Why has my pool cover dropped so low? I hear this question every year and this year is no different.

Rick the Spa Guy

Why has my pool cover dropped so low? I hear this question every year and this year is no different.


So you have been good this winter with keeping your pool cover free of debris and pumped all the water off when needed, so why is there a problem? Let me start by saying good for you for keeping up with your pool in the winter, I know it is easy to forget about the outdoors when it is cold and snowing outside.


There could be a couple of different reasons for the water level in the pool dropping. First there could be a leak in the pool under the cover but that is not usually the problem. In most cases I have found it to be a small hole in the pool cover and when you drop your cover pump on the cover and start pumping the water off it is also pumping out the pool water, the pump does remove the water on the cover pretty quickly so usually when you finally get all the water off and shut the pump down it has only pumped out a small amount of water out of the pool, but when you repeat this process two or three times a winter you will notice the cover dropping further and further into the pool.


Another issue I came across was my customer was not pumping off the cover and the water kept building up as this happens the weight of the water on the cover displaces the water under the cover and then it rises and can flow out through the skimmer and or returns on an above ground pool and or leak in behind the liner and drain into the ground under the pool.


Both of these situations will make it appear that there is a leak in your pool when in deed there may not be. Be careful when you clean  sticks and leaves off the cover as you can put small holes in the vinyl cover and cause this problem. Always place the pump on the cover NEVER drop it on the cover. NEVER drag the cover pump off the cover as this can easily tear the cover. When you remove the cover in the spring be sure to hold the cover up to the sky and from underneath look for light shining through if you find holes either patch them or replace the cover.


A little care and maintenance will make your pool cover an easy chore in the spring.


Until Next Time...