Hi all. New guy on the forum here.

We have a new 18x36 IG pool. During the purchase phase, we also contracted for a Step Saver safety cover. This is the manual version of Coverpools Save-T cover Automatic cover. I couldn't stomach the $7500 price tag of the auto cover, so we thought we were doing the right thing by purchasing the less expensive ($4400) manual cover with the "power wheel."

We have 5 children (ages 4-9) and wanted the piece of mind of a safety cover.

We are not happy. First night with rain, the cheap sump pump seized up. Very hot to the touch. Pool guy fixed. A week later, while deploying the cover, one side came out of the track. Pool cover installers returned to "fix it" and claim they tested it. That night same thing happened. This time I thought I fixed it. Rain was expected so I put the sump pump on the cover.

Apparently I hadn't fixed it, because after the thunderstorms ended about midnight, I checked on the pool only to discover that one side was in the pool not in the track, and the sump pump was in effect now pumping pool water (~2500-3000 gallons) out of the pool and into the yard.

This experience has really soured me on this cover. The pool company is telling us they want to make us happy, but they haven't shown yet. I am leaning heavily toward telling them to take the whole thing out and refund my money, but I don't have a lot of leverage to insist on that right now.

So here's the crux of my question?

Is anyone familiar with a source for safety covers that work? I am particularly interested in a DIY source where I can install the cover myself and save money at the same time? This might also afford me the chance to upgrade to the auto version. I watched the installers do this one and it wasn't rocket science. They also didn't go out of their way to "square up the tracks" which may be part of the problem. I am pretty good on the DIY front both mechanically and electrically speaking.

Right now the cover is half floating in the 90% filled pool, covered with water. Too heavy to retract. As I told the pool store rep, the pool is currently less safe than with no cover at all. If a child or dog falls in, they could quite likely end up under the "safety" cover.

Thanks in advance.

Rob

 

Down here we screen the pool in. Are there is a child alarm that goes in the pool and then there is the child proof fence You can put around the pool. Then I find the best is my kids could swim by 4. Code here calls for a dry well so the run off water from the pool gets out before it can go between the pool edge and the pool deck. That way when the water get so high it just goes out another pipe in the skimmer . The other pump was that 110 volt pump that fell in the water Man look out . You could screen the whole pool for what that cover cost ED

 

IS THIS SOMETHING YOU BOUGHT ARE MADE YOURSELF..THANKS

 

No had it put in. see your up a state over me in florida. Dont they have them up there. Covers the whole thing great for night no bugs. most of the time one side is fixed to the home and that lets the porch open to it. or at the porch you can just put a kids fence up when you dont want them in the pool. Any outside door on this screen has to have the latch at 6'. Here if you dont have the screen inclose pool you have to have a 5' fence around it.hey it helps some and cuts down the sun burn and the chlorine use. On some new homes here they take the screen around the pool up 2 storys that way the windows or porches up there dont have to have any screens. Their aluminum and come in black or white,if you do, go the black in other homes had black. In this one went white dont like it shuld have stayed black. That 18X36 had one like it I take it its a dive pool 9' deep all i can say if you have a slide or dive board get them out of there and read over your ins. papers ED

 

Get a pool fence: http://www.poolfence.com/product.htm
or
Get a pool alarm: http://www.onguardpoolproducts.com/pool-alarm-details.htm

Tell you pool store to come pick up their crap and give you your money back.

 

person with an above ground or inground pool who has screen , have friend in orange park fla. she does not have a screen protecting her pool, however, it sounds like a great way to keep bugs and trash out , i will tell her about it.....thanks