Some people believe that they can throw just about any tarp on the top of their pool and it will be just fine. Unfortunately, they couldn’t be more wrong. That’s because a pool that doesn’t have a proper cover on it for the winter is going to be a mess when swim season rolls around again. That’s because ordinary tarps just aren’t designed to keep out the elements of nature the same way as a winter cover.
If a person wants to make sure their above ground pool is protected for the winter months, then they’re going to have to buy a proper winter cover. That’s all there is to it. That means a cover that fits their pool, and one that will keep out rain, snow, leaves, and especially UV light. To help our readers find such a cover, we’ve listed the ten best above ground pool winter covers.
Best Above Ground Pool Winter Covers
10Blue Wave Gold 15-Year 24-Foot Round Cover
No one who owns a 24-foot round pool and uses this cover is going to have to ever worry about the condition of their pool when spring comes around. That’s because this highly durable winter cover will keep out the snow, rain, sleet, and ice that other pool covers end up letting in. And it can also keep out not only sunlight but the UV-radiation from that sunlight, which is the main contributor to winter algae growth in a pool. All of this adds up to a pool cover that will keep the pool stable all winter long and one that the pool owner doesn’t have to worry about.
9Blue Wave Gold 15×30-Foot Oval Cover
Blue Wave Gold Covers are some of the best winter pool covers for above ground pools. That’s because they’re made out of a UV and weather-resistant material that helps to prevent sunlight, snow, ice, and other debris from entering the pool. They’re also resistant to being torn by heavy winds and are backed by a 15-year warranty. They’re approximately 19×34-feet in size, so there’s plenty of overlap to properly cover the pool, too. All things considered, this is a great cover for anyone who owns a 15×30-foot oval-shaped pool and is looking for a high-quality cover.
8Blue Wave Silver 15×30-Foot Oval Cover
This winter cover is approximately 19×34-feet in size, which is just the right size for it to be installed on 15×30-foot pools. It’s made out of a high-quality polyethylene material that’s designed to resist sunlight degradation and to be resistant to the effects of rain, snow, sleet, and wind. Since it has a 4-foot overlap, this cover never needs to be stretched to fit a pool and that keeps it from ripping during the installation process. One of the best things about this pool cover is that it’s backed by Blue Wave’s 12-year warranty, so pool owners know that they’re getting a product that’s going to last for a while.
7Pool Mate Sandstone Winter Cover
When sunlight is allowed to enter into a pool because it wasn’t equipped with a proper cover, then that can create the perfect environment for algae to grow. And when that happens, it can be a real hassle to clean it up in the spring. Fortunately, that doesn’t have to happen when a proper cover like this one is installed. It’s designed to fit 24-foot round pools and has a 4-foot overlap that makes installation a snap. And this cover is not only designed to keep leaves, rain, snow, ice, and other debris out of the pool, but is also designed to keep out UV radiation, so there’s no algae growth to clean out at the beginning of the swim season.
6Blue Wave Silver 30-Foot Round Cover
This 34-foot round pool cover is just the right size for proper installation on a 30-foot pool. But that’s not the only size that Blue Wave makes these Silver pool covers in. They also make them in sizes 12-feet and up, so the consumer can buy the one that’s the most appropriate for their particular pool size. Each of these covers is made from a durable material that’s resistant to UV-radiation degradation, is resistant to weather, and is resistant to algae growth. It’s also a cover that’s backed by Blue Wave’s 12-year guarantee, so pool owners can rest assured that it’s going to service their pool for many winters to come.
5Robelle Dura-Guard 24-Foot Round Winter Pool Cover
Backed by a 10-year warranty and made out of high-quality polyethylene, this winter pool cover is designed to hold up to whatever mother nature can throw at it. It’s approximately 28-feet in size and round, so it will easily fit 24-foot round pools and maintain a 4-foot overlap that can be used to secure the cover to the top of the pool. This product comes with a cable and winch for easy installation and has reinforced grommets that hold up quite well to even the most severe of weather conditions. These features ensure that this cover will prove useful for many seasons to come.
4Buffalo Blizzard Deluxe Plus Cover
This deluxe winter pool cover for above ground pools is designed to keep debris and sunlight out of the pool. It’s manufactured using a high-quality polyethylene and is double-stitched and equipped with hems that are 3-times thicker than most pool covers. This cover is round and 32-feet in size, so it will fit 28-foot round pools with enough overlap to properly secure the cover. And to make sure that it’s installed securely, this cover ships with a cable that’s been vinyl-coated for weather-resistance and comes with a winch. All of which makes this a durable, dependable and economical cover for any 28-foot round pool.
3In The Swim Oval Winter Pool Cover
This winter cover is designed exclusively for 15×30-foot oval above ground pools and is made from durable polyethylene that keeps out UV light, snow, rain, leaves and other types of debris. It’s algae-resistant and is made with an 8×6 filament scrim for easy installation and use. It also features double-stitched borders, weather-resistant aluminum grommets and is resistant to tearing caused by the wind. And because of the way it’s made, this product won’t degrade due to sunlight exposure like tarps will. And because it comes with a cable and winch, it’s also extremely easy to install on top of the pool.
