Swimming pools are often considered the center of summer fun and outdoor relaxation. While a pool cover is a worthwhile investment to minimize pool maintenance and enhance pool safety, removing the standing water from the cover can be challenging.
Siphoning water manually through a garden hose might remove some of the water. However, siphoning is a tricky technique, especially when water levels are lower. Fortunately, pool cover pumps are a practical solution to drain water efficiently.
Here, we’ll discuss why removing standing water from your pool cover is important and provide step-by-step instructions to use a pool cover pump.
Reasons to Remove Standing Water From a Pool Cover
With a pool cover, you won’t need to scoop leaves and bugs from the water every other day. Instead, the cover will catch fallen debris to keep your pool cleaner — but you will still need to keep the cover clean. There are three primary reasons why it’s essential to remove water from a pool cover:
1. Prevent Mold and Bacteria Growth
In the right conditions, mold and mildew can grow in a couple of days. While the cover will keep debris out of the water, it also creates the perfect breeding grounds for mold and bacteria when water collects on top.
Mold and bacteria growth will damage the cover and reduce its life span. Additionally, mold exposure is a health risk that can lead to various symptoms. Respiratory issues, skin and eye irritations, and infections are some of the more common symptoms.
2. Stave Off Mosquitos and Insects
Mosquitoes thrive in standing water. While some mosquito breeds prefer clean water, others prefer wet, nutrient-dense environments. Standing water can attract mosquitoes quickly, and once they lay their eggs along the pool’s edges, the larvae can grow into adult mosquitoes within a few short days. Other insects are also attracted to standing water, and a wet pool cover can quickly become an ecosystem.
3. Improve Pool Safety
Pool covers are a useful way to reduce the likeliness of drowning, especially for children. However, when water collects on top of the cover, the risk of drowning remains — a child can drown in 2 inches of water. So, it’s essential to drain the cover of water as a vital pool safety measure, especially if you have children around the house.
When to Remove Water From a Pool Cover
If you live in a wet region that experiences plenty of rain or snowfall, it’s essential to drain the pool cover often. Make a habit of removing water following summer rain storms and spring downpours. If snow collects on top of the cover in winter, shovel it off before it melts into standing water.
In contrast, if you live in a dry region, you won’t need to remove water build-up from the cover as often. Instead of draining the cover throughout the year, you may only need to monitor the cover in spring and summer during rainfalls.
How to Remove Water From a Pool Cover With a Pool Cover Pump
Pool cover pumps typically have a flat base preventing them from toppling over when submerged in water. These pumps feature an intake valve, discharge outlet and basic on/off functions.
Here’s how to use this kind of pump to drain your pool cover:
1. Connect a Hose to the Pump
It’s typically best to use a discharge hose of about 50 feet. A regular garden hose should work well depending on the specific pump model’s discharge outlet. Make sure the hose is in good shape by checking for dents, bends and other signs of damage. You’ll also want to ensure there are no blockages in the hose, as those can interfere with draining speed.
Once you’ve made sure the hose is suitable, attach it to the pump’s discharge outlet and tighten the check valve or hose adapter to secure it properly.
2. Choose a Suitable Location to Drain the Water
Find a space in your backyard where the water can drain. The amount of water the pool cover collects likely won’t be enough to cause flooding, so it’s good practice to let it drain onto your lawn, where it can soak into the ground. As a bonus, your lawn will enjoy a thorough watering. You could also collect the water in a bucket and dispose of it elsewhere.
3. Place the Pump on the Pool Cover
Place the pump onto the pool cover so that it is submerged in the water. While it’s wise to place the pump at the center of the cover, where water pooling may cause it to sag, avoid tossing the device if you can’t reach it. Instead, place the pump as close to the center of the cover as possible. Then, lead the discharge hose to the drainage location.
If you decide to collect the water in a container, secure the end of the drainage hose to the container to stop it from moving around due to the force of the flowing water.
4. Turn the Pump On
You can plug the pump into a grounded power source and turn it on. The pump will draw the water from the pool cover and push it through the discharge hose. Depending on the pool cover’s size and how much water has collected, the drainage process can take anywhere from a few minutes to more than 10 minutes.
Once you remove as much of the water as possible, turn the pump off and remove it from the cover. The rest of the water — usually about an inch or less — will dry out in the sunlight.
Choosing the Right Pool Cover Pump
As with most products, there’s a broad range of pool pumps on the market, so choosing the right one can seem tricky. At Star Water Systems, our selection of pool cover pumps offers durability and efficiency — you can’t go wrong, no matter which one you choose!
Our pool pumps connect to standard green garden hoses, and some function as utility pumps in tricky spaces. They can efficiently remove water from pool covers, rooftops, window wells and more. These high-quality pumps also turn off automatically when water levels drop to a certain level, so there’s no risk of the motor burning out.
Shop Pool Cover Pumps at Star Water Systems
Pool cover pumps make removing standing water effortless. Whether you live in a wet region and constantly need to drain your pool cover or you only need to remove water in spring and summer months, a pool cover pump can minimize your pool maintenance efforts significantly.
Shop Star Water Systems’ range of water circulation and removal solutions to find a pool cover pump that suits your needs and budget. Find a retailer near you to buy your pump today.
