How To Keep Pool Cover From Sagging? Try These 9 Methods!

If your pool cover is sagging, there are a number of quick fixes you can try out that are bound to do the trick. The most common hacks are keeping the center of the pool cover higher than the edges and securing the edges with heavy objects.

Are you a parent of a child who loves to play outside, but you’re too scared of them near the pool? Or maybe you’d just like to protect your pool against the harsh winter weather? Whatever the case, it’s always a good idea to cover your pool!

While it’s really great to have a pool cover, it can be a nuisance at times if it sags. And, let’s face it – a sagging pool cover can make your yard look quite untidy. So, how to keep pool cover from sagging? I’ve got you covered with these 9 awesome methods.

What’s So Great About Pool Covers?

Pool covers are one of the most useful pool accessories, and in my opinion, are an absolute must-have. Pools are a popular feature in hot climates, so maintaining them regularly is a good idea, especially if you’re a fan of swimming (or just splashing about!) 

But why do you need a pool cover?

1. It keeps your pool clean by preventing dirt, debris and leaves from flying in, which is especially great over winter.

2. It slows down evaporation, thus saving you from having to refill your pool regularly.

3. You won’t need to use chemical cleaners as often. A pool cover reduces the amount of your pool’s chemical consumption by 35% to 65%.

4. It reduces the amount of time you’ll need to spend maintaining your pool. No more strenuous vacuuming!

5. You’ll be able to save money on cleaning products and water.

6. It helps with pool safety, which is a must if you have small kids.

What Are The Different Types Of Pool Covers?

Solar Covers

Solar covers are one of the most commonly used pool covers. These covers use naturally occurring heat from sunlight and they don’t require any electrical power or fuel sources. 

They save you energy and money and do a great job of heating your pool efficiently. The only con to these covers are that they aren’t designed to be safety covers.

Safety/Security Covers

Safety covers come in mesh and solid types. Mesh pool covers can support a lot of weight and are great at keeping out dirt and debris. 

Solid safety covers pretty much have the same uses, but they also cut down on evaporation by keeping out UV rays. 

Standard Winter Covers

Standard winter covers are also known as tarp covers because they’re made out of polyethylene material. These covers are typically used during the winter months. They keep your pool clean by blocking out dirt and leaves. 

It’s easy to weigh down a winter pool cover because they’re not very heavy and don’t need much weight to weigh them down. 

For more ideas on winterizing your house, check out this awesome guide!

What Causes A Saggy Pool Cover?

There are a number of reasons why your pool cover might be sagging. It’s quite a common problem, but luckily, they’re relatively easy to fix.

These are the most common reasons for sagging pool covers:

1. Snow: Snow needs to be cleared off your pool cover regularly because it’s heavy and will strain its material. The type of snow also needs to be taken into consideration. Ice crystals are harder to remove than flakes of snow and they can cause your pool cover to sag. 

The most common methods of getting rid of ice crystals are by using a net, ice melting agents and de-icing chemicals.

2. Low water level: Pool covers are designed to touch the surface of the water in your pool, so you need to ensure that your water level is adequate.

3. Build up of dirt and debris: If you live in a rather windy area, chances are that your yard has a lot of leaves, dirt and debris flying about. If it’s not cleaned up and removed regularly, it will become heavy on your pool cover and weigh it down.

Not only is the weight of dirt and debris a problem, but it can also cause unwanted algae to build up on your pool cover. 

4. Poor installation: If your pool cover isn’t installed correctly, it will probably be loose around the edges, leaving room for water to weigh it down.

5. Damage: A torn pool cover leaves room for water to seep through and build-up, resulting in a weighed down and sagging pool cover.

How To Spot A Sagging Pool Cover?

A sagging pool cover is one of those things that you will need to act against as soon as you see it. Leaving the issue to worsen will make it a lot more difficult for you to fix over time. So, what should you look out for when checking your pool cover?

It’s best to monitor your pool cover for any signs of sagging on a weekly basis. The main thing to look out for is the formation of a dip in your pool cover towards the center of your pool.

Depending on the level of water in your pool and whether your pool cover has been installed correctly, seeing a build-up of water above the surface of your pool cover at the point at which it dips could indicate an issue.

To get the most accurate results, make sure you remove any build-up of dirt and debris before checking your pool cover.

Also, don’t forget to keep in mind the condition of your pool cover. If it’s old and run down, you have a higher chance of tears and other types of damage that could result in it sagging.

9 Ways To Keep Your Pool Cover From Sagging 

Keep The Middle Section Of Your Pool Cover Higher Than The Sides 

By ensuring that the center of your pool cover is higher than the sides, you’ll prevent water from collecting at the sides. Picture the shape of a roof. Your pool cover needs to adopt a similar shape or else it’s bound to develop that weighted dip in the middle. This is a great method to try out if you want to keep water off the pool cover!

Use Heavy Objects To Keep The Edges In Place

Adding weight to the outer edges of your pool cover will prevent it from getting loose and sagging. To do this, you can use heavy objects such as proper heavy gauge water bags to line the width and length of your pool.

Fix It As Soon As You See It

If you spot your pool cover starting to sag, fix it immediately to prevent it from worsening. This will ensure that whatever is causing it to sag doesn’t get to a stage where the damage is too hard to rectify.

Opt For A Portable Pool Cover

Portable pool covers are easy to fit securely around the pool and they’re unlikely to sag. This is because they’re easier to manipulate as they’re portable.

Build A Support Structure

If the other methods haven’t quite worked out for you, building a support structure might be the best way to go. For a successful support structure, you will need to lay an extra pole across the middle of your pool and create a frame with two crossbars. 

This method also works well for keeping covers on above-ground pools from sagging.

Use Pool Pillows

Using a pool pillow that is at least a third of the size of your pool cover and that’s cut perfectly to size to prevent your cover from sagging.

Just remember that pool pillows can lose their shape over time and when exposed to too much sunlight. You will need to replace them periodically.

Use H2O Bags

Fill your H2O bags until they’re at least three-quarters full. If the bags are adequately filled, they will prevent your pool cover from sagging as they will make the covers heavier. This ensures that the pool cover remains secure.

Handy Tip: Make sure your H2O bags are only filled up three-quarters of the way to prepare for freezing. If the bags freeze when they’re filled with water, they’ll break.

Use A Pool Safety Cover

Over and above preventing a sagging pool cover, pool safety covers are easy to install and they ensure that your sparkling pool stays that way by blocking out any dirt and debris. These are great at preventing a sagging pool cover because they leave no room for any air pockets. 

Although more expensive than regular pool covers, pool safety covers last quite a long time and work well to keep kids and animals safe around the pool. 

Install An Umbrella On Your Pool Cover

Installing an umbrella on your pool cover is also another great preventative measure. An umbrella allows for precipitation to run off of the pool cover. This prevents it from soaking into the plastic material and causing saggy covers.

An umbrella on your pool cover also works well to put shade over your swimming pool. 

YouTube user Solar Engineer does a great job of explaining how to prevent a sagging pool cover in this video:

FAQs

Ready To Get Your Pool Cover Winter Ready?

So, how to keep pool cover from sagging? This is everything you need to know about checking your pool cover and what to do to fix it. 

From pool pillows to umbrellas, I’m sure you’ll find the perfect solution to your sagging pool cover using one of these simple and easy methods.

I hope you found my round-up of these 9 methods helpful. Let me know in the comments below! I’d love to hear what you think!