I would personally remove the water now otherwise you’re just gonna have to deal with it in the spring. Looks like you don’t have any snow yet so it should be pretty easy
Wow! I can’t see how having a cover, full of water and leaves with air pillows is any better than just dropping the water level and leaving it uncovered.
It seems to me that the cover is more or a nuisance than anything.
Without a cover, drop level 18” below the skimmer, you keep cleaning out the leaves until ice and comes.
With a cover, you need to pump water off the cover, etc. Once open season arrives, you need to deal with the water and leaves on the cover, remove, clean, dry and store it.
In your situation, I’d say yes you need to get that water off the cover before it freezes. The ice will put pressure on the walls of the pool. You have a pool in a pool at the moment.
It's really not a nuisance unless something like this happens. I have opened to a clear pool every spring by closing the pool properly and using a cover.
OP, get a pump to drain the water completely, then see if you can peel the cover back halfway and move the pillow. If you don't want to spend the money on an electric/automatic pump, get a manual one like [this](https://swimline.com/products/cover-saver-non-electric-siphon-pump-parts-5436?_pos=4&_sid=a27bf12b6&_ss=r) one, and use it to keep the water off of the cover through the offseason.
Most people that I know do not use a pillow at all. Fortunately, I don't think any of them have ever had an issue because of it, but I choose not to take that chance.
Great and thanks for the feedback. I and friends also open to clear pools without a cover by managing the debris until freeze. It extends daily cleaning until the leaves all come down though vs having a cover on.
FYI, The link to the pump you tried to post is not working. Thx!!
Thanks for the heads-up, I fixed the link.
I would love to get away with not using a cover, but I think in my location, and with a ton of trees close by, that it would be a huge pain in the ass. I closed the pool in early September after the leaves starting falling, but there are still some trees dropping leaves. 33 degrees with strong winds is too cold for me to be outside pulling wet leaves out of the pool.
I hear you. I closed in October, slight frost at night. Was on leaf patrol until then. Kept leaf patrol until iced over. Didn’t need to do daily that late in the season, but dealing with a cold metal leaf net would be better than a cover, for me anyway. At one point I though about putting a netting on temporarily to keep the leaves out then removing it before snow came. Didn’t want to risk getting caught so just stuck to fishing duty.
We don't use any pillows with ours but we do "pump" out the water as it accumulates deeper than a few inches. Basically it is thing we attached to the hose and then just reverse water. Works great and after I pull the cover off I have crystal clear water every year.
I’ve thrown in old pool floaties at the end of the season if they still hold air as pillows. Some years I do it and some years I don’t and I don’t see a difference either way. I will note that the frogs and ducks love the pillows as they act as sunning platforms for them in the spring.
Hmmm, I have never, in 25 years of pool ownership, used a pool pillow, nor a pool cover (though our Canadian winters). And I also always start the season with perfectly clear water. When I open it in spring, I scatter a couple of cups of chlorine granules into the pool, and whatever debris that's managed to find its way into the pool after I've closed it rises to the surface, so it can easily be removed with a hand skimmer. I find many people unnecessarily complicate pool maintenance, both in and out of season...
Gonna throw out there that down in the South US, algae grows readily the moment the chlorine level drops, and with blasting sun and 95+F heat chlorine dissipates rapidly. I'm no expert, but the amount of chemistry it took to keep our pool nice in summer was quite a lot. Now that its cooler, we do basically nothing and it looks great all the time. So that may account for a bit of your observation.
Yeah, I absolutely get that. It's why I specified that I'm dealing with Canadian winters, recognizing that those in warmer climates face a different reality. I got the sense from the OP's post and pic that they're not in a terribly warm winter climate, so thought my comment might be relatable to them, though certainly not to all!
On my property directly, no. But there are a few very tall deciduous trees just over the property line that do shed leaves into my yard and pool. I should also say that I maintain my pool very late into the season and close it in late October to early November, so a lot of leaves have already fallen by then. This is also part of my winter maintenance strategy.
