How To Perform A Pool Cover Repair?
Does your swimming pool make use of a pool cover? Just like any other pool device gets into repair, so is the case with pool covers. Be it an in-ground pool cover or solar pool cover, you need to maintain them for longevity.
You cannot avoid the fact that the pool cover exposes to sun and pool chemicals continuously. Also, you need to apply physical force on the cover while covering and uncovering it over the pool. Hence, pool covers do get into repairs but the good news is that pool cover repair is economical to repair at home.
Vinyl pool covers, also referred to as solar pool covers are one of the best and durable models that help you to prevent heat and chemicals to escape from your pool. They help to minimize water evaporation.
However, with time you will experience wear and tear of the cover. Due to continuous exposure to sun, the pool cover gets discoloured. If a tear or hole occurs, the repairing can be done at home with simple tools and methods.
Contents
What factors define the repair success rate?
A pool cover needs a repair when it suffers tears, holes or discoloration. Most of the damages can be repaired successfully at home, and some need professional help. If the damage is big enough to be handled by professionals too, then you will need to replace it.
Usually, the success rate of repairing pool covers depend on certain factors like:
- Age Of Your Pool Cover
- Type Of Repair Materials
- Size Of Damage
- Repair Method You Choose
Age of your pool cover
How old is your pool cover? Were you promised of any warranty when you bought it from the store? And, is it still under the warranty period? All these count for the frequency rate of repairs to your pool cover.
Usually, a pool cover lasts for 10 to 12 years or more if you maintain it regularly. If your pool cover is deteriorating due to negligence like ignoring cleanliness or due to ‘Act of God’ like natural calamities due to hot sun, heavy snowfall, falling of tree branches that causes punctures etc., the warranty doesn’t cover them.
However, if you later develop defects due to faulty manufacture or workmanship, you can contact the dealer from whom you bought the cover and claim for warranty. For this, you need to carefully preserve the purchase bill.
Type of repair materials
The type of materials you use for repairing will play a crucial role for longevity of your pool cover. You should always think about long term safety rather than fixing the issue for short term solutions.
If you are patching up a tear or puncture with a sticky tape, take care that it is water resistant. You can choose polythene tapes that match with the material of pool covers. You can also try aluminium reinforced PE tapes that stick very well while being water proof. On the other hand, cloth tapes tend to hold moisture and hence avoid them.
Always prefer using safety cover patch kit. If the damage area is up to 8 inches long, you can manage with proper water proof sticky tapes. You can also use pieces of mesh or rubber cement to patch the damage areas. Once the repair is done, always wait until it dries completely before you start using it.
For net pool covers, you can use nylon straps to stitch the tears. If the tear is too big to join the pieces and stitch them together, you can use suitable mesh whose material matches with that of your pool cover, and patch then it up on the damage area. Then, stitch it up with nylon thread.
Size of damage
Size of damage matters a lot for the longevity of your pool cover after you repair it. If it is a small rip or tear that is under 6 inch length, then the repair can be done easily. On the other hand, if the tear is too long and if there are lot of punctures, then repairing it might be an impossible task.
If your pool cover is in the hands of an experienced professional, then there may be a little chance of success rate. However, if the repair is too big to be handled even by a professional then, the only solution is to replace the pool cover.
Repair method you choose
When you repair a pool cover, take care that you perform smart work so that there are less chances for damage to reoccur. Here are some of the tips for you:
- Always, ensure that you clean and dry the damage area before you start repairing it.
- Prefer to patch on both sides (above and below) of the damage for durability.
- Do not fix patches as they are. Cut their corners round or oval so that there are fewer chances for wear and tear of the patches.
- Once you fix a patch with a sticky tape of adhesive, place a heavy weight on the patch for at least 6 to 12 hours before you fold it.
- Whenever you fold the pool cover in the future, take care that you do not fold it near the patch. Ensure that it is always away from the folded areas.
Types of damage and repair method
Repair a hole
You will get repair kits for pool covers in the market. These kits include a vinyl patch and a vinyl adhesive.
If you want to repair the hole in your pool cover, you can follow the instructions below:
- Carefully, remove the pool cover from the pool such that no more damages occur to it.
- Lay it on the plain ground surface.
- Since you have removed it from the pool, it must have been wet. So, dry the area where you want to apply the patch.
- Now, use the vinyl adhesive from the repair kit and apply it around the hole on your pool cover.
- Now, carefully press the vinyl patch over the area where you applied the adhesive.
Repair a tear
Usually, the issue of tears occur with mesh or net model pool covers. These models are prone to tears and the repairs are quite simple if you know how to sew to attach two pieces together with a thread and a needle. It needs no rocket science. All you need to do is, bring the two torn pieces together, take a needle with an industrial strength nylon thread and start sewing them to stay together.
If the tear is too big to handle, you can patch it up with a net patch. Place the patch to cover the torn area and sew it up altogether with your hand.
If the tear is too big to be handled by a patch, then you are left with no other option, but to replace the entire pool cover with a new one.
Repair Discoloration
You will have very less chances to fix the discoloration problem for pool covers.
Discoloration can mainly occur due to two reasons:
- Exposure to sun
- Exposure to chemical residues or mild dew
If the discoloration has occurred because of continuous exposure to sun, then you almost have nil chances to fix the problem. However, if it is due to chemical residues or mild dew, then you can follow the repair method below:
- Fill a plastic tub that holds at least 1 gallon water.
- Add 1 cup of bleach to the water.
- Now, lay the pool cover on a flat surface.
- Dip a rag in the bleach solution and rub off the mild dew and chemical residue on the cover.
- Allow the cover to dry before you place it back on the pool surface.
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Conclusion
Pool cover often tends to get into repairs due to many reasons that are not in our control. As a pool owner, you can maintain it to certain extent like cleaning the chemical residues, drying the pool covers whenever possible, seeing that you do not grow bigger trees near the pool so that you can avoid branches falling over it etc.
Things that are not in our control are the ‘Acts of God’ like continuous exposure to sun, heavy snow fall, mild dew, storm, broken trees etc. that cause discoloration, punctures, tears, etc.
Usually, when you bring a pool cover from a store, it comes with a warranty that covers only manufacture defects or stitching defects. If the repairs are due to ‘Act of God’, then the warranty doesn’t cover them. Usually, the warranty period would be around 10 to 12 years for most of the brands.
Follow proper repair tips and methods for fewer chances of pool cover repairs to reoccur in the future.
