Installing A Pool Safety Cover
Pool Safety cover
Improper footing – weight of snow pulled this out of ground
If you have an in ground pool that you close in the Fall and Winter then installing a pool safety cover makes sense.
A safety cover is a mesh or solid vinyl cover that is secured along the perimeter of the pool with adjustable straps. these straps secure to anchors that are installed in the pool deck or in the ground.
Why Have A Safety Cover?
A pool safety cover provides protection from accidental falls from people or animals into the pool as well as keeps leaves, dirt & debris from getting into the pool while the pool is closed.
18-inch concrete pool cover footing
Pool Safety Cover Footings
When an in ground pool deck does not surround the pool you need to
install concrete footings to secure the pool cover to.
Many pool cover companies simply dig a shallow hole in the ground and pour some concrete in the ground. This method is not the best method and heavy snow and ice will cause the footings to fail and lift out of the ground.
This was the case on a recent project that we were called into to remedy. the weight of the cover and winter snow popped the shallow footings out of the ground and caused the cover to fall in the pool.
Proper Pool Cover Footings
when installing a pool safety cover with “in-dirt” footings the BEST practice is to dig a 18 to 24″ deep hole, install a 8-inch round concrete footing form tube and pour concrete into that tube.
We use aluminum tubing to install out bras pool cover strap anchor to and then embed the pipe into the ground leaving the an inch of the pipe / anchor above the concrete pour.
The tube ensures that the footing is round and smooth and allows you to raise the footing out of the dirt slightly to install your brass cover connector.
A footing for each strap should be installed unless the two closely spaced straps are designed to secure to one location.
Pool Cover Update
We followed up a year after writing the article above on repairing a faulty pool cover anchoring system.
Well here’s the payoff, below. A quick drink of water and then a safe exit!
