COVERSTAR pool cover

Bad Cover Choices --- Coverstar

I have to agree with all that have complained about Coverstar of Indiana, and the Coverstar system. When it works correctly it is a pretty slick way to protect your family and your pool. However in the 5 years we have had the pool, we have had to replace the cover, the motor, and as of this morning a second set of ropes. I have nearly as much in the replacement parts and service calls as I it was to install the unit.

I clean the cover in the spring and fall, wash out the tracks 3-4 times a year, and shop vac out the dirt and debris at least in the spring and fall. I perform all the maintenance as prescribed in the coverstar manual. The system has a design flaw to it. If my "bumping the end hard is breaking the ropes, then you have a serious design flaw in the system! I never hang on the switch, I never have it on for even more than 1/10th of a second. As soon as it hits the end I release the momentary on switch. The last time the Coverstar of Indiana techs came to repair the cover I had to continually keep them on the project they just wanted to sell me the cleaning service. If your Mechanical safety is the problem, it's because you either designed it wrong, or your techs misadjusted it when I paid them more than $600 to replace a pully and put a open end wrench and socket to the slip clutch!

COVERSTAR, If you want to improve your customer experience, don't tell us about how we must have screwed up and ran the cover into the end, or tried to pull the cover back with 3 inches of water on it, SELL US THE PARTS WE NEED TO REPAIR OUR COVERS FOR A REASONABLE PRICE! It doesn't seem that complex of an issue. There are a lot of business books on how to improve your customer service. Take some of the small fortune you have made off of us, buy any one of the books and try posting another comment.

PS, If anyone has a link to the place to buy the ropes, please post. I am done paying these crooks to work on my pool.

AutoCoverGuru · Postby **AutoCoverGuru** » Wed 13 Oct, 2010 14:05

Sorry to hear of your pool cover troubles, many of these comments I've heard before. I've been working with Automatic Pool covers for almost 7 years now, and I've seen quite alot of situations, and repaired different cover systems, and definitely can relate to your situation.

I can supply ropes and service for considerably less than coverstar's pricing.

Please contact if interested

muelmmmk · Postby **muelmmmk** » Wed 13 Oct, 2010 17:10

If you have a COVERSTAR pool cover do you need fence around your pool?

CoverGuyIndy · Postby **CoverGuyIndy** » Wed 13 Oct, 2010 17:48

Fence requirements vary from location to location. You should check with your local zoning board.
Some areas like around Chicago, require both a cover and a fence for in-ground pools.

JoanD · Postby **JoanD** » Mon 25 Oct, 2010 14:29

Be careful about too much slack in the rope. The extra loose rope is falling over the mechanism and tangling with the rope on the other side. Basically, it's all tangled together and I can't open or close it. Not sure if I can detangle it. And now I'm fearful of what they will charge for someone to come out.

CoverGuyIndy · Postby **CoverGuyIndy** » Mon 25 Oct, 2010 16:26

JoanD wrote:Be careful about too much slack in the rope. The extra loose rope is falling over the mechanism and tangling with the rope on the other side. Basically, it's all tangled together and I can't open or close it. Not sure if I can detangle it. And now I'm fearful of what they will charge for someone to come out.

Rope backlash usually happens because the rope reel brake needed adjustment. Its a normal service item checkpoint.

If you did not repeatedly try to move the cover, chances are, that your rope is fine. Its just a matter of untangling it. Usually takes an hour or more. But, if the rope is wound up so tightly that the ropes are knotted together, or if the rope bound on something sharp and somehow nicked or cut the rope, its time to replace the ropes.

If you happen to live near central Indiana, just us a call or contact us. My company normally charges half what the competition does.

Good luck

Pooltech84 · Postby **Pooltech84** » Mon 29 Nov, 2010 11:35

Wow, I just found this forum. I had no idea there was such a problem with the coverstar covers from so many customers. The truth about any cover it that the pool needs to be square and the cover installed right the first time for it to run trouble free. So if you have a sloppy pool builder or a sloppy pool cover installer then good luck. If you've given up on the pool cover service people then you can just replace the parts yourself at more then half the cost. The site I found is brokenpoolcover.com. I've used them and they get the parts out in 3-4 days usually. They also have pictures of most parts sop you don't have to be a parts guru.

Building new pool · Postby **Building new pool** » Thu 03 Mar, 2011 00:58

I am so glad I found this blog. I googled coverstar and this came up...wish the recent posts showed up first. We were moments away from installing an in ground pool and cover but after reading this blog...we will not be going with a coverstar cover. I am so glad that we have not signed a contract yet. It is ridiculous that the service center requires credit card information before servicing....and to wait several weeks for repairs?? Thank You for all these posts! We will be going with the in ground pool but not a Coverstar!!!