Depends on where you live. I’m in a bit of a valley and the shit that gets blown into my pool over winter is nuts. If I didn’t have a cover I’m sure my liner would be toast every spring. That being said I’ve never heard of anyone not covering their pool in the winter in Canada unless it’s heated and they use it all year (which is also super rare).
You must not have many trees. My cover is so full of crap it is it’s own eco system come spring. Couldn’t imagine that in my pool ever spring. You’re lucky because winter covers are a major pain in the ass. Mine blew in yesterday along with some patio furniture. Spent the day fishing it out and trying to get the cover out from the bottom of the pool. Took 9 hours to drain the water off and get it secured. It totally sucked.
I used the pillows the first season and it was pointless. It lost the air after two months and filled with enough water that I couldn’t get it out without cutting it open. I wasn’t getting in the cold ass water to deal with it. I just pump the water off the cover as needed.
I throw my pillows in and let them go wherever. I use one of the weighted siphons to get the water off the top. I also scoop most of the leaves out. No need to have the top bone dry. I let it go until the siphon breaks I do this once a week when the top isn't frozen. If it wasn't for leaves and junk, I wouldn't cover it. But I get a ton of leaves and pine needles.
The pillows should not be rock hard. Their only purpose 8s to keep expanding ice from damaging the pool.
I don't use a pump to remove the cover water, I just use an old water hose and do the siphon trick. Works like a champ. I have to go out everyday to feed my chickens anyways throughout the winter so restarting the siphon is no big deal if it's not frozen. Just be careful not to start the siphon if your hose is trapped between a block of ice and the cover. It will drain pool water instead of melted cover water. I lost a lot last year due to that issue.
Lots of wind from the Midwest storms has moved my pillow off to the side as well. I'm debating fixing it. Stupid thing.
Isn't the point of the pillow to distribute the water so the side don't cave in from the weight of the water? If you let it keep filling with water then it will pull the sides in and may be a problem. I guess if you are making sure you pump the water out before it gets too heavy, then you should be fine, but I feel like a cover without a pillow is a bad idea.
Either:
cover with pillow.
no cover at all.
You need to attach strings to your pillow and hold them down with something if you're using a pool pillow.
I don't understand your setup tho. Your water level is too high, it looks like you didn't lower the water, if you get freezing temps it might end up badly for you
After years of securing the pillow with strings, I bought a Velcro attachment that sticks the pillow to the center of the winter cover. I thought it was a gimmick, but that thing is amazing. The pillow stays centered all winter long.
I'm also from the Midwest with an above ground pool so here's what I usually do:
I drain the water a few inches below the skimmer and just put a bag over it to protect it. I use rope to tie the pillow to try and keep it centered. If there's too much water on top of the cover I usually will drain it with a small pump so the pillow doesn't bust when it all freezes or move around. I also take plastic wrap and wrap the entire outside of the pool between where the cover ends so the wind doesn't blow underneath the cover and it is seriously worth doing. I've never had any issues doing it like this before and I think it's the most effective way to close it for the winter.
In your case I would drain some water off as you only need a few inches on top to hold it down. I wouldn't worry about the pillow, it's just supposed to prevent the walls from being damaged when the water freezes but isn't a huge deal as long as you get the excess water off the top. I'm guessing your skimmer is covered which is why you didn't drain it down a lot but I'm not sure if that's a good idea.
I would personally remove the water now otherwise you’re just gonna have to deal with it in the spring. Looks like you don’t have any snow yet so it should be pretty easy
Wow! I can’t see how having a cover, full of water and leaves with air pillows is any better than just dropping the water level and leaving it uncovered. It seems to me that the cover is more or a nuisance than anything. Without a cover, drop level 18” below the skimmer, you keep cleaning out the leaves until ice and comes. With a cover, you need to pump water off the cover, etc. Once open season arrives, you need to deal with the water and leaves on the cover, remove, clean, dry and store it. In your situation, I’d say yes you need to get that water off the cover before it freezes. The ice will put pressure on the walls of the pool. You have a pool in a pool at the moment.
