Swimming pool winter

[rocking]

A friend has a pool which will not be in use as husband passed and she does not use it. Her dilemma is empty the pool leave it, get a cover fitted over the empty pool, anybody know prices, it is 8 ft by 4 ft., or any other suggestions. Trying to keep costs down. Suggestion. Thank you.

[gates]

Just empty it

[thornaby]

A pool cover will not remove the need to maintain the pool and covers will eventually drop to bits due to the sun. Pool covers present a danger to any cats or dogs who can think it's solid ground and walk on it. If the pool will never be used then draining it is an option. Bear in mind that a pool with no water in presents its own dangers such as a fall into an empty pool. An empty pool will still need looking after, rainwater going stagnant a place for mosquitos to thrive. Running the pool with the minimum of maintenance might be the best option. If the pool is drained it is recommended that this is done gradually over several days!

[Walesforever]

Leaving a pool empty is very damaging to the pool itself. If you leave it empty for a length of time be prepared to spend considerable amounts of money before getting it back up and running.
My advice is it’s definitely not worth it.

[Soner]

As I understand it, emptying pool for long period of time can cause walls to crack.

[poppy++1]

Yes and sides collapse I heard.

[Groucho]

As I understand it, emptying pool for long period of time can cause walls to crack.

They are constructed empty... many exist in that state for years waiting for a buyer for the property, so in my opinion the scare stories about empty pools being damaged by being emptied don't ring true.... they sound more like those whose revenue stream would shrink if folk started doing that attempting to stop it from happening.

If the pool was poorly constructed in the first place then that's a problem all of its own.

[alphamike]

https://poolonomics.com/leave-pool-empty/

Have a read of above article, it seems to agree with advice given here, not good for the pool to be left empty.

[rocking]

Thank you very much for the above, very helpful.

[gates]

I know many places that have empty pool if the construction is not good then empty or full it will have problems. You do what ever is best for you

[Walesforever]

Pre construction before filling it’s fine left empty. After the pool has been filled and used for many years the wall’s actually expand from the volume and mass of the water. When it’s left empty for long periods afterwards then the walls start to contract causing tiles/grout to start coming away etc.

Definitely NOT good to leave a pool empty for long periods.

[poppy++1]

As I had heard