DobermanFan · Postby **DobermanFan** » Thu 03 Mar, 2011 16:38

I have a CoverStar pool cover that was installed almost a year ago replacing a competitor's cover which was approximately 5 years old. Well .... I noticed the other day the CoverStar has a small tear of about 6 inches located almost in the center of the cover. I looked at the tear closely and it appears as if the fabric has separated where it is somehow put together. No one has even walked on the cover although it is supposed to support however much weight anyway. There has been rain water on it, but not an excessive amount; plus, the pool was full at maximum to reduce any strain to the top.
Anyway, I contacted the person in Lexington, SC who installed it. The person replied that he is no longer with CoverStar & for me to contact the Georgia distributor now supposedly responsible for SC. I will attempt to reach the Georgia person, but I know going in that getting a response after the sale on what should be warranty work will be an ordeal. Not to mention, I noticed on the national CoverStar website, one is supposed to register for warranty protection; I was never made aware of this during the sale. I will probably end up putting vinyl tape on it. Once my child is a little older, I guarantee I will not put another cover on the pool. It is easier to clean the pool versus having the aging and usually dirty looking top over it. Don't buy a top unless your reasoning is only for child or animal protection.

CoverGuyIndy · Postby **CoverGuyIndy** » Thu 03 Mar, 2011 18:08

Sorry to hear you are having an issue. But there are a few things to keep in mind as you proceed.

The actual weight of water on a cover can seem very little when in-fact it is a tremendous load for the system to move. For instance, an average 20ft x 40ft pool cover with only one inch of water would weigh over 4100 pounds! Granted not every cover is 20' x 40' and not in every case will there be an inch of water across the entire cover. But even half of that would easily weight a ton (2000 pounds) or more. I am not trying to imply that alone caused the cover to fail, just trying to put it in perspective and to remind you to not totally discount the idea that it may have contributed to the failure. It isn't the downward force from the water. It's the stress from moving the cover with the water on it.

From the sound of it, you may have a valid warranty claim if the cover separated at the seam as you mentioned. Contact Coverstar in Utah (800) 617-7283 and find the distributor in your area. Don't worry about your warranty paperwork. The Utah office will most likely have you on file, if you were the original purchaser. Ask them first. Then contact that distributor and make your inquiry. By all means take digital pictures of the area and send them to your distributor before scheduling a service call. This will help give you a better idea where you stand.

Best of luck to you.

Guest · Postby **Guest** » Sun 20 Mar, 2011 22:57

There is another pool cover company called p-nut pool covers.. they do all kinds of work and deal with just about any system. THey are prompt and have very reasonable prices. I believe its a family owned company and they are really friendly people. just give it a try.

swimfit · Postby **swimfit** » Tue 05 Apr, 2011 03:50

oh wat bad opinion. Never heard one of this gravity from our clients till date. Coming to think the role internet plays in spreading word about the business. Good go for the businesses and consumers alike!

stvo · Postby **stvo** » Fri 06 May, 2011 23:41

Does anyone service coverstar pool covers in the pasadena, ca area.

Dissapointed in CA · Postby **Dissapointed in CA** » Mon 09 May, 2011 13:49

We have had our Coverstar pool cover for almost 6 years, we have had multiple problems with broken ropes, and holes and rips in the edge pieces every year since it was installed. We get the same response each time they arrrive to repair it...."you have dirt in the track eating up the rope and edge". After numerous phone calls to the only service tech in Southern CA (who is over 2 hours away), with absolutely no response, we finally had a local guy who fixes auto seats and awnings replace the edge piece a year and a half ago. This fix lasted a few months and then it had to be adjusted because the ropes were pulling even more crooked than normal, this according to the service tech was due to warn pulleys which he replaced at a rediculous cost. Well warm weather is here again and on our fourth time of opening the pool, the same side as always jams up and rips the edge piece off jamming the pool open about 4 feet. I have left a voice mail again and we will see how long it takes to have this fixed. So far our cover has cost about one and a half times its original cost due to the numerous yearly repairs. I would definitely not recommend Coverstar to anyone. We are actually looking at replacing ours with some other brand to get rid of the constant repair costs. It does us no good to have a pool if half the time we cannot get it open to use

Guest · Postby **Guest** » Tue 10 May, 2011 20:24

Second time in four years the rope broke. A real piece of crap!! Do not purchased this

dr evan s levine