How to Remove a Winter Cover from an Above Ground Pool

By April 20th, 2016

Have you ever taken your winter cover off the swimming pool and had all the leaves fall into the pool as you were pulling the cover over the top rails? Do you use an inflatable air pillow under your winter cover to disperse snow and water on the cover evenly?

If you answered "yes" to both of these question and the air pillow hasn't popped due to a harsh winter, you should follow these instructions for removing the winter cover from your swimming pool each Spring.

  • Prepare your filter system (Sand, DE or Cartridge) for the season and attach it to the pool with the filter hoses.
  • Pump the excess water off the winter cover with a cover pump. Also, be sure to remove all the leaves, sticks and debris from the winter cover. This can be done easily with a leaf rake.
  • Unfasten the winter cover cable.
  • Insert the garden hose under the winter cover and start to fill the swimming pool with fresh water to within a few inches below the top rail of the pool. Filling the pool with fresh water will raise the winter cover up while lifting the air pillow to above the top rails.
  • Hose off and clean the winter cover using a cover cleaner.
  • Allow the winter cover to dry in the sun while still on the pool. Then, remove it from the top of the pool. It's clean and easy!

Nothing deteriorates a winter cover faster than storing it for summer with dirt and debris attached to it from the winter.