are not particularly easy to handle.  So if you have to take care of your pool maintenance on your own, a solid cover may not be the most convenient option.  Also, as rainwater and melted snow will collect on the surface of the cover, a cover pump will be necessary to remove such accumulations of water.  However, as compared to other types of winter pool covers for in-ground swimming pools, solid winter pool covers are relatively budget-friendly.  Moreover, these covers prevent debris and sunlight from reaching the pool water and thus are very effective at inhibiting algae growth and keeping your pool clean.

The second category of in-ground winter pool covers consists of mesh covers.  Unlike solid covers, mesh winter pool covers are porous and allow rainwater and melted snow to penetrate the cover and enter the swimming pool.  At the same time, the fabric is still woven tightly enough to prevent most debris from penetrating the cover.  Some of the benefits of this design include the fact that water does not accumulate on the cover's surface so a cover pump is not necessary.  Also, by allowing rainwater to enter the pool, you will need to use less tap water to fill your pool come spring.  Mesh winter pool covers are also fairly lightweight and easy to handle.  On the other hand, the porous design of mesh winter pool covers does tend to allow silt and other fine debris to penetrate the cover.

When you purchase a winter pool cover, you may also wish to purchase a pool leaf net.  Pool leaf nets are durable polyethylene nets designed to make your winter pool maintenance far more convenient.  Meant to be placed over solid or mesh winter pool covers, pool leaf nets make it easy to remove and collect fallen leaves from the top of your pool cover, thereby making spring openings faster and easier.  Also, when used together with a solid pool cover, pool leaf nets prevent leaves from mixing with water on the cover's surface.  Pool leaf nets are particularly beneficial for swimming pools located near lots of trees and in areas where there is a high potential for debris.

Finally, another option for in-ground swimming pools is safety covers. Like winter covers, safety covers are also constructed from either woven mesh or solid vinyl material. But unlike winter covers, safety covers do not float on the surface of the pool water. Instead, they are designed to be pulled tight and securely fastened with special anchors. Safety covers also help prevent accidental submersion, thereby providing enhanced safety for your family, friends, neighbors, pets and local wildlife.  At the same time, safety covers prevent light and debris from entering the pool, ensuring that your pool will be extremely clean when spring arrives.  While there are many excellent benefits associated with using safety covers, they tend to be more expensive than other winter pool covers.  However they last for years, provide a much neater look than is possible with a winter cover, and given their enhanced safety features, they are worth the higher price for many pool owners.