Should I Cover My Pool Equipment In The Winter?

If you own a pool, you may be wondering whether or not you should cover your pool equipment in the winter.

The decision to cover your pool equipment can be a complex one, as there are pros and cons to both options.

Here in the Northeast, we tend to side with not covering the equipment.

Let’s dig in.

Some Benefits of Covering Your Equipment

Okay, we’ll admit it…

Covering your pool equipment in the winter can offer a few benefits.

But it really depends on what equipment you decide to cover.

We can take a solid stance AGAINST covering pool heaters. DO NOT DO IT!

We’ll get into more about that later.

But if we are talking about your filter, a cover can:

• Protect your filter from the elements
• Prevent damage from wind, rain, and other weather events
• Prevent debris from entering the filter, which can reduce the risk of clogging and other issues
• Help to insulate the equipment

While putting a cover on your filter can do all of the above…it really isn’t necessary.

The filters were built to last outside in harsh conditions.

Sure, the labels may fade a bit, or some bolts may get a bit rusty.

But those reasons aren’t strong enough to outweigh the negatives.

Covering Your Pool Equipment Has Some Serious Downsides

It’s our opinion that covering your equipment over the winter isn’t the best idea.

It can come with some serious drawbacks:

1. Covering and uncovering pool equipment can be time-consuming and labor-intensive.
2. Risk of mold or mildew growth: If water gets under the cover (it almost always does) it can become trapped and potentially harbor mold or mildew.
3. Risk of water accumulation: If the cover is not properly secured or if there is heavy rain or snow, water can potentially accumulate on the cover and find its way inside. This can cause the equipment to rust or malfunction. Hayward and Raypak do not even manufacture covers for heaters.
   1. The biggest issue with covering a heater is that the internals can begin to corrode if moisture starts building up.
   2. On top of that, if someone accidentally starts the heater with the cover on, you can kiss that heater goodbye.
4. Difficulty accessing equipment: If you need to perform any maintenance or repairs on the equipment, it can be difficult to access if it is covered.

As you can see, quite a few serious negatives.

Having to put in a lot of time and effort (or paying someone else to do it) with not much upside and potential for a whole lot of downside makes covering your equipment a questionable move in our eyes.

Final Thoughts

So, what should you do?

We’ll leave that to you to decide since there are quite a few variables to consider when choosing to cover your equipment or not.

The type of equipment, the climate in your area, and the cost of covering it should all be weighed in.

But you probably know our personal opinion at this point, which is:

Leave it uncovered.

If you have your equipment winterized and started up by experienced professionals, you have nothing to worry about.

Give us a text or call at 631-472-6275 if you need any help.