Automatic Pool Cover Repair: Common Problems and What Fixes Them

An automatic cover is one of those things you stop thinking about once it works. You turn the key, the cover rolls, and the pool is closed for the night. So when it stalls halfway or starts pulling to one side, it gets your attention fast. This guide covers the most common problems behind automatic pool cover repair, what usually causes them, and what you can safely check yourself before you call.

If you want the bigger picture on how these systems are put together, start with our automatic pool covers page.

First, a word on safety

An automatic cover has a motor with a lot of pulling force behind it. Before you look at anything near the drum or the tracks, turn the key switch off. If you are going to reach into the mechanism, shut off the power to the cover at the breaker too.

Do not try to force a stuck cover open or closed by hand. And while the cover is not working right, keep kids and pets away from the pool, since a half-open cover is neither safe nor fully out of the way.

The cover will not move at all

When you turn the key and nothing happens, start with power. Check that neither the breaker nor any GFCI outlet on the cover circuit has tripped. If power is fine, the problem is usually in the key switch, the wiring, or the motor.

A motor that hums but does not turn the drum points toward the drive. That is a job for a technician.

The cover goes crooked or wrinkles on one side

A cover that pulls to one side as it opens or closes is one of the most common problems. The fabric is pulled out by ropes that run in each track. If one rope is looser or more worn than the other, the leading edge comes out uneven and the fabric bunches.

Other causes include debris packed in a track, worn sliders along the fabric edge, or a pulley that has stopped turning freely. Keep running a crooked cover and the fabric can tear or jump the track. Stop using it and have it looked at.

It stops partway or runs too far

Automatic covers have limit settings that tell the motor where fully open and fully closed are. If those drift, the cover can stop short of the end or keep pulling after it gets there. Running past the stop puts strain on the ropes and the fabric, so this one is worth fixing quickly.

Grinding, squealing or clicking

New noises usually mean something is rubbing that should not be. Leaves and grit in the tracks are the easy case. A pulley or bearing that is wearing out, or a drive part that is failing, needs a technician to find and replace.

Frayed or broken ropes

The ropes do a lot of work and they wear over time. Fraying is a warning sign. A snapped rope stops the cover and can leave the fabric stuck partway across the pool. Replacing ropes before they break is cheaper and far less hassle than dealing with a stranded cover.

Torn or worn fabric

Small tears can often be patched. A cover with brittle, faded fabric or failing seams along the edges may need new fabric. That call depends on the age and condition of the cover, so it is best made after someone sees the cover in person.

Water pooling on top of the cover

Rain collects on a closed cover. A cover pump sits on top and moves that water off. If the pump quits, the water keeps building. That extra weight strains the whole system, and standing water on a cover is a drowning risk for small children and pets.

Check that the pump is plugged in and running. Then clear any leaves clogging it. If it has failed, replace it before the next rain.

Track or lid damage

A track that has pulled loose from the deck or coping, or a lid over the drum that is cracked or sagging, can throw off the whole system. These repairs sometimes involve the deck around the pool as well as the cover parts.

What you can check on your own

Before you call, a few quick checks can save a visit.

• Look at the breaker and any GFCI on the cover circuit
• Clear leaves and grit out of both tracks
• Make sure the cover pump is running and clear
• Look along each rope for fraying you can see

Anything beyond that, including work on the motor, drive, ropes, limits or fabric, is best left to someone who works on these systems.

When to repair and when to replace

Many problems are repairs. Ropes and pulleys are replaceable parts, and so are cover pumps. The harder call is an older cover where several parts are wearing out together, or where the fabric is near the end of its life. In that case, ask for the cost of both paths so you can compare them side by side.