With Covid-19 travel restrictions on getting back to our 2nd home since mid March and likely to last until, I guess, August what are others like us stuck in the UK with pools that are getting warmer and probably greener due to winter covers being left on and pumps de-activated intending. Normally I would visit in April/ May to prep the pool and house for our long Summer break.
My instinct is to leave things as they are and hope that when we eventually arrive the status quo for hygenic pool use can be established relatively quickly. This is the first year in sixteen that an early visit has been impossible.
What are other people doing.
By they way Eurotunnel have given me twelve months extension on my annual unused Frequent Traveller tickets.
I would not stress about it Stuart. We went back to the UK last summer for the whole of September and one week of October. Left our pool with the summer bubble cover on and the pump off. It was greener than usual but I opened the pool two weeks ago and after a triple shock and hoover to waste it was looking the same as the previous year.
Depends on the pool type Stuart. Tiles and grouting don’t recover well from green gunge. Could you have a neighbour or some pool maintenance crowed have a look at it?
Hi, it is a liner pool, chlorine treatment. It is one thing to get someone to look at it, easy, but doing something is entirely different. I’m afraid my local friends and neighbours are as old and as decrepit as my self. Getting the winter cover off involves taking out a section of the pool fence, releasing the tie-down sandows, then towing the cover out through the gap in the fence. Reinstating the fence, cleaning and drying the cover, folding it, put it into its bag and it now ways about 100kg and putting it away using a sack trolley. Reinstall the pump, getting it from the cellar, another 40kg lift up the steps. Very fiddly to install. etc etc… Even a pool company would baulk at the work.
So I guess I’ll just leave it and hope. A partial pump out and refill might prove opportune to check the liner. Thanks.
Good grief, after that effort I’d need the summer to recuperate. I’d say you’re fine with a liner Stuart. If not you can always breed frogs 
Your instinct is correct, not that you can do much else 
This is where the quality of the filtration shows up, the more stuff you remove from the water the less nutrients there are for things like algae to feed on. using phosphate removers to keep that nutrient down is a great help as is the finest filtration.
When you eventually get to your property DO NOT REMOVE THE POOL COVER!!!
Shock the pool with the cover on! Shock level depends on your CYA level but go heavy on the chlorine, use eau de javel from a brico shed min 1ltr per 10m3 of the pool size. if you use a lot of pre packaged chlor choc you will raise your CYA level, possibly too high and the galets take too long to dissolve .
John, can the high chlorine level damage the cover?
Not at that level, the sun’s UV destroys covers much quicker than a little chlorine.
Hi
What size is the pool?
My pool 10m X 4.5m After 2 years of your cover system Suggested by the pool company what a b… ache I decided there must be an easier way. So I made a pole from 4" plastic pipe, filled it with foam. Drilled and fitted strong rope ties for the two ends and a center if you have a ( Roman end)
I pressure wash the top of the cover as I do the terrace. leave overnight to dry then tie to the pole and roll it up as I undid the tie down hooks. When I get to the end I wrap in white plastic sheet, secure and place on sloping packing’s to ensure it drains. Next to the pool fence.
I have used this system for 10 years now.
Good luck.
Thanks John.