Oski Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 I recently had a new gunite pool constructed (40x20) in a rectangular shape with a built in Aquamatic pool cover. The cover is located in a vault below the pool deck surface. In order to reduce wear on the pool cover the area going into the vault is 2" lower than the underside of the coping and it slopes slighty up. This all works great for the pool cover system. The vault is equipped with a drain so when water enters the vault area it drains out and into my storm drain system. My problem is that the lower level of the cover vault damn area allows water from the pool to more easily spill over the damn and into the vault (gone forever). Lowering the pool water level causes me problems with my skimmers and sucking air. Now everytime we have kids swimming and using the diving board, a lot of water spills over the vault damn (into the drain) and then my auto fill system replaces that lost water only to be lost again when the next kid splashes or jumps in the pool. Aquamatic has recognized this problem and sells a one foot wide (by the width of the leading edge bar) cover fabric that can be attached to the leading edge bar via velcro so when the pool cover is open that one foot "flap" of fabric hangs over the pool side of the vault damn. I would imagine that this works effectively but it is Ugly. I do not want pool cover fabric hanging off my leading edge bar. Does anyone know other solutions like something that is flexible placed on the back of the cover vault damn that would stick above the damn to prevent water loss but would be flexible enough to allow the cover to move over the flexible edge..preventing excess wear. Another solution may be a sump pump in the summer months in the vault cover that would pump water back into the pool from the vault. The pump would be turned off in the winter and allow the drain to do it's job. Has anyone found a solution that works and is cost effective? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Clown Posted July 31, 2009 Report Share Posted July 31, 2009 I would bring it to the pool builders attention and suggest that it is a bad design. Then ask him what is he going to do about it? I'm not trying to be a Smart Alec here, but this is a legitimate problem and you don't believe the old flapper on the pool cover is what you had in mind when you plunked down all that money for the pool. It may be a design that the PB had gotten from the pool cover guys. Or PB didn't follow design, its hard to tell. I've see covers that don't have these problems so it can be done. Turn your auto fill off and see how much you're really loosing. If you haven't already. You may not be loosing as much as it appears. The way the auto covers are put in around here are using the cover itself to squeegee the water away. I figure it does not get it all, but it may deflect more water than would appear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oski Posted July 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2009 Pool Clown, thank you for the follow up. I have talked to my PB and I have checked on the Aquamatic specified design and he built it to spec. I have heard from other PB's that they build up the vault damn (via a steeper slope) a little higher and so it rubs the pool cover fabric a little but that is preferable to water loss. Hard to go after PB when he built it to spec. He should have brought to my attnention before building and offered possible alternatives for me to chose from. I have already turned off my auto fill and I do not lose a lot but water is very expensive where I live so it all adds up. The pool cover when retracted does help block some of the water intrusion. I also have a son that plays water polo and spends 2 hours a day in the pool splashing so it gets a lot of use and water loss. I am just hopeful that someone may have come up with a "home" made remedy for this issue as I am sure I am not the only one. Ideas anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Clown Posted July 31, 2009 Report Share Posted July 31, 2009 Maybe some kind of wave quail (ask your son) but that probably would not look much better than the flapper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay V V Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 Oski - I think I'm having the same issue. When the pool cover is closed, water loss can be controlled with the auto-fill. When the cover is opening, the edge of the vault dam will try to squeegee the water off the underside of the cover so it isn't pulled into the vault. But when the cover is open, then enough of a gap exists between the bar on the leading edge of the cover and the vault dam that splashed water can easily enter the vault and then is drained away, In may case, the vault drains to a sump pit and where I've put a sump pump which then will pump the water out. Currently, I am still losing that water, but my plan is to hook the sump pump's discharge into a koi pond filter (http://www.amazon.com/Matala-Bio-Step-Filter-BSTP-BioSteps/dp/B007CJ8IRE) and then allow it to gravity drain back into the pool plumbing at the equipment pad (check valve between the filer and the pool plumbing). In your case (as your vault drains to your storm drain system, I don't know if putting in a sump would work though. The "flap" would work (blocking the gap between bar and dam), but I agree... UGLY. Depending on the size of the gap, maybe you could glue a rubber gasket (http://www.steelerubber.com/peel-n-stick-general-use) to the underside of the bar so the when the cover is opened fully the gasket would seal up against the dam and stem how much water you lose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LA Pool Posted October 17, 2021 Report Share Posted October 17, 2021 Flash Forward to 2021.....wish I would have seen this post during design of our in ground pool with pool cover. Too my horror, the first time my son and all his friends jumped in the new pool, half of the pool splashed into the pool vault and drained like a flash flood down the street... Is there a steel flashing solution or other simple construction solution to prevent the water loss into the pool vault? The pool cover contractor wants to install the "flap" to contain the problem. Seems like there could be a more discrete solution. Our vault has proper drainage, but the entire design seems flawed if you loose that much water every time someone jumps into the pool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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