Dome Covers for Your Above Ground Pool

I'm still reading The Ultimate Guide to Above Ground Pools by Terry Tamminen. Actually, I'm reading it for the second time.

There is so much quality information about above ground pool maintenance that you'll find it impossible to remember it all just after one reading. It's one of those books that's a fantastic reference guide.

Since my mind is still on winterization I found his brief mention of dome covers really interesting.

A dome cover benefits you if you live in a climate where rain and snow are common. It helps keep dirt and debris out of your pool. If used in a rainy climate during the swim season, it will protect swimmers.

The cover is made of clear plastic and it's held together by a lightweight frame. Tamminen says that for larger pools a blower is used to keep the dome inflated and that the blower "requires no more electricity than a 100 watt light bulb".

It looks good too, even though it's plastic. The picture in Tamminen's book resembles a yurt or something you might use while camping.

I'd heard of dome covers but while living in southern California they weren't needed, so I had never seen one before. For those of you living in a rainy or snowy climate it might be very useful.

If you decide to get one for your above ground pool and deck, ask your local pool supplier for details and make sure you get the right one for your pool.

As always, enjoy your pool!

Regards,

Paul Ottaviano
Createyourdeck.com - How to Build Decks for Above Ground Pools

Winterizing Your Above Ground Pool

Hopefully you had a good summer and enjoyed your above ground pool, and deck. It seems like yesterday that it was May and many of you were ramping up your pool deck plans.

Now that it's September and school has started you might have an additional few weeks or so of decent swimming weather, but it's already nearing that time when you're going to have start thinking about winterizing your above ground pool.

For those of you who are relatively new to pool ownership or are just looking for good information on winterization - and general pool maintenance info - I recommend The Ultimate Guide to Above-Ground Pools by Terry Tamminen.

In addition to a lot of pool care information - everything from pumps to filters - there is a whole chapter on above ground pool repair and winterization that is very easy to understand.

Tamminen writes that winterization in temperate climates is easy, but warns against doing nothing. He keeps the water circulating and heater on every few hours to prevent any freezing, which he says is better than replacing broken pipes.

For colder climates, Tamminen goes into more depth but also includes a "quick start guide" for those of you with a little more experience and just looking to cut straight to the facts.

All of that work you put into your above ground pool deck might be regrettable if you don't winterize. Cracked pipes, algae, and problems from dirt and debris can be prevented if you remember to take care of your pool during the winter.

As always, enjoy your pool!

Best regards,

Paul Ottaviano
Createyourdeck.com - How to Build Pool Decks