Covering a pool seems simple enough. You buy a giant tarp, throw it over the water, and weigh it down so the wind doesn't turn it into a kite. Except, if you've ever actually done it, you know it's a nightmare. The cable snaps. The winches rust. You wake up after a November storm only to find the entire cover submerged in a soup of dead leaves and swamp water. Honestly, above ground pool cover installation is less about "installing" and more about outsmarting gravity and physics. If you don't get the tension right, you're basically just creating a giant, expensive petri dish in your backyard.
Most people treat their pool cover like a decorative blanket. It isn't. It’s a structural component of your winterization strategy. When you live in a place like Michigan or New York, that cover has to hold hundreds of pounds of snow and ice without collapsing into the pool and ruining your liner.
The tension trap most homeowners fall into
Stop pulling the cable so tight. Seriously.
One of the biggest mistakes in any above ground pool cover installation is the belief that the cover should be taut like a drum. It shouldn't. If you pull it too tight, the weight of the first big rainstorm will put immense pressure on your pool walls. I've seen top rails buckle and walls cave in because the cover acted like a giant lever. You want "scallops." The cover should drape down and rest on the surface of the water. The water is what actually supports the weight of the snow, not the cover itself.
Think of the water as the foundation. If there’s a gap between the cover and the water, that cover is under constant stress. Eventually, it will tear. Or worse, it’ll pull your pool inward.
Why the air pillow is actually your best friend
You've seen those blue inflatable pillows. You probably think they are there to keep the cover from sinking. Sort of, but not really. Their real job is to manage ice expansion. When water freezes, it expands outward. In a round pool, that pressure goes straight into your walls. By placing an air pillow in the center, you create a "void." When the ice expands, it pushes inward against the pillow instead of outward against your pool frame.
Don't fill the pillow all the way. About 60% to 70% is the sweet spot. If it’s rock hard, it’ll pop under the pressure of the ice. If it’s slightly squishy, it survives the winter. Use a string to center it. Don't just toss it in and hope for the best; it’ll drift to the side and do absolutely nothing for you.
Getting the cable and winch right
The hardware that comes with cheap covers is usually garbage. The winches are made of thin aluminum that strips the moment you put any real torque on it. If you’re serious about your above ground pool cover installation, go to the hardware store and buy a heavy-duty ratcheting tie-down or a better winch.
Thread the cable through the grommets carefully. Once it’s around the perimeter, you’re going to want to crank it down. Do it slowly. Walk around the pool and pull the slack toward the winch as you go. It’s a two-person job. If you do it alone, you’ll end up with a huge bunch of material on one side and a cover that’s barely reaching the edge on the other.
Wind is the real pool cover killer
Wind gets under the cover and creates a parachute effect. This is how covers end up in the neighbor’s yard. Some folks use "wall clips"—little plastic clothespin-looking things that snap onto the top rail. They help. But if you have a high-wind backyard, you need something better.
- Winter Wrap: This is basically giant Saran wrap for your pool. You wrap it around the top edge of the pool several times to seal the cover against the wall. It prevents wind from getting underneath.
- Water Bags: On an above-ground pool? Yeah, if you have a deck. If your pool is flush with a deck, you can't use a cable. You have to use water-filled weights to keep the cover pinned down.
- Milk Jugs: The old-school DIY method. Fill them with sand or water and hang them from the grommets. It’s ugly, but it works in a pinch. Just be careful—if they bounce against the pool wall all winter, they can scuff the paint or even dent the metal.
Dealing with the "Swamp Effect"
Unless you have a solid safety cover (which are rare for above-ground pools), you're going to get a pool of water on top of your cover. This is fine until it starts to rot. Organic matter like leaves will turn that water into a toxic sludge. If that sludge leaks into your pool through a small hole or over the side, your spring opening is going to be a nightmare of green algae.
You need a cover pump. A simple siphoning hose can work, but a dedicated electric submersible pump is a game-changer. Whenever you see more than two inches of water on the cover, pump it off. Leaving it there just invites mosquitoes and adds unnecessary weight.