2Pool Mate Heavy-Duty Oval Pool Cover
Pool Mate is so confident in their newly-designed heavy-duty polyethylene pool cover that they’ve backed it by a 10-year warranty. And after looking at this cover, it’s easy to see why. This product isn’t a thin oval-shaped tarp but is thick enough to provide a suitable pool with the protection it needs. All of its seams have been heat-sealed for improved performance, and the cover is capable of blocking out UV-rays that can encourage algae growth. This product is also algae-resistant and is designed to fit 18×33-feet oval pools. And it also has a 4-foot overlap for easy installation.
1Blue Wave Bronze 18-Foot Round Cover
This winter cover from Blue Wave is 22-feet in diameter, so it’s designed to fit round-shaped pools up to 18-feet in size. This cover is purposefully designed with an extra 4-feet so that the consumer can overlap it to fit most top rails. This product comes with a winch tightener and a heavy-duty cable that can be used to keep the cover firmly situated on the pool. After this cover has been properly installed, it can not only keep leaves and other debris out of the pool, but is also capable of keeping out ice, snow, rain, and UV radiation. That ensures that the pool remains in the best condition possible until spring.
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A Guide To Above Ground Pool Winter Covers
Once the pool season has ended, it’s time to close up the pool for winter. And in order to do that, you have to make sure that you purchase the best winter cover for your pool and then utilize that cover effectively. To help our readers accomplish both of those goals, we decided to write a guide on the subject. This guide that you’re currently reading is dedicated to helping above ground pool owners purchase the best above ground winter cover and use that cover to protect their pool. Now, let’s get this party started and jump right into the material.
What To Consider When Buying A Winter Cover
The first section of this guide is to help our readers choose an appropriate winter cover for their above ground pool. A cover that will fit their pool well, hold up to the harsh winter season, and one that will hopefully last for quite some time.
Buy The Right Size Cover
The first thing that you’re going to want to do is to make sure that you purchase a winter pool cover that fits your pool, and that means that you’ll have to measure your pool. Measure the length and width of your pool and then choose the appropriate size cover. Remember, the pool cover needs to be a little larger than the actual size of your pool to accommodate the 12 to 18-inch water drop that occurs during the winter months. So for an oval pool that’s 15×30 feet in size, a cover that’s approximately 19×34 feet in size is needed to ensure there’s enough slack for a pool water drop.
Buy The Right Shape
We debated for quite some time whether to include this piece of advice in this guide, but we decided to go ahead and include it anyway. Although it should be obvious to any pool owner that they should buy a winter pool cover that matches the shape of the pool, we’ve seen far too many people use the wrong shape cover for their pool. We’ve seen people use square tarps for covering a pool and we’ve seen people try to place oval pool covers on round pools. And in every single case, it just doesn’t work.
Why is using the wrong shape cover for an above ground pool wrong? It’s because it won’t form a watertight seal around the edges of the pool, will likely be torn off by the wind, or may even subject the pool to wind-lash—a condition that can damage the pool. So do yourself a favor and just buy the right shape.
How Sturdy Is The Cover?
The next thing you’re going to want to think about is the thickness of the cover. Most high-quality winter pool covers are pretty thick and are designed to last quite a long time. Lower quality covers tend to not last as long, and as a result, they usually have shorter warranties. So make sure that whatever winter cover for your pool is thick enough to be durable and has a decent warranty. Of course, this will have to be balanced against your budget considering better-made covers of course cost more.
Consider Included Accessories
You’re also going to want to make sure that the pool cover comes with the accessories you need to install it—unless you’re perfectly fine with purchasing the equipment separately. The standard equipment that should come with any pool cover is a cable for tightening it against the rim of the pool. Some covers also come with a winch that makes tightening that covers a lot easier.
Installing A Winter Cover On Your Above Ground Pool
Once you have the pool cover and the equipment needed to attach it to your pool, it’s now time to put the cover on the pool. We recommend that two people attach a winter cover to the pool because it’s a lot easier. If that’s not possible, however, a person can certainly attach a winter pool cover to their above ground pool. Below are a few more suggestions for installing a winter pool cover.
Step One: Add Your Winter Chemicals To The Pool
When you’re ready to shut down your pool, you can now prepare to winterize your pool. This means cleaning the pool, lowering the pool’s water level, and adding the chemicals used for winterizing the pool. When that’s done, you can now then begin to put the cover on the pool.
Step Two: Spread Out Your Winter Cover
Carefully spread out the pool cover and then place it over the pool. If you purchased the right size winter cover, then you should have plenty of overlap. This extra material is important because it allows the cover to dip down into the lowered pool water. Usually, a 2-foot overlap is standard all around.
Step Three: Add A Leaf Cover, If Needed
If you plan on using a leaf cover, this is the time to add it. Remember, leaf covers are designed to catch leaves that fall on top of a winter cover and aren’t designed to be used alone. When the trees are bare during the winter months, you can remove the leaf cover and the leaves along with it. Otherwise, it’s fine to just leave it on the winter cover all season long.
Step Four: Thread Your Cover’s Cable
The next step is to thread the cover’s cable through the grommets of the pool cover and make sure it’s tightened down using a winch. Any extra pool cover that’s hanging out should be tugged so that wind can’t grab it and end up yanking it over time.
Step Five: Attach Any Additional Accessories
A lot of people use wall bags to secure the pool cover and to help guard against wind-whip. These bags are filled with water and they lie on top of the pool’s winter cover to keep the wind from pulling up the cover. Other people use pool clips that attach the cover to the rails and help to keep the wind from getting underneath it.