We have a 30 ft round semi-inground pool. Last year was our 1st year with it and I used plastic pallets on the ground behind the pool to put the solar cover on. It was a pain to get back on the pool and I never failed to drag in dirt and pine needles. This year I was determined to find a better solution.
1st attempt was a 25 ft solar cover reel. I needed to use an inground pool reel because our fence and a tree would not allow enough room for a reel that swings away and we could not install 4x4 posts in the area behind the pool because of irrigation lines. Besides it would be too heavy for me to move off the pool by myself. I used stacks of 12x12 pavers to get the reel stand a little higher than the pool wall, ran some 2" pvc pipe down the middle of the reel pipes,secured the stand to the pavers with straps, attached the reel straps to the cover and thought all was good to go until I began to reel the cover off. What a nightmare ! By the time I had 1/3 of the cover on the reel it became impossible to turn, it wobbled, it sagged almost to the ground and getting the cover back on the pool was a nightmare.
I then moved on to option 2, which was to build 8 PVC baskets to hold the cover. This morning I went out to get some measurements for the PVC , walked by our fire pit and got an idea for a new option using our resin adirondack chairs.
I leveled out the border behind the pool so the arms of the chairs would be close to level with the pool wall, put a paver under the back legs and one in the seat for weight and then pulled the solar cover off the pool. It was so much easier than the plastic pallets and solar cover reel. The solar cover was well supported, off the ground, the chairs did not budge and putting the cover back on the pool was a breeze. I priced out getting new chairs around the fire pit and 6 new chairs would be $13 less than building the PVC holder/baskets. ($162 vs $175) I think my favorite part is when not being used the chairs look like they are sitting on a deck behind the pool. My husband likes that the chairs can be used elsewhere when not holding the cover and they can be easily stacked and moved into the garage during the winter or strong winds.
I am probably overlooking a downside to using the chairs but so far it sure beats battling that solar cover reel and the struggle getting the cover into the pool off the plastic pallets.
(still have to finish landscaping behind the pool from the install)
1st attempt was a 25 ft solar cover reel. I needed to use an inground pool reel because our fence and a tree would not allow enough room for a reel that swings away and we could not install 4x4 posts in the area behind the pool because of irrigation lines. Besides it would be too heavy for me to move off the pool by myself. I used stacks of 12x12 pavers to get the reel stand a little higher than the pool wall, ran some 2" pvc pipe down the middle of the reel pipes,secured the stand to the pavers with straps, attached the reel straps to the cover and thought all was good to go until I began to reel the cover off. What a nightmare ! By the time I had 1/3 of the cover on the reel it became impossible to turn, it wobbled, it sagged almost to the ground and getting the cover back on the pool was a nightmare.
I then moved on to option 2, which was to build 8 PVC baskets to hold the cover. This morning I went out to get some measurements for the PVC , walked by our fire pit and got an idea for a new option using our resin adirondack chairs.
I leveled out the border behind the pool so the arms of the chairs would be close to level with the pool wall, put a paver under the back legs and one in the seat for weight and then pulled the solar cover off the pool. It was so much easier than the plastic pallets and solar cover reel. The solar cover was well supported, off the ground, the chairs did not budge and putting the cover back on the pool was a breeze. I priced out getting new chairs around the fire pit and 6 new chairs would be $13 less than building the PVC holder/baskets. ($162 vs $175) I think my favorite part is when not being used the chairs look like they are sitting on a deck behind the pool. My husband likes that the chairs can be used elsewhere when not holding the cover and they can be easily stacked and moved into the garage during the winter or strong winds.
I am probably overlooking a downside to using the chairs but so far it sure beats battling that solar cover reel and the struggle getting the cover into the pool off the plastic pallets.
(still have to finish landscaping behind the pool from the install)