The "leaf net" secret
If you have a lot of trees, do a double-layered above ground pool cover installation. Put your solid winter cover on first. Then, lay a "leaf net" over the top. Once the leaves have all fallen in November, you simply peel off the leaf net, shake the dry leaves into the woods, and your winter cover stays clean for the rest of the season. It saves you hours of scooping wet, heavy muck in the spring.
Chemicals matter before the cover goes on
You can't just slap a cover on and expect the water to stay clear. You need to "winterize" the chemistry. This usually means a heavy dose of chlorine (shock) and a strong algaecide. Products like BioGuard Arctic Blue are industry standards for a reason. They stay active in cold water.
Don't cover the pool immediately after shocking it. High chlorine levels can actually eat away at the underside of your new cover. Give it 24 hours to circulate. Check the pH and alkalinity one last time. If your chemistry is off, the water can become corrosive over the winter and damage your liner.
Step-by-step reality check
- Lower the water level. Just below the skimmer intake. Don't go too low or you lose the support for the cover.
- Plug the returns. Use rubber expansion plugs.
- The Pillow. Inflate it halfway, tie it in the middle.
- The Spread. Lay the cover across. It’s going to feel like it doesn't fit. It does.
- The Cable. Feed it through, tighten the winch until the cover is snug against the outer wall but still resting on the water.
- The Seal. Use wall clips or wrap to keep the wind out.
Why some covers fail in weeks
Quality varies wildly. You'll see "10-year" or "15-year" warranties on covers that cost $60. Those warranties are almost entirely pro-rated and virtually useless after the first season. A cheap cover is thin. It feels like a blue tarp from a big-box store. A high-quality winter cover has a higher "scrim" count—meaning the weave is tighter and the material is thicker.
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If you buy the cheapest one available, expect to replace it every two years. If you invest in a heavy-duty mesh or high-denier solid cover, you might actually get five seasons out of it.
What about safety?
Standard above ground pool covers are NOT safety covers. They will not hold the weight of a child or a pet. In fact, they are incredibly dangerous because they can act like a trap if someone falls in. If safety is your primary concern, you need to look into a "track" system or a specific above-ground safety cover that anchors into a deck. These are significantly more expensive and harder to install, but they provide actual peace of mind.
Maintenance throughout the winter
Your job isn't done just because the cover is on. You have to be a bit of a hawk. After a heavy snow, if you can safely reach it with a soft broom, pull some of the weight off. Check the cable tension after the first freeze. Metals contract in the cold, and that cable might get loose. A quick turn of the winch can prevent a mid-January disaster.
If you see the cover starting to slip into the pool, don't wait. Fix it immediately. Once the edge goes under, it’s almost impossible to pull back out without draining a significant amount of water or waiting for a total thaw.
Actionable Next Steps
Start by measuring your pool across the center to confirm the diameter. Don't guess. If you have an 18-foot pool, you need a cover with at least a 3-foot overlap (meaning the cover itself should be 21 feet wide).
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Check your local weather forecast. You want a clear, calm day for the installation. Even a 10 mph breeze will turn your pool cover into a sail and make the process miserable. Gather your supplies: the cover, the cable/winch, the air pillow, string, and your winter chemical kit. If your pool is older, inspect the top rails for sharp edges or rust that could snag the material. File down any burrs before the cover touches the metal.
Once the cover is secure and the winch is locked, do one final walk-around. Look for any areas where wind can catch the fabric. Seal those gaps. Your future self—the one trying to open the pool in May without losing their mind—will thank you.
Crucial Maintenance List:
- Buy a submersible cover pump before the first rain.
- Check the winch tension every two weeks until the first hard freeze.
- Clear heavy debris from the top of the cover as soon as it lands.
- Ensure the air pillow stays centered; if it shifts, use the guide strings to pull it back.
The goal isn't just to hide the pool. It's to preserve the water and the structure so that when the sun finally comes back out, you're swimming in days, not weeks. Proper above ground pool cover installation is the difference between a simple spring opening and a multi-hundred-dollar cleanup project. Give yourself an afternoon to do it right, and you’ll sleep much better when the winter storms start rolling in.