Autumn is a magical time in Joburg. The summer heat has been turned down a few notches and the suburban streets are lined with golden, red, orange and brown leaves. It really is a sight to behold.
But the classic saying “nice from far, but far from nice” comes to mind – especially when you start thinking about pool maintenance at this time of the year.
Yes, those great big piles of colourful leaves are great to admire from a distance or to hear crunch under your feet as you take your dog for a walk down the street, but they’re just plain annoying to constantly keep out of your pool.
Admit it – it’s so frustrating to spend a good 20 minutes fishing every leaf and stalk out of the water only for a gust of wind to blow it all back again as soon as you’ve turned your back.
One of the best ways to cut down on your maintenance time around the pool this autumn is to install a leaf catcher.
These lightweight pool covers are made from industrial grade shade cloth (think shade netting for a car port but thicker and far less porous) that have been edged with a sturdy hem to prevent fraying.
Being porous, the leaf catcher will allow rain water through but will trap any larger debris, making cleaning so much easier – for you, your gardener and your automatic pool cleaner.
Scooping leaves off the pool surface is one thing, but once these leaves get heavy and sink, your Kreepy will be working overtime to keep up.
Instead of constantly taking the Kreepy out of the pool to remove the ball of leaves that will inevitably get stuck or to clear the weir basket that fills up all too quickly, a leaf cover will ensure the Kreepy can go about its business without too much fuss.
And fear not – if Rover’s ball has ended up on the cover after a game of fetch, he can safely run on to the cover to get his ball back.
But a strong word of caution: a leaf cover may look like a trampoline to a small child but a trampoline it certainly is not.
Leaf catchers cannot adequately support the body weight of a child and the porous cloth could sink below the surface of the water, endangering the child.
The custom-fitted, UV-resistant catchers are secured to the paving around the pool by durable, non-corrosive anchors, covering the entire surface of the pool thus helping to reduce evaporation.
And because they provide shade over the pool, you should see less algae growth and spend less money on pricey pool chemicals.
So, free up some time this autumn by installing a leaf catcher. After all, it’s much better to take a late afternoon stroll to take in the autumn splendour than trying to scoop up every dry leaf that has blown into your pool.