Although winter did not give most of us a white Christmas, the season is far from over. While it may be relaxing to sit near the fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa as the snow falls outside, we all hate the cleanup process the next day. You have to clean the snow off of your sidewalks and your car, but what about your pool cover? Yes, your pool cover needs to be cleaned off as well — the sooner, the better.

How Much Snow is Too Much Snow for a Pool Cover?

It may come as no surprise that excessive amounts of snow are not safe for your fiberglass, shotcrete, or doughboy pool here in Bucks County. As the snow starts to pile up, it will weigh more and more, damaging your pool cover in the process. 

If you have an economical cover, try and remove the snow as soon as possible. These covers are not built to last long and will deteriorate even quicker when they’re placed under constant stress. However, if you have a durable pool cover, especially the mesh safety covers, you can rest assured that your cover is designed with winter conditions in mind. High-quality pool covers can safely hold about one to two feet of snow before they start straining. If you expect a large amount of snowfall, make sure you’re constantly cleaning snow off your pool cover.

No matter which kind of cover you prefer using for your commercial pool, letting any amount of snow sit on the canvas is only possible if there is pool water to support the weight from underneath. Otherwise, your cover will collapse. This will either damage your pool in the process or open it up to outside contaminants. 

What About Ice?

Snow is a no go, but what about ice? Unfortunately, ice is not much better. In fact, it’s far worse! When your pool cover ices over, all you can do is wait for it to thaw. If you try to clean it, you’ll end up breaking the ice, which can rupture the cover with its sharp edges. 

How to Remove Snow from the Pool Cover

While each commercial pool has its own set of safe snow removal procedures, below are some basics to keep in mind. 

Take care to protect your pool cover and your pool during winter weather conditions. Need more pool maintenance tips from Bucks County’s own Carlton Pools? No problem! Contact us today to learn more about caring for your residential pool.