This is an awesome idea thank you‼️💯 I Lived in SW Florida for 25 years never really had to worry about covering my pool just had to make sure it was heavy chlorinated before the hurricane hit and the electric goes out for weeks. Now living in the Mountains I just can’t seem to keep leaves and water/snow from accumulating, I Love your method I would need a xxlarge waterproof heating pad to melt snow off my pillows😂
I've been considering doing this for a few years now. My "12 year" pool cover lasted 3 years before getting holes. Anyway, this year, I'm going to buy another one of those, but get a mesh leaf cover that goes over it and comes back off after fall and before winter. If that doesn't work out, I'm going to go to your way of doing it. Either way, thanks for putting this out there and more importantly, your deck looks awesome!
Thanks. It’s worked flawlessly for me for the last several years. Virtually maintenance free from Early October to mid May. If we get heavy heavy snow, which is rare here, I do scrape it off before it starts to melt. Other than that and the occasional draining of pooled water after a heavy rain, it has worked extremely well. Water is always crystal clear in the early summer and no debris from the tarp runs down into the pool when I take it off. Best of luck!
Well worth the intense labor. Thanks for the great idea. Saw one video where the guy put all these pvc pipes together. Talk about intensive…..Great idea… Thanks
Should be putting algaecide and stain and scale preventative in also, before closing the pool. Don’t know if this guy has bottom drains, but he also needs pool anti-freeze, not RV/Camper Anti-Freeze, or standard green radiator anti-freeze, Pool anti-freeze. He also isn’t supposed to fill the air pillows completely full. They should be 3/4-4/5 full of air so they won’t bust if your cover gets too much water on it. Not draining your pool 8-10” below your skimmer and water return can still be extremely dangerous for your plumbing, even with the Gizzmo. Unless he buys enough Anti-Freeze to fill every bit of his pump, filter, and all connection hoses. I’ve worked with swimming pools since 1999, and this is a very dangerous way to try and close your pool, unless this man has his plumbing license and 100% knows what he’s doing. Don’t buy 20- $20 air pillows, buy one $200-$300 automatic cover pump (which turns itself on and pumps off any water that collects on the cover) and correctly close your above ground pool, by draining the water at least 8-10” below the skimmer and water return. Gizzmo’s are not 100% effective. If his pool’s connection hoses, pump, skimmer, and filter, freeze and bust. He will be spending hundreds and hundreds maybe even close to $1000 for all repairs necessary
Hi Dave and thank you for your comment. I always welcome different ideas. I should’ve pointed out that I drain the water out of my sand filter and and pump and disconnect the hoses at my filter and pump. That keeps those from freezing. BTW, I don’t use any kind of antifreeze. I like the idea of the automatic pump on top of the tarp and perhaps I’ll try that one year. For now, this has worked flawless for me for four years. Each year I open it, I don’t have to do a thing except add a few chemicals and a little water. No leaves to clean off the tarp. Of course I have to deflate the pillows and put them away. I do have an advantage where I live in central Arkansas whereas the winters are not all that cold. It only gets below freezing a couple of days a year. However, this last winter of 2020 was a freak of nature. We had about a week and a half of below freezing weather and about 15 inches of snow. It rarely ever snows here. What I learned from that is this: I had to drag the snow off the tarp or it may have been too much weight. It could’ve been bad had I not done that. Also, the freezing didn’t hurt anything in regards to the pump, filter, hoses or skimmer basket…so I was glad about that. Thank you again for taking the time to comment.
Geeez that's a lot of pillows. My pool is 25 years old. I've replaced the liner once. I've always drained below the skimmer and let the cover sink into the water a bit. I've never had an issue in the spring. Am I i doing it wrong?
Too many pillows no? I thought they were meant to displace water in case of freezing to allow water some room for expansion when it freezes. Should also empty the skimmer basket, any freeze will cause it to crack.