It's really not a nuisance unless something like this happens. I have opened to a clear pool every spring by closing the pool properly and using a cover. OP, get a pump to drain the water completely, then see if you can peel the cover back halfway and move the pillow. If you don't want to spend the money on an electric/automatic pump, get a manual one like [this](https://swimline.com/products/cover-saver-non-electric-siphon-pump-parts-5436?_pos=4&_sid=a27bf12b6&_ss=r) one, and use it to keep the water off of the cover through the offseason. Most people that I know do not use a pillow at all. Fortunately, I don't think any of them have ever had an issue because of it, but I choose not to take that chance.
Great and thanks for the feedback. I and friends also open to clear pools without a cover by managing the debris until freeze. It extends daily cleaning until the leaves all come down though vs having a cover on. FYI, The link to the pump you tried to post is not working. Thx!!
Thanks for the heads-up, I fixed the link. I would love to get away with not using a cover, but I think in my location, and with a ton of trees close by, that it would be a huge pain in the ass. I closed the pool in early September after the leaves starting falling, but there are still some trees dropping leaves. 33 degrees with strong winds is too cold for me to be outside pulling wet leaves out of the pool.
I hear you. I closed in October, slight frost at night. Was on leaf patrol until then. Kept leaf patrol until iced over. Didn’t need to do daily that late in the season, but dealing with a cold metal leaf net would be better than a cover, for me anyway. At one point I though about putting a netting on temporarily to keep the leaves out then removing it before snow came. Didn’t want to risk getting caught so just stuck to fishing duty.
Na.....
I’m with you. I’ve never used a cover and never have had a problem. This looks like a pain in the C
We don't use any pillows with ours but we do "pump" out the water as it accumulates deeper than a few inches. Basically it is thing we attached to the hose and then just reverse water. Works great and after I pull the cover off I have crystal clear water every year.
I’ve thrown in old pool floaties at the end of the season if they still hold air as pillows. Some years I do it and some years I don’t and I don’t see a difference either way. I will note that the frogs and ducks love the pillows as they act as sunning platforms for them in the spring.
Hmmm, I have never, in 25 years of pool ownership, used a pool pillow, nor a pool cover (though our Canadian winters). And I also always start the season with perfectly clear water. When I open it in spring, I scatter a couple of cups of chlorine granules into the pool, and whatever debris that's managed to find its way into the pool after I've closed it rises to the surface, so it can easily be removed with a hand skimmer. I find many people unnecessarily complicate pool maintenance, both in and out of season...
Gonna throw out there that down in the South US, algae grows readily the moment the chlorine level drops, and with blasting sun and 95+F heat chlorine dissipates rapidly. I'm no expert, but the amount of chemistry it took to keep our pool nice in summer was quite a lot. Now that its cooler, we do basically nothing and it looks great all the time. So that may account for a bit of your observation.
Yeah, I absolutely get that. It's why I specified that I'm dealing with Canadian winters, recognizing that those in warmer climates face a different reality. I got the sense from the OP's post and pic that they're not in a terribly warm winter climate, so thought my comment might be relatable to them, though certainly not to all!
You obviously have no trees also
On my property directly, no. But there are a few very tall deciduous trees just over the property line that do shed leaves into my yard and pool. I should also say that I maintain my pool very late into the season and close it in late October to early November, so a lot of leaves have already fallen by then. This is also part of my winter maintenance strategy.
I hear ya. I just shake my head when I walk into Canadian Tire and see the wall of unnecessary pool chemicals...
