How To Keep Winter Cover On AGP

by Crissie
(Enid, Oklahoma)

We live on the windy great plains of Oklahoma. Our pool cover blows up like a parachute over the pool. The cover is fastened down with the metal cable and winch tightening device as tight as it will go.

We have tried the pool cover clips but the wind pulls them off. We have also tried to tie milk jugs to the grommets in the cover to weight it down and the wind still blows underneath. We put water on top of the cover to hold it in place but the wind still gets under and blows it off. We have 2 of the 3 pillows still under the cover but learned they had to be tied down too.

Do you have a solution to this problem? I found this question asked in several forums but there were no replies or suggestions given. Help, please.

Hi Crissie

Aside from putting a tall fence around the pool I would have no idea. I thought the pool cover winch would keep a cover on during the strongest winds. I've never had that problem anyway. Guess I have never lived where the wind really blows. Hopefully someone who has mastered this problem will use the comments button and share with all of us. I'm sure you are not the only one with windy day pool cover problems.

Comments for How To Keep Winter Cover On AGP

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Sep 10, 2011
 Pool Cover During Winter
by: Anonymous

I have a 30 ft round pool & it is difficult to keep the cover on a circumference this wide. Over the past 9 years, I've tried various methods of keeping the cover on during winter & wind. Here's what I do that works pretty well: install your winter pool cover with winch as usual. Drive several stakes into the ground, or use concrete blocks, then use bungie straps to attach the stake or concrete block to grommets on the cover about every 15-20 feet or so. I also tie 2-3 plastic gallon milk jugs together filled 3/4 full of water, to clothesline rope, attaching the other end to concrete blocks laying outside the pool. Lay the tied-together milk jugs INSIDE the pool to keep the cover weighed down.

Last but not least, I have a 30 foot ratchet-style tie down that I attach across the windy side of the pool. I do all these things and keep an eye on the cover all winter to ensure nothing comes loose, and of course drain water off the pool periodically throughout, leaving a few inches on the cover at all times. Hope this helps!

Sep 19, 2011
 TIe It Down
by: Anonymous

hi- we use metal dog stakes- they look like a giant corkscrew with a triangle-shaped handle at the top: we screw 1 into the ground near every pool cover grommet approx 3-4' away from pool and then use a good strong rope to tie to each stake. Even very strong winds have not removed the cover, although the cover has lost some stitching from the pressure. We live in CNY, where the temps go below zero and have blizzards regularly. We gave up on hanging the plastic jugs filled w/gravel, as the wind blew them up and smashed them and contents into pool, awful opening, never again! Good luck and hope this helps, it works well for us!
Sep 19, 2011
 Keeping pool cover from blowing off
by: Anonymous

I have a 28' round pool. I bought a pool cover recommended for a 33' round pool. It hangs over the edge about 3 feet all the way around, but once the winch is hand tightened, it won't go anywhere because the wind cannot get up under it.
Apr 03, 2013
 Best thing I've ever done is use stakes and bungee cords
by: Theresa

This year I tried something new. I have a pool that is 1/2 deck 1/2 yard so the wind was always flapping under the cover and making it fly off.
This year I put 15 corkscrew stakes in the ground and I put bungee cords from the grommets in the cover to the stakes (I used short cords from dollar general) I pulled them a little tight but not too tight. This has worked perfectly and I have not had any issues all winter. I got a bigger sized tarp this time so it folds 1/2 way down the pool so wind does not get under it. Email me at theresabaldwin@att.net if you want pictures! This will be a savior for you! It works!!!!
Sep 17, 2013
 Using stakes and bungee cords
by: Additional Comments

For all those who have asked... I did use a pillow in pool (middle) before applying cover. I disagree with comment above about putting stakes 3 to 4 feet away from pool - too much room for air to get under. I put stakes as close to the pool as possible so the cover goes straight down flush with pool sides. Happy to email pictures to folks... email me anytime - theresabaldwin@att.net
Jul 17, 2016
 Pool cover solution above
by: theresa

I've now been using this method for four years and have never had a problem with my pool cover. I have sent dozens of folks pictures over the years!!!! Let me know if you would like pictures.
Apr 30, 2017
 Need cover with a lot of overhang
by: Anonymous

I agree with the person that bought a larger cover. The original cover that I bought when we first put the pool up had a substantial overhang and the ratchet cable was well below the pool caps. Never had a problem with wind getting under it. This year I replaced the cover but it's not as large and have had problems with the wind.
Apr 17, 2018
 How to keep above ground cover down in windy area
by: Pfifer

I live in a very windy area and lots of trees. I have an 18 ft above ground pool. In the fall I put the leaf cover on top of my winter cover (used a winter cover one size up from what is recommended), it keeps the winter cover from flying off and easier to removes the leaves that have fallen off.

I live in Canada so my pool freezes over during the winter. The day before the temperature freezes (first snowfall), I add a bit of water on top of the cover and I remove the leaf net. Do not leave the leaf net during the winter. I tighten the winter cover winch and tuck in the cover up against the pool, behind and up the winch cable (between the pool and the winch cable) all around the pool to block the wind from going up under the cover.

Once the water freezes on top, it keeps the wind from blowing the pool cover off. Last fall I waited too long to take the leaf net off and parts of the net froze on the top of the cover. So I untightened the winch and threw the leaf net and its winch on top of the winter cover, during the winter. It is now Spring (April) , I’ve been draining the water as the ice melts on the cover. The ice and water are currently keeping the cover from flying off. The ice is almost gone now, and once the net is free, I will put the it back on top ifbthe winter cover and drain the water on top of the cover so the wind doesn’t blow the cover off.

Now when I am able to remove the net completely in the Fall, I simply store it in the shed during winter and put it back on top of the winter cover in the Spring when I know there will be no more snow. It also catches the leaves that fall in the Spring. It works really well.

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