One 2×4 foot pillow is the recommended protection for a 24 foot above ground. You're just wasting money. I get about 10 inches of ice in my pool. One pillow does the job year after year
Be careful using the gizmo or products similar on above ground pools. Water in the skimmer turns to ice and the weight can bend your pool wall because of the weight in the basket.
@@uncapabrew4807I used to do that but realized buying a skimmer plug and return plug worked great. I don’t have to waste water every year emptying my pool now.
Yes, somewhere around that is what I spent. I bought a lot at once, then bought a few through the year so it wouldn’t break the bank all at once. Just this year, I saw someone post about one large pillow that covers the whole pool and I think that would be a great idea too but the one I saw was about $750 plus shipping so this is still cheaper. I’ve just tried other methods and it hasn’t worked. This one has consistently worked well. Best of luck.
@@scottbabb2321I’m thinking about getting the Easy Dome cover. Haven’t found any reviews though. Like everyone else, sick of the goofy way we deal with covers in the snow zone.
Those pillows are way to full! It’s suppose to be 50-60% full only 😬. I was also advised by a pool expert not to use the gizmos on the skimmer. It’s safer to remove water below the skimmer.
Totally get that if I lived in an area that frequently ices over or gets below freezing. Since I don’t, I use them to deflect rain water and keep any debris from leaves and such out. It’s worked great for me. Probably not a good system for areas that get lots of ice and snow. Thank you for the comment and viewing.
Pillow are too full. Should be 50% full
This is an awesome idea thank you‼️💯 I Lived in SW Florida for 25 years never really had to worry about covering my pool just had to make sure it was heavy chlorinated before the hurricane hit and the electric goes out for weeks. Now living in the Mountains I just can’t seem to keep leaves and water/snow from accumulating, I Love your method I would need a xxlarge waterproof heating pad to melt snow off my pillows😂
Thank you! Just put ours up & needing to learn how to close & in Michigan winters are pretty harsh.
I've been considering doing this for a few years now. My "12 year" pool cover lasted 3 years before getting holes. Anyway, this year, I'm going to buy another one of those, but get a mesh leaf cover that goes over it and comes back off after fall and before winter. If that doesn't work out, I'm going to go to your way of doing it. Either way, thanks for putting this out there and more importantly, your deck looks awesome!
Don’t know where you got this idea but is the best one so far I have found
Thanks. It’s worked flawlessly for me for the last several years. Virtually maintenance free from Early October to mid May. If we get heavy heavy snow, which is rare here, I do scrape it off before it starts to melt. Other than that and the occasional draining of pooled water after a heavy rain, it has worked extremely well. Water is always crystal clear in the early summer and no debris from the tarp runs down into the pool when I take it off. Best of luck!
Well worth the intense labor. Thanks for the great idea. Saw one video where the guy put all these pvc pipes together. Talk about intensive…..Great idea… Thanks
Thank you so much for the help !!
Thx for the video. I’m from Ky. And we have unpredictable weather. This really helps!!!
Me to. Weather is crazy stupid. One day it’s hot the next it’s cold.
Another Kentuckian and I couldn't agree more with ya'll on that. This video will definitely help me out tremendously!
First year opening went ok, learning and reading on closeing now
Whatever method you go with, you’ll learn what works best for your pool over time. Best of luck!