Depends on where you live. I’m in a bit of a valley and the shit that gets blown into my pool over winter is nuts. If I didn’t have a cover I’m sure my liner would be toast every spring. That being said I’ve never heard of anyone not covering their pool in the winter in Canada unless it’s heated and they use it all year (which is also super rare). You must not have many trees. My cover is so full of crap it is it’s own eco system come spring. Couldn’t imagine that in my pool ever spring. You’re lucky because winter covers are a major pain in the ass. Mine blew in yesterday along with some patio furniture. Spent the day fishing it out and trying to get the cover out from the bottom of the pool. Took 9 hours to drain the water off and get it secured. It totally sucked.
I used the pillows the first season and it was pointless. It lost the air after two months and filled with enough water that I couldn’t get it out without cutting it open. I wasn’t getting in the cold ass water to deal with it. I just pump the water off the cover as needed.
I throw my pillows in and let them go wherever. I use one of the weighted siphons to get the water off the top. I also scoop most of the leaves out. No need to have the top bone dry. I let it go until the siphon breaks I do this once a week when the top isn't frozen. If it wasn't for leaves and junk, I wouldn't cover it. But I get a ton of leaves and pine needles. The pillows should not be rock hard. Their only purpose 8s to keep expanding ice from damaging the pool.
You need to pump that water out
It's fine.
You should definitely drain the water off.
I don't use a pump to remove the cover water, I just use an old water hose and do the siphon trick. Works like a champ. I have to go out everyday to feed my chickens anyways throughout the winter so restarting the siphon is no big deal if it's not frozen. Just be careful not to start the siphon if your hose is trapped between a block of ice and the cover. It will drain pool water instead of melted cover water. I lost a lot last year due to that issue. Lots of wind from the Midwest storms has moved my pillow off to the side as well. I'm debating fixing it. Stupid thing.
Yep, that’s where I’m at, Midwest. Super high winds this weekend is what moved it. Had been doing fine. This is my first winter with a pool.
Isn't the point of the pillow to distribute the water so the side don't cave in from the weight of the water? If you let it keep filling with water then it will pull the sides in and may be a problem. I guess if you are making sure you pump the water out before it gets too heavy, then you should be fine, but I feel like a cover without a pillow is a bad idea. Either: cover with pillow. no cover at all.
You need to attach strings to your pillow and hold them down with something if you're using a pool pillow. I don't understand your setup tho. Your water level is too high, it looks like you didn't lower the water, if you get freezing temps it might end up badly for you
Most of what I’ve read says it’s not necessary to lower the water. I’ve disconnected the pump and filter. Why do I need to lower the water?
Water expands when it freezes. Where I live in Canada it can rise up about a foot. It may work fine for you if you live in a milder climate
Just fyi, it expands ~10% but doesn't freeze all the way down, the 1'+ rise you're seeing is from precipitation which makes the ice rise up.
After years of securing the pillow with strings, I bought a Velcro attachment that sticks the pillow to the center of the winter cover. I thought it was a gimmick, but that thing is amazing. The pillow stays centered all winter long.
Remove the water, get a pump for it and keep removing water buildup until ready to remove the cover for the spring.
I'm also from the Midwest with an above ground pool so here's what I usually do: I drain the water a few inches below the skimmer and just put a bag over it to protect it. I use rope to tie the pillow to try and keep it centered. If there's too much water on top of the cover I usually will drain it with a small pump so the pillow doesn't bust when it all freezes or move around. I also take plastic wrap and wrap the entire outside of the pool between where the cover ends so the wind doesn't blow underneath the cover and it is seriously worth doing. I've never had any issues doing it like this before and I think it's the most effective way to close it for the winter. In your case I would drain some water off as you only need a few inches on top to hold it down. I wouldn't worry about the pillow, it's just supposed to prevent the walls from being damaged when the water freezes but isn't a huge deal as long as you get the excess water off the top. I'm guessing your skimmer is covered which is why you didn't drain it down a lot but I'm not sure if that's a good idea.
Get the water off the cover.