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When is it best to repair the cover, and when does it make sense to replace it? At Pro Service Plus, one of our team members is a national automatic pool cover trainer. For this reason, we can help our customers make this determination. First, we start out with identifying what needs to be repaired on the cover. Next, we take into account the age of the cover.
So let’s start with what needs to be repaired. Let’s say the cover has a tear in it. If it is a 6 inch tear and the cover is less than five years old, repair it. If the cover is over 6 years old with that same tear, we would look into replacing it. Also, you are going to want to look at how faded the cover is to determine why it tore. If the cover is faded and brittle, it is now a safety hazard and needs replaced. If the tear is larger than 6 inches, you are probably going to need a new cover. Determine why it tore: was it installed wrong, or was it user error? Make sure this is figured out before the new cover is installed so it does not tear again.
Broken cover ropes can be repaired. A professional will remove the old rope and install new replacement ropes. Prior to that, we need to make sure this is a repair and not a replace instance. First we will want to know the age of the automatic pool cover. If it is less than six years old with no chemical damage, replace the ropes. If it is older than six years, it is probably time to look into a new pool cover. Either way, we need to determine why the ropes broke. What jammed up the cover? Did you try to open the cover with water on it? Was one of the bearings squeaking every time you opened the cover? Remember automatic pool cover ropes break as a safety precaution, so other more expensive pieces don’t break. Also remember that if one rope breaks, then both ropes need to be replaced. The system will not run correctly with one new rope and one old rope. The new rope will continue to stretch for a month and when it is finally fully stretched the cover has been adjusted several times. Then the other rope will break. So make sure if you change one rope, you change them both.
When to replace becomes a very easy decision when the automatic pool cover becomes a safety hazard. These cover are intended to keep people and pets out of the pool. If the cover is brittle and broken, it is more like a trap because it gives you a false sense of security. These need to be replaced immediately due to liability. It would be like having a broken fence not being able to prevent a child from getting in the pool.
Like most mechanical devices, one thing that applies to automatic covers is that preventive maintenance will make them last longer. Protect your investment by making sure your cover is cleaned and serviced annually.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
