Pool cover longevity

I have an automatic pool cover system so old it is hydraulic. The benefits are:

1 safety. This THE reason, with kids, that we got the cover.

2 very low chlorine use (no light in the pool to grow algae.

3 very little leave or debris in the pool. I only backwash once at the beginning and again at the end of swim season

4 only vacuum the pool 2-4 times a year, and then only during swim season

5 prevents evaporation of chemicals and water. Evaporation is the number one heat loss during swim season

6 the cover acts as a large solar heat collector (especially dark colored covers

Here are a couple of things I have learned about pool cover longevity....

1). If you get to the point where you get small pinhole leaks, open the cover so the hole is up on the dam out of the water, wipe dry, hit it lightly with a hair dryer to get it good and dry. Then dab a fingertip of buoy paint over the hole. Make sure you order the right color. I use Flexabar buoy paint for PVC (the cover is PVC).

2. Keep your chlorine at the lower end. Because the pool is covered, little light gets into the pool for algae growth, and chlorine is not lost due to evaporation. I get 9-11 years out of our covers in southern California. When the guy came out to remove the old one, he told me that the underside is going to be white due to chlorine damage. I told him it was dark blue. He smuggly cut part of the old pool cover and flipped it over .. it was dark blue.

3. The first time the cover was replaced, I noticed it was attached to the aluminum roller in the vault with stainless screws. The screws were no longer holding the edge of the cover due to an interaction between the screws and the roller causing large holes in the roller. Against the installers recommendation, I had him use Gorilla tape on the new cover instead of screws. He protested, but did it anyway. Fast forward 10 years or so, new cover, same small town installer. He remembered me and said he installs all replacement covers with gorilla tape now, it holds for years and doesn't damage the roller, and can easily be adjusted without drilling holes.

BTW... Save the old rope, it's the toughest I have ever used, doesn't even stretch!

Hope this is helpful. And if anyone has more tips, please add them!