RVParkGuy
Solid cover or mesh, or both? If both, how do I address water pooling on the solid cover?
Answer
By "mesh", are you referring to what's commonly called a safety or security cover or are you referring to what's commonly called a leaf net cover. Both are mesh but both do different things.
A safety/security cover is solidly anchored around the pool deck. It replaces BOTH a leaf net cover and poly tarp cover ( water bag or lock in). Think of a trampoline. That's basically what it is. You can walk across your pool. The idea behind it is to allow water from snow/ice/rain to peculate through the material into the pool but prevents kids or pets from becoming entrapped in cover material like in a traditional poly tarp cover. That's the danger in the old run of the mill poly cover.
A security cover is expensive though and it's initial set up for the first season ( installing the anchors and adjusting straps) can take a few hours. After that first season though...it only takes minutes to put one on or remove it. The downside is that they allow some sunlight through. That will knock down your chlorine levels in the pool meaning you'll need to open fairly soon after ice out and close quite late as well or it'll cost a bit to clear up the pool. This type of cover does look pretty smart on a pool though and improves the look of the backyard over a traditional poly cover.
The other "mesh" type is the leaf net. It's a very coarse net that's sole intent is to keep leafs from dropping on top of a poly cover. You use this type of cover in conjunction with the poly tarp cover. It's stretched tight over the pool ( you don't want it wet...that lets leafs blow past the pool and reduces your work load). Then in late fall you remove the net when the leafs are done blowing around. Your poly cover will then have zero debris on it, making opening the pool a lot easier. You'll just have water to pump off and nothing clogging up the pump in spring time.
How to address water on a poly tarp? Pump it off in spring. If you used a leaf net too then you'll be able to use just about any submersible pump, like a cheap utility pump. If the lay of the land is right...you can even set up a siphon using your vac hose, vac head and pole. That's free and will get almost all the water off the top pretty quickly since the hose is 1 1/2 inches. Far faster than a garden hose siphon which is only 1/2 inch. If you didn't use a leaf net, your best bet is to rent what's called a trash pump. Usually about 50 bucks or so. This type of pump will not just pump water but also most debris. Usually up to about 70% debris/water mix. A centrifugal pump won't do that but the trash pump will. You'll want to use something like a plastic milk crate around the open suction end. That will allow leafs and water in to get sucked up but not suck up the cover itself. It's what I used to use.Just remember to not flood out your neighbors and to make sure street catch basins are legal to dump to in your municipality. It's not legal in a lot of places and you may be looking at a ticket. You'll also need to keep checking the status of the street catch basin. They will clog up with leafs from the pool and unless you want to flood out the street, you'll need to periodically clean the grate as you pump out the cover water.
Whichever method of draining the cover water off a poly tarp you use, here's a tip. Use your vac pole and pool brush on the cover to clean it of dirt and move that water/dirt to the area of your pump or siphon. You can clean up a tarp pretty well without taking it off the pool and..the kicker is that if you fold it up on the deck after all is said and done...BOTH sides of the cover are clean. Lay it out on a driveway or lawn to clean it and only one side will be clean not to mention the possibility of you snagging it on gates or branches as you drag it away from the pool. Cleaning it while it's still on the pool is how most pros will do it. It's easier, saves time, prevents damage to the cover and does a good job of it.
Whichever type of cover you use will be up to you and your budget. Security covers are great, safe and save you time and effort. Poly tarps are cheap but ugly and take time to put on and remove and have possible entrapment issues for pets and kids.
By "mesh", are you referring to what's commonly called a safety or security cover or are you referring to what's commonly called a leaf net cover. Both are mesh but both do different things.
A safety/security cover is solidly anchored around the pool deck. It replaces BOTH a leaf net cover and poly tarp cover ( water bag or lock in). Think of a trampoline. That's basically what it is. You can walk across your pool. The idea behind it is to allow water from snow/ice/rain to peculate through the material into the pool but prevents kids or pets from becoming entrapped in cover material like in a traditional poly tarp cover. That's the danger in the old run of the mill poly cover.
A security cover is expensive though and it's initial set up for the first season ( installing the anchors and adjusting straps) can take a few hours. After that first season though...it only takes minutes to put one on or remove it. The downside is that they allow some sunlight through. That will knock down your chlorine levels in the pool meaning you'll need to open fairly soon after ice out and close quite late as well or it'll cost a bit to clear up the pool. This type of cover does look pretty smart on a pool though and improves the look of the backyard over a traditional poly cover.
The other "mesh" type is the leaf net. It's a very coarse net that's sole intent is to keep leafs from dropping on top of a poly cover. You use this type of cover in conjunction with the poly tarp cover. It's stretched tight over the pool ( you don't want it wet...that lets leafs blow past the pool and reduces your work load). Then in late fall you remove the net when the leafs are done blowing around. Your poly cover will then have zero debris on it, making opening the pool a lot easier. You'll just have water to pump off and nothing clogging up the pump in spring time.
