- 815-654-7665
- info@soncopools.com
- M-T 10am-6pm - Fri 10am-5:30pm - Sat 10am-4pm
Many modern swimming pools are equipped with an automatic pool cover. While these systems make covering and uncovering a pool convenient, they also require periodic maintenance.
An automatic cover operates using ropes and pulleys. The ropes run through guides located underneath the pool’s coping edge and extend the length of the swimming pool. Keeping these components and the cover itself clean can help reduce unnecessary wear and extend the life of the automatic cover system.
In this Sonco Pools & Spas training video, we explain how to maintain the cover tracks, cover box, cover material, and automatic cover pump.
Sonco recommends cleaning the automatic cover tracks approximately two times per swimming season.
Debris and sand can collect inside the tracks. Because the cover’s ropes travel through these guides, accumulated material creates a more abrasive environment and can cause the ropes to wear over time.
The easiest position for cleaning the tracks is from inside the swimming pool, where you have a good angle underneath the coping edge.
The video demonstrates two options:
With a hose, direct the high-pressure water into the track to flush out accumulated debris.
A pressure washer can also be used, but Sonco does not recommend using an industrial power washer. An electric or gas-powered pressure washer designed for household applications is more appropriate.
Sonco also recommends cleaning the automatic cover box at least once a year.
The cover box is the area where the automatic cover retracts when the pool is uncovered.
Access can vary depending on the swimming pool. Some cover boxes have aluminum lids, while others have brick lids that may make access more difficult.
Sonco Pools & Spas provides automatic pool cover service for homeowners who prefer professional assistance with this maintenance.
The cover material itself should also be cleaned periodically.
Dirt and debris collecting on the cover is normal. One of the cover’s jobs is to keep that material from entering the swimming pool.
The cover demonstrated in the video is made from a nylon material. Sonco recommends cleaning it using a scum-line remover or cleaner that you would use for the swimming pool itself.
You can also use:
When power washing the cover, slowly retract it a little at a time.
Clean the exposed section near the end, retract the cover slightly farther, and then clean the next section. Continue working through the cover in this manner.
This provides access to the material as the cover retracts and can help keep the cover looking good and lasting longer.
When the automatic cover is closed and the swimming pool is at the correct water level, the cover rests on the pool water.
Rainwater should not be allowed to accumulate on top of the cover.
As water collects, its weight begins pulling the cover downward. A cover loaded with water can become very difficult to open.
This is why the system includes an automatic cover pump.
The cover pump is placed directly on top of the automatic pool cover. When it rains, the pump removes the accumulated water.
Before opening the swimming pool, allow the pump to remove the water and then take the pump off the cover.
The automatic cover system is not designed to be opened or closed with water sitting on top of the cover.
For that reason, use the cover pump to remove accumulated water before attempting to retract the automatic cover.
For questions about automatic pool cover maintenance or professional cover service, contact Sonco Pools & Spas at 815-654-7665.
Sonco recommends cleaning automatic pool cover tracks approximately two times per swimming season to remove accumulated sand and debris from the guides.
The ropes that operate the automatic cover travel through guides underneath the pool’s coping edge. Sand and debris inside those guides create a more abrasive environment that can cause the ropes to wear over time.
Yes. The training video demonstrates using either a high-pressure hose nozzle or a household pressure washer to clean the tracks. Sonco does not recommend using an industrial power washer for this maintenance.
Sonco recommends cleaning the automatic pool cover box at least once per year. The cover box is the area where the automatic cover retracts when the swimming pool is opened.
No. Access depends on the swimming pool and cover installation. The training video explains that some cover boxes have aluminum lids, while others may have brick lids that make accessing the cover box more difficult.
The cover demonstrated in the video can be cleaned with a scum-line remover or cleaner used for the swimming pool itself. A pool brush, hose, or household power washer can also be used.
Yes. The method demonstrated in the video is to clean an exposed section of the cover, slowly retract the cover a little farther, and then clean the next section. Continue working through the cover a section at a time.
Rainwater accumulating on top of the automatic cover adds weight and begins pulling the cover downward. A cover loaded with water can become very difficult to open.
The cover pump should be placed directly on top of the automatic pool cover. When rainwater accumulates, allow the pump to remove the water before taking the pump off and opening the swimming pool.
No. The automatic cover system demonstrated in the training video is not designed to be opened or closed with water accumulated on top. Use the cover pump to remove the water before operating the automatic cover.