Fox Pools adds Hydra safety cover installation in Hampton Roads
Fox Pools is adding Hydra safety cover installation to winter pool closings across Hampton Roads, with a focus on safety and cleaner openings.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
3 min read
Fox Pools has expanded its winterization service in Hampton Roads by adding Hydra safety cover installation for residential pools. The Fox Pools Hydra safety cover addition gives homeowners another option for closing pools with a focus on safety