Your pool deck cover is extremely beneficial for the safety and convenience it offers. Moreover, it can save a ton of time and money on pool maintenance. However, we sometimes take these covers for granted, and you’ll end up experiencing pool cover issues if left uncared for the way they should be.
Even the best automatic pool covers can incur damages and issues that can be prevented or repaired as needed. Without further ado, read on as we share the common pool cover issues to watch out for, whether you own roll up pool covers, a motorized pool cover, a solar cover roller, and the like!
Common Pool Cover Issues
Any type of pool deck cover will come across issues, while the best automatic pool covers would have disadvantages worth noting even before investing in them. It’s worth being aware of such issues and disadvantages, so you know what pool cover to get and how to care for it properly to prevent any problems in the long run.
Here are the common pool cover issues to look into:
The Pool Cover Won’t Open or Close
If your pool cover won’t close or open and the motor isn’t running, then it’s best to check the power. Inspect the breaker or ground fault circuit interrupter, ensuring it isn’t tripped or you don’t need to press the reset button. If that doesn’t help, you can check the motor and the connections, which you may reset.
It’s also best to follow the path of power if the breaker is on and the touchpad stays illuminated, as there may be possible disconnections. If you come across exposed or damaged wiring, never fix it yourself and disconnect the power source right away, calling your specialist to have it repaired.
What if your cover won’t close or open, but the motor runs? That means you must check the cover, tracks, and touchpad. Do not force your cover to close or open, as this can incur even more damage.
Instead, check the tracks for obvious obstacles and remove them immediately. If it’s all clear, check the touchpad, which may be faulty. But if push comes to shove, check the cover itself for any water. For those who notice that a lot of water weighs it down, it strains to open and close properly, so drain all that water off using a pump.
If you have tried all the remedies mentioned above, but nothing works, it’s time to call your contractor for inspection and repair. For crooked covers or those that won’t move smoothly, you can review the abovementioned remedies. Usually, checking and cleaning the tracks will work or inspecting the ropes and pulleys.
The Material Maintenance
Most covers and their components, whether motorized pool cover or roll up pool covers and the like, are made of vinyl. Vinyl can handle the sun well, but the sun will eventually win the battle, dry rotting your cover’s materials. That’s why you must maintain your pool covers with a UVA/UVB protectant to extend the lifespan.
Moreover, you must clean your pool cover regularly, getting rid of leaves or loose organic debris. The maintenance can cause time, money, and effort, which you must prepare for!
The Cost of the Pool Cover
This is one of the biggest factors to consider before investing in a pool cover, especially an automatic and motorized pool cover. The upfront costs can be quite overwhelming and may have pool owners postpone their purchase.
Pool covers can cost, on average, between $10,000-$22,000. Moreover, the lifetime costs can be burdensome because of the material maintenance, as mentioned above. Some pool owners may spend a few thousand throughout a pool cover’s lifespan to keep their motorized pool cover in tiptop shape.
Besides the upfront price, here are some of the costs to factor into your budget:
- Material cleaning must be done yearly, washing your cover from debris. It would be best if you also conditioned it with a UVA/UVB protectant, which will cost $300-$500 overall.
- Some of the best automatic pool covers will rely on a motor, ropes, and a pulley system. As the ropes stretch from the cover’s weight, you must adjust them regularly, costing $85-$150. Fortunately, at Auto Pool Reel, there are no issues with ropes, pulleys, tracks, and the like, as our products do not contain these parts!
- Every 6-9 years, the pool cover material will need to be replaced. Just like a pool liner, some covers are made of vinyl. As the material ages and is exposed to harsh weather, it becomes brittle, fray, rip and begins to dry rot. Depending on your pool size, it can cost about $1,400-$3,800 to replace the material.
Rodents Hide in the Cover
Your motorized pool cover has something called the motor and cage mechanism located in the housing unit, an important part. Unfortunately, that area is also a warm area for rodents and insects to stay in for shelter during the cold months. That means rodents can destroy your cover! They can chew through ropes, create holes in the cover, and even chew some of the wires!
Fortunately, you can prevent this by taking proper measures to eliminate any rodents around your property. Moreover, regular monitoring is recommended to remove any insects and rodents before your pool cover is infested.
Wrapping It Up
We hope that this list of common pool cover issues helped you out! Now that you know about the issues and disadvantages of the best automatic pool covers, take them into account when making a big investment. You can reap the benefits of a pool deck cover when choosing one made for your pool and maintain it.
While we do not sell pool covers, you can contact us for our other products’ availability and installation. We’ll be glad to help provide the products your pool needs for added protection regardless of the weather.