Solid & Mesh Safety Cover Maintenance

After installing your Latham Pool Products solid or mesh safety cover, it is recommended that the following items be maintained to improve the life and wear of your cover. 

Water Level
The water level in the pool should always be kept within 12" of the top of the pool wall.

Spring Tension
Initially, adjust the straps so that they are set to at least half compression. This will keep the cover tight and aid in draining. The springs should be checked periodically and the straps adjusted to maintain this tension.

Water Treatment
Be sure your pool has the proper level of sanitizer and algaecide before closing it for the winter. This will insure that the water is clear upon opening in the spring. If the cover is left on when the temperature has gone beyond 60 degrees F., it may be necessary to add algaecide to maintain clarity.

Snow & Water
Large accumulations of snow should be carefully removed, taking precautions not to damage the cover. Likewise, if a large puddle of water accumulates, it should be removed immediately by directing it to the drain or by using a weighted cover pump. The straps should be readjusted to prevent a reoccurrence. Failure to perform this maintenance could result in stretching or damage to the other cover components. Drainage can be facilitated by slightly loosening the strap that runs through the drain areas while tightening the straps away from the drain. A small amount of puddling is normal and will evaporate in dry weather. If you have questions about these or any procedures, please contact your cover installer.

Debris & Standing Water
Standing water resulting from melting snow and rain must be removed immediately. Covered pools located in heavily wooded areas are susceptible to accumulation of leaves,needles and other debris that will inhibit water flow to and through the "Invis-A-Drain". It is very important to keep the drain clear of debris at all times. Water can be removed by placing a weighted pool cover pump in a suitable location on the cover. Cover pumps are available local pool dealers.

Abrasive Coping
For covers not ordered with sewn-on padding, it is required that our loose 2'x 20' padding be placed as a barrier between rough or sharp coping and the cover itself. Failure to do so will void the warranty. Periodic examination of the cover is necessary for detection of early signs of wear.

Removal
The cover may be hosed off and should be allowed to dry before fan folding for storage in its mesh bag. Cover cleaner and treatments, available at most pool supply stores, are also recommended.

Anchors
After removing or prior to installing the cover, clean out all the anchor sockets with a stream of compressed air or water. This biannual cleaning will assure proper anchor function. Applying spray silicone to these components will also be beneficial to their proper operation. When the cover is not in use, screw anchors down completely to keep out debris and prevent tripping and foot injuries.

Recovery Express Program

Coverstar, a division of Latham Pool Products, is pleased to introduce a new template program called Recovery Express. The Recovery Express program includes a fast and easy way for dealers to send their templates in to one of three template measurement facilities at no cost to them.  These three measurement facilities are Brantford ON for Canadian dealers or Latham NY or Indianapolis IN for US dealers. 

 When a dealer requests a RMA for a template return, they can also request to have an optional Template Return Kit (TRK) sent to them. 

 —        The TRK includes:

—        Prepaid Shipping Label

—        Cover Bag to ship the cover in

—        Yellow Tag for the cover

—        Step by step instruction sheet

 

When sending in a template, we ask that the hardware be removed from the cover and that the cover be cleaned before it is rolled and packaged in the shipping bag. 

 

 

 

 

After it has been bagged, simply call to arrange for pick up or drop it off at a UPS in the US or Purolator in Canada. 

 

 In addition, for dealers who live in close proximity to one of the three measurement facilities, they can simply drop off their covers there rather than shipping them if they would like. 

As templates are received at these facilities, we will quickly and accurately gather the measurements using one of three different measurement processes.  The measurements will be sent to our customer service and design department so they can complete the quote or order for the new cover. 

Each cover features Latham quality and craftsmanship including heavy-duty hardware, double-reinforced seams, abrasion-resistant webbing, and our exclusive center web design for faster installation. 

 For more information on Coverstar solid & mesh safety covers, go to www.coverstar.com.

Automatic Cover Guidelines

When designing a pool that will include a Coverstar Automatic Safety Cover, it is important to review and consider the following guidelines:

• Drop to water - Drop to water refers to the distance from the cover guide to the water level in the pool. For the best possible results, it is important to keep the track as close to the water level as possible. Strive to keep your cover guides within 4 inches of the water’s surface. The drop to water will be a little more than this in cases where the track is mounted on top of the pool deck. 
• Drag (or resistance) - It takes almost no effort to push or pull a cover across water. Pulling a cover across a dry surface can create a lot of drag or resistance. This drag commonly occurs on freeform pools where the cover guides are mounted outside the shape of the pool.

One way to combat drag is to limit these drag areas to 10% of the total cover size. This is done by keeping the cover guides as close to edge of the pool as possible. Another way to handle drag is by using blowers. Lifting a cover with blowers requires a significant amount of air flow (more than you might think) and must be done properly. Blowers will create a cushion of air that the cover will ride on rather than riding on the dry surface, significantly reducing the amount of drag.  

• Switch location- Having the switch correctly located can prevent many problems and costly repairs. When selecting a location for the switch, keep in mind that you must be able to see the entire pool at all times.

It is best if you can be closer to the Leading Edge Bar when the cover is in the open position so you can see that the cover is running straight. We recommend that the switch be located along the length of the pool halfway between the middle of the pool and the mechanism end, not more than twelve feet from water’s edge. Poorly located switches are one of the largest contributors to cover failure because of visibility challenges when operating the cover.

• Drains- Lack of sufficient drainage is the most frequent cause of cover failure. When a cover housing is flooded, it is not just the motor that might be damaged. The roll-up tube often fills with water, which can weigh several hundred pounds causing the tube to fail and the cover to rip. The best way to protect your automatic cover is to have proper drainage. We recommend at least one three inch (3”) drain. Increasing the size of your drain to four inches (4”) can offer additional protection.Additional drains can be added to further prevent the possibility of flooding. Drain pipe smaller than three inches is not recommended.

By following the above guidelines, we are confident that your automatic safety cover project will be a pleasant and trouble free experience.