How do I put on a pool safety cover?

Lay the cover across the pool, fasten every spring to its anchor until the fabric is drum-tight, and check that no gap is left at the edge. This guide covers putting an existing mesh safety cover back on a pool whose anchors are already in the deck. The very first installation, which means drilling and setting the anchors, is a pool professional's job.

What you need

Tara Safety Covers, a maker of mesh covers, recommends that at least two people install a cover.^[2] You will also want the installation rod and the hex key that came with the cover, a few 5-gallon buckets and a hose. The rod stretches each spring onto its anchor; without it the springs are close to impossible to fasten.

Tara's manual says initial installation of pool safety covers should only be performed by qualified pool professionals, and that improper installation can void the warranty.^[2] That is why the steps below assume the anchors are already set and the straps are sized to your pool.

Before you lay the cover out

Clear the deck and the pool first. Tara's instructions are to remove all handrails, ladders and similar fittings, and to position 5-gallon buckets filled with water around the pool.^[2] The buckets hold the cover in place while you work. Rest them on the straps, not on the cover material.^[2]

Check the cover itself. Tara warns to inspect the cover annually for damage and not to use it if it is damaged.^[2] Look at the straps, the stitching at the buckles and the mesh, and have any tear repaired before the cover goes on.

Look at the anchors too. Tara says to clean and lube the anchors every opening and closing.^[2] A light spray of silicone lubricant on the installation rod helps the springs slide on.^[2]

Putting the cover on

1. Lay the cover beside the pool, perpendicular to the long side, then unroll it so it lies parallel to the pool, with the labels facing up and the strap reinforcements facing down.^[2] Do not drag it across the deck.
2. Keep the deck anchors flush until the cover is in place. Tara warns never to raise the deck anchors before reinstalling, because dragging the cover over raised anchors can damage it.^[2]
3. Handle the cover by its webbing. Tara says never to grab the paneled material and to move the cover by the reinforced webbing and straps.^[2]
4. Slide the cover out over the water and adjust it for equal overlap, so one side matches the other side and one end matches the other end.^[2] Fit any cut-outs around steps, rails or walls.
5. Raise the anchors, then fasten the springs. Slide the installation rod through the loop of the spring, set its tip on the far side of the anchor and pull the handle away from the pool, so the spring slips off the rod onto the anchor head.^[2] Start at the middle of each side and work outward so the tension builds evenly.
6. Check the tension. The cover should be drum-tight once all of the springs are fastened, and Tara says springs on a mesh cover should be compressed about 50 percent.^[2] If the straps are slack, release the spring, shorten the strap at its buckle in small steps (Tara suggests 2 inches at a time) and refasten.
7. Walk the edge and look for gaps between the cover and the coping. If a cover is too loose, a child may be able to slip beneath it.^[2]

Check the water level and the top

Leave the water where the manufacturer wants it. Tara says the pool water level must stay between 15 and 18 inches below the cover at all times, or the warranty will be voided.^[2]

The surface needs attention all season. Tara says debris on top has to be swept off so rain water can drain into the pool, because a blocked top can let water puddle and the cover fail.^[2] Its warnings are blunt about the danger: standing water on top of a cover can let a child drown, and nobody should walk on the cover except in an emergency.^[2] A cover is also no substitute for watching children: the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says barriers are not the sole method to prevent pool drowning of young children and cannot replace adult supervision.^[1]

Taking the cover off

Lower the anchors before you move the cover, to protect the fabric.^[2] Take the cover off completely before anyone swims, since Tara warns that entrapment is possible if a swimmer enters with it on.^[2] Before you store it, remove leaves and debris, spray it with the hose and brush off dirt, check it for damage and fold it into its bag. Hang the bag off the ground, away from chemicals and heat, so mice and rodents stay out.^[2]

Stop and call a pro if

• The anchors are missing or loose. Setting anchors means drilling into the deck, and Tara's manual leaves that to qualified pool professionals.^[2]
• The cover no longer fits. If a new liner, a changed pool shape or a new step leaves large gaps, the cover is not doing its job, because a loose cover may let a child slip beneath it.^[2]
• The cover is torn or the straps are failing. Tara says not to use a damaged cover.^[2]
• You want the cover to count as your pool barrier. Local codes set that standard. Read whether Virginia requires a fence or barrier around a pool.

Getting help in Virginia

If you are weighing a replacement, see how much a pool safety cover costs in Virginia. How to open a pool in spring pairs naturally with taking the cover off, and all of our pool and spa answers are in one place. You can also browse local pool pros.

When you are ready, describe the job and local pool pros can quote it.