Should be putting algaecide and stain and scale preventative in also, before closing the pool. Don’t know if this guy has bottom drains, but he also needs pool anti-freeze, not RV/Camper Anti-Freeze, or standard green radiator anti-freeze, Pool anti-freeze. He also isn’t supposed to fill the air pillows completely full. They should be 3/4-4/5 full of air so they won’t bust if your cover gets too much water on it. Not draining your pool 8-10” below your skimmer and water return can still be extremely dangerous for your plumbing, even with the Gizzmo. Unless he buys enough Anti-Freeze to fill every bit of his pump, filter, and all connection hoses. I’ve worked with swimming pools since 1999, and this is a very dangerous way to try and close your pool, unless this man has his plumbing license and 100% knows what he’s doing. Don’t buy 20- $20 air pillows, buy one $200-$300 automatic cover pump (which turns itself on and pumps off any water that collects on the cover) and correctly close your above ground pool, by draining the water at least 8-10” below the skimmer and water return. Gizzmo’s are not 100% effective. If his pool’s connection hoses, pump, skimmer, and filter, freeze and bust. He will be spending hundreds and hundreds maybe even close to $1000 for all repairs necessary
Hi Dave and thank you for your comment. I always welcome different ideas. I should’ve pointed out that I drain the water out of my sand filter and and pump and disconnect the hoses at my filter and pump. That keeps those from freezing. BTW, I don’t use any kind of antifreeze. I like the idea of the automatic pump on top of the tarp and perhaps I’ll try that one year. For now, this has worked flawless for me for four years. Each year I open it, I don’t have to do a thing except add a few chemicals and a little water. No leaves to clean off the tarp. Of course I have to deflate the pillows and put them away. I do have an advantage where I live in central Arkansas whereas the winters are not all that cold. It only gets below freezing a couple of days a year. However, this last winter of 2020 was a freak of nature. We had about a week and a half of below freezing weather and about 15 inches of snow. It rarely ever snows here. What I learned from that is this: I had to drag the snow off the tarp or it may have been too much weight. It could’ve been bad had I not done that. Also, the freezing didn’t hurt anything in regards to the pump, filter, hoses or skimmer basket…so I was glad about that. Thank you again for taking the time to comment.
Just wow....
Can I use these with a Intex pool and do you have to drain your pool below inlet and outlets?
What part do you use to fill the pillow?
Where did you get your tarp???
Geeez that's a lot of pillows.
My pool is 25 years old. I've replaced the liner once.
I've always drained below the skimmer and let the cover sink into the water a bit.
I've never had an issue in the spring.
Am I i doing it wrong?
Too many pillows no? I thought they were meant to displace water in case of freezing to allow water some room for expansion when it freezes. Should also empty the skimmer basket, any freeze will cause it to crack.
My pillows lose air about one month into winter
I bought those before Soo thin had holes before Installed
This is not how air pillows are meant to be used.
It clearly works for him.
Why not just a super big pillow in the middle? Seems like more work having to deal with 50 pillows 😅😅😅
One 2×4 foot pillow is the recommended protection for a 24 foot above ground. You're just wasting money. I get about 10 inches of ice in my pool. One pillow does the job year after year
Be careful using the gizmo or products similar on above ground pools. Water in the skimmer turns to ice and the weight can bend your pool wall because of the weight in the basket.
I use gizmo But I always thgt drain your pool below the in and out takes
The gizmo destroyed my pool wall
@@uncapabrew4807I used to do that but realized buying a skimmer plug and return plug worked great. I don’t have to waste water every year emptying my pool now.
So about 350 dollars worth of pillows
Yes, somewhere around that is what I spent. I bought a lot at once, then bought a few through the year so it wouldn’t break the bank all at once. Just this year, I saw someone post about one large pillow that covers the whole pool and I think that would be a great idea too but the one I saw was about $750 plus shipping so this is still cheaper. I’ve just tried other methods and it hasn’t worked. This one has consistently worked well. Best of luck.
@@scottbabb2321I’m thinking about getting the Easy Dome cover. Haven’t found any reviews though. Like everyone else, sick of the goofy way we deal with covers in the snow zone.
Those pillows are way to full! It’s suppose to be 50-60% full only 😬. I was also advised by a pool expert not to use the gizmos on the skimmer. It’s safer to remove water below the skimmer.
That's so unnecessary. U only need 1 or 2 pillows. There job is to take the exsntion of the ice instead of your pool walls. Soooo wow. Just wow.lol
Totally get that if I lived in an area that frequently ices over or gets below freezing. Since I don’t, I use them to deflect rain water and keep any debris from leaves and such out. It’s worked great for me. Probably not a good system for areas that get lots of ice and snow. Thank you for the comment and viewing.