With the summer ending, it will be time to cover your swimming pool soon. While many people already have a winter cover that they are happy with, others may be curious as to the available options.
If you have an in-ground swimming pool, using a security cover is usually best as it provides great support for heavy snow, rain, and wind. These types of covers look similar to a trampoline as they have spring-loaded straps connected to the cover that anchor into the concrete to hold it in place.
The Benefits of Stainless Steel Springs
Before purchasing a security cover for your pool, it’s important to know what kind of safety cover springs the pool cover has. The best kind of springs to securely hold pool safety covers in place throughout the winter months are crafted from high-grade stainless steel as they are durable and the chances of them rusting are minimum. However, it’s important to never store your safety pool cover next to your chlorine bucket because it can cause surface oxidation crystals to appear.
The normal length for most safety cover springs is 8-inches. The double springs are often found on larger pool covers as the double coil gives adds extra strength and durability. The ingenious design of double springs reduces bending and warping of the spring, and allows for more torque, without twisting the springs. However, damage to springs can occur if the straps are too tight while the pool cover has a large snow load, leaving the springs to be completely compressed.
To help protect safety cover springs from weather, it is wise to get ones with a spring cover. Spring covers can easily be trimmed to fit 5-inch springs in situations where the cover comes close to the edge of the pool deck or a raised wall.
Don’t Let Your Pool Cover Springs Spring Back
As snow accumulates on your pool cover, it will cause it to dip and the springs may “spring back,” leading to breakage. Thus, it’s beneficial to purchase a LOOP-LOC safety pool cover so this doesn’t happen. LOOP-LOC safety covers are typically a solid vinyl pool cover which is more than a tarp to put over your pool. This kind of cover puts a “lock” on your pool so that it not only prevents debris from getting inside, but it also prevents children and pets from gaining access to the water.
The difference between a regular pool cover and a LOOP-LOC safety pool cover is that it’s built from very strong material and secured tightly to the deck by heavy-duty springs and brass anchors. These covers contain extremely high-strength 302-grade stainless steel springs, polyester bonded threads, a double perimeter webbing, and double-thick straps.
All safety covers must follow the Standard Performance Specification established by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). According to the ASTM, a safety cover must be able to support a certain amount of weight, and not permit gaps or allow water to collect. LOOP-LOC safety pool covers exceed these minimum ASTM standards by far.