How to address water on a poly tarp? Pump it off in spring. If you used a leaf net too then you'll be able to use just about any submersible pump, like a cheap utility pump. If the lay of the land is right...you can even set up a siphon using your vac hose, vac head and pole. That's free and will get almost all the water off the top pretty quickly since the hose is 1 1/2 inches. Far faster than a garden hose siphon which is only 1/2 inch. If you didn't use a leaf net, your best bet is to rent what's called a trash pump. Usually about 50 bucks or so. This type of pump will not just pump water but also most debris. Usually up to about 70% debris/water mix. A centrifugal pump won't do that but the trash pump will. You'll want to use something like a plastic milk crate around the open suction end. That will allow leafs and water in to get sucked up but not suck up the cover itself. It's what I used to use.Just remember to not flood out your neighbors and to make sure street catch basins are legal to dump to in your municipality. It's not legal in a lot of places and you may be looking at a ticket. You'll also need to keep checking the status of the street catch basin. They will clog up with leafs from the pool and unless you want to flood out the street, you'll need to periodically clean the grate as you pump out the cover water.
Whichever method of draining the cover water off a poly tarp you use, here's a tip. Use your vac pole and pool brush on the cover to clean it of dirt and move that water/dirt to the area of your pump or siphon. You can clean up a tarp pretty well without taking it off the pool and..the kicker is that if you fold it up on the deck after all is said and done...BOTH sides of the cover are clean. Lay it out on a driveway or lawn to clean it and only one side will be clean not to mention the possibility of you snagging it on gates or branches as you drag it away from the pool. Cleaning it while it's still on the pool is how most pros will do it. It's easier, saves time, prevents damage to the cover and does a good job of it.
Whichever type of cover you use will be up to you and your budget. Security covers are great, safe and save you time and effort. Poly tarps are cheap but ugly and take time to put on and remove and have possible entrapment issues for pets and kids.
Daycare help!!!! Safety, Ideas, ect.?
BabaMMGirl
I am thinking about opening a daycare, I need like a list of things I should have any websites on safety are great, and any ideas for it. Also it's gonna be called Butterfly Daycare is that good or do I need to change it. And if I charge $100 per child and $115 for the summer is that a good price I live in Kansas lets say would you come at that price?
Answer
When you apply for your daycare license, they will give you a booklet that contains what standards/child proofing your house must have. Off the top of my head...outlets must be covered, medication must be put in a locked cabinet, tools/yard supplies must be out of reach, you must have a carbon monoxide detector on all levels of your home, you must have a fire alarm in every room where a child sleeps as well as on every level of the home, there must be a gate up to block the children from entering the kitchen, your water heater can not be set above a certain degree (can't remember what it is off the top of my head), there can be no space heaters used during daycare hours, all steps must have a gate, trampolines are not allowed & neither are trapeze rings, big pools must have a locked fence around them, etc, etc.
I charge the same price all year long. I charge $100/wk/child for 5-9 hrs. I charge $125/wk/child for 9-12 hrs. I charge an extra $5 per week for children under 1. I provide meals/drinks/snacks for children ages 1+. Parents need to supply food/formula for children under 1. Parents need to supply diapers & wipes.
Make sure you have the parents sign a contract that states your rate of pay, the hours you are to watch the child & policies, etc. The first few years you're going to run into a lot of situations & learn a lot about how to run this business. When I first started my contract was 1 page, now it's 3. Make sure parents pay you up front & I would get a deposit too. If parents don't give me a two week notice or get behind in payments, your deposit is your protection of payment coverage. Be prepared for your house to get destroyed, it's hard to keep things nice & in good condition. Be prepared to deal with some demanding parents & bad kids, because eventually, you will come across some from time to time. Although I find the kids to be easier to deal with than the parents.
When you apply for your daycare license, they will give you a booklet that contains what standards/child proofing your house must have. Off the top of my head...outlets must be covered, medication must be put in a locked cabinet, tools/yard supplies must be out of reach, you must have a carbon monoxide detector on all levels of your home, you must have a fire alarm in every room where a child sleeps as well as on every level of the home, there must be a gate up to block the children from entering the kitchen, your water heater can not be set above a certain degree (can't remember what it is off the top of my head), there can be no space heaters used during daycare hours, all steps must have a gate, trampolines are not allowed & neither are trapeze rings, big pools must have a locked fence around them, etc, etc.
I charge the same price all year long. I charge $100/wk/child for 5-9 hrs. I charge $125/wk/child for 9-12 hrs. I charge an extra $5 per week for children under 1. I provide meals/drinks/snacks for children ages 1+. Parents need to supply food/formula for children under 1. Parents need to supply diapers & wipes.
Make sure you have the parents sign a contract that states your rate of pay, the hours you are to watch the child & policies, etc. The first few years you're going to run into a lot of situations & learn a lot about how to run this business. When I first started my contract was 1 page, now it's 3. Make sure parents pay you up front & I would get a deposit too. If parents don't give me a two week notice or get behind in payments, your deposit is your protection of payment coverage. Be prepared for your house to get destroyed, it's hard to keep things nice & in good condition. Be prepared to deal with some demanding parents & bad kids, because eventually, you will come across some from time to time. Although I find the kids to be easier to deal with than the parents.
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