We love our safety covers!
Sometimes safety cover owners (especially new owners) have questions about what is normal or what is not. In this case, the pool cover was draining well when it rained in the early fall, but now the homeowner noticed that the cover seems to be holding more of the water. We asked for a photo and were able to confirm that this is a normal situation. The leaves and debris that have fallen onto the cover are preventing the water from draining. The leaves and cover can be left as-is or the leaves and debris could be brushed off or leaf blown off of the cover to prevent the decomposing leaf from allowing tannins (tannins are highly water soluble organic compounds formed from decaying vegetation and leaves) to enter the water. The tannins are harmless if left on the pool, and the pool water can be treated with chlorine in the spring to clear up any residual effects.
Side note: Tannins are a common cause of staining of pool surfaces from leaves that are left at the bottom of the pool when the pool is closed. Most stains are easily removed by chlorine – though some can be stubborn, so it’s best to make sure the leaves make it out of the pool for the winter.
As always, if you are in our service area (Southeastern Michigan) we’re happy to perform the service call to remedy this for you. If you are outside of our service area and you have a question we can help with anytime, please let us know!