Cover pumps are an accessory that many people who winterize their pool consider a staple. They can come in manual and automatic. Let’s take a quick look at the difference.
What is a Cover Pump?
A cover pump is a submersible pump that you place on your swimming pool cover that removes excess water build up on the cover. They are usually electric and need to be plugged in. They come with a discharge home to divert the water off your pool cover and into a designated area such as bushes or the lawn. Never direct your discharge hose towards your home or anything else that could get water damaged. They home in different sizes, which are measured in gallons per hour and are either manual or automatic. They are easy to use and simple to install.
Why Cover the Pool?
As part of winterizing our swimming pool for those colder temperatures, most swimming pool owners will utilize a swimming pool cover. These typically come in mesh, which allows the water to pass through, or plastic/vinyl, which is better at keeping dirt and debris out of your pool during the months of not using it. The trouble is, water from rain, sleet and snow builds up on the pool cover which can get pretty heavy. This can cause stretching, pitting, sagging and worse case, ripping or tearing.. Removing the water with a cover pump protects your pool cover. You can certainly hire a pool professional to remove the water before you remove your cover, but this can get pricey. Most homeowners choose to invest in a cover pump and tackle the chore themselves.
Manual Cover Pumps
Manual cover pumps are one option when it comes to selecting a cover pump. As the water accumulates on the surface of your cover and needs to be removed, you must turn it off and on yourself. A lot of manual cover pumps aren’t electric and must be operated by hand. While slightly less expensive, this means extra work for you. You not only have to do the grunt work, but remember to turn your cover pump off and on. If this doesn’t sound too bad to you, there are excellent manual cover pumps available. Why pay a fortune? You can get a high quality, manual cover pump for a fraction of what you would find in your local retail swimming pool store. You can even get the American made, respected household name brand of BLACK + DECKER. It even has a pre-screen to help it from getting clogged with dirt and debris. My favorite parts are the 1,500 gpm pumping action and the peace of mind of a 3 year warranty. Check it out here.
Automatic Cover Pumps
Want even more peace of mind? You can choose an automatic cover pump. These pumps detect when there is water build up and automatically turn themselves on. Once the water is below the sensor, they shut themselves off. So you don’t have to worry about it running dry. You can just leave the cover on at all times, although some experts recommend bringing it in during freezing temps to protect the pump.
Pumps like this one detect down to ⅛ of an inch of water! This saves on energy because the pump isn’t running when you don’t need it to. This specific automatic pump also features a pre-screen to help prevent dirt and debris from clogging the pump. This means the pump can be unattended throughout those cold winter months! This to me is a no brainer. I personally would opt for an automatic cover pump.
Whichever pump sounds right to you, manual or automatic, you’ll want to select one with the water removal rate that best feeds your water accumulation demand. It doesn’t mean a smaller gallons per hour pump won’t do the trick. It just means it will take longer, using more energy and leaving the water build up on your cover for longer periods of time. Whichever you decide, www.poolpartstogo.com has you covered. See what I did there? Warm weather is just around the corner and I look forward to seeing you poolside!
The proper way to operate a pool cover pump is explained in this article. In addition, find out here if pool cover pumps are submersible.
