Of all the things that come to mind when you think of your pool—fun in the sun, a place to gather with friends and family, the perfect spot to get away from it all—sitting smack at the bottom of the list might be the state of your pool safety cover. This would be an error in your thinking, however. A pool safety cover does more than keep your water clean (as important as that is). It plays a crucial role in protecting your loved ones and pets, maintaining your pool’s condition during the offseason, and helping you meet local safety requirements. But like any piece of outdoor equipment, safety covers wear down over time. Sun exposure, seasonal stress, and outright visible damage are all factors that can reduce their effectiveness. Thus, knowing when it’s time to replace your swimming pool cover can help you avoid risks to the safety of your family and friends, as well as costly repairs. Following are five clear signs your pool cover may need to be replaced.
1. Visible Tears or Holes
A small tear in your pool cover can quickly blossom into a much larger problem. Small punctures allow leaves, dirt, and other debris to get into the water, increasing maintenance and filtration demands. More importantly, small rips almost inevitably become big rips, which can create safety hazards: like making the cover unable to support weight in the event someone, or something, falls onto it. So if you notice fraying seams or expanding holes, take action and replace your cover before it fails completely.
2. Sagging or Pooling Water
A properly tensioned pool safety cover should sit snug and flat across the surface of the pool. If you notice that the cover is sagging or allowing water to pool in certain areas, that’s a red flag. This often means the cover’s material has stretched out, or the support straps underneath have weakened or broken. A sagging cover loses its ability to support weight and can become a drowning hazard rather than a safety feature.
3. Broken or Rusted Hardware
Ultimately, your pool cover is only as strong—and therefore effective—as the hardware holding it in place. Springs, anchors, and fasteners keep the cover taut and secure against wind, rain, and accidental impact (see above). Over time, this hardware can become bent, rusted, or break off entirely, especially in areas with harsh seasonal weather. So if you notice missing or damaged components, or if your cover feels loose even when you know you’ve installed it correctly, it’s probably time to invest in a pool cover replacement.
4. Mold, Mildew, or Odors
Things that exist in close proximity to water are prone to buildups of mold and mildew. Swimming pool covers are no exception. So that persistent odor you may have noticed probably means there’s moisture trapped inside the material of your pool safety cover. This is especially common in older-style mesh or vinyl covers. Not only are these odors unpleasant, they also signal that the fabric is breaking down from the inside out: an inevitability in the world of swimming pool covers. This kind of deterioration compromises the structural integrity of the cover and can lead to further damage over time.
5. Fading or UV Damage
The Sun, which brings us so much joy in our pool, is also relentless, and prolonged UV exposure takes a toll on pool safety covers. If your pool safety cover has lost its original color or feels brittle to the touch, it’s likely been damaged by the Sun’s rays. And fading isn’t just a cosmetic issue; UV rays weaken the cover’s fabric, reducing its ability to stretch, bear weight, and resist tearing. If your once-sturdy cover now feels fragile or looks washed out, there may be a pool cover replacement looming in your near future.
Sun, Fun and Just a Little Maintenance
Your pool safety cover is your first line of defense when your pool isn’t in use. Regularly inspecting it for damage, and replacing it when needed, is essential for keeping your get-away-from-it-all, backyard refuge clean and safe. If you’ve spotted any of the signs listed above, it’s better to take action sooner than later. Nothing lasts forever, but that’s okay. Here at Aquatic Solutions we’ve got you, well, covered when it comes to replacing your pool cover. Talk to one of our experts today about your next pool cover replacement.