An automatic pool cover provides many benefits to the pool owner. They are extremely convenient, keep your pool cleaner, offer great safety protection, and are energy efficient. That said, they are also an investment that you will want to maintain with care to prolong not just the life of your cover but the life of your pool as well. 

 

Automatic covers work with an easy push of a button. The vinyl cover material is housed on a reel that runs on tracks along the sides of your pool. Once the power is engaged, the closed cover rolls up along the tracks onto the reel. The process is reversed when you close the cover. If you decide to add an automated cover to your pool, you will want to have a schedule of care for it throughout the year. Let’s take a look at what it takes to maintain your automatic pool cover.

 

Daily Tips

Typically you will keep your automatic pool cover in the closed position. Make the following tasks part of your regular routine. 

• Check the cover daily and, if necessary, remove any debris that may have fallen on it with a long-handled brush or rake. 
• Have your cover pump handy in case it has rained. Remove any water that has pooled up on the surface of the cover. 
• Monitor your water chemistry daily and maintain the proper balance.
• After adding a strong dose of chemicals, leave the cover open for at least two hours until all gases have dispersed. 

 

Weekly Routine

By making these simple chores part of your weekly maintenance schedule, you can prolong the life of your automatic pool cover considerably.

• Use a leaf blower to remove any dust, dirt, or other small debris from the cover.
• Check the water level and make sure it never drops below mid-skimmer level.
• Retract the cover for several hours to let any chemical by-products dissipate from the water surface.

 

Annual Chores

If you stay on top of your daily and weekly tasks, the bigger jobs that must be done one or more times per year will be much less of a hassle.

• Check the box that houses the electrical components every few months.
• Remove leaves and debris with a leaf blower or brush to prevent the box from becoming clogged and attracting bugs and mildew.
• Like the tracks on your sliding glass doors, the automatic cover’s tracks will become dirty with dust, leaves, bugs, and other debris. Hose out these tracks a few times a year to keep the cover moving smoothly along the tracks.
• Inspect your rope and reel system for loose screws and tighten them. 
• Give drive chains or grease fittings a shot of lubricant. Check your manual or consult your pool professional if you are unsure of how to do this.
• Periodically check the mesh or vinyl cover for any holes or tears. Patch kits are available but you may need to consult a pro.

 

If you have invested in an automatic pool cover, you will want to care for it properly. We have given you a lot of information on how to maintain your automatic pool cover. It is true that some tasks you will need to perform on a regular basis. However, when the small routine tasks are done consistently, larger, less frequent ones will not be so time-consuming. Know that the professional pool care experts at Aqua Pools are here for you with all the supplies and answers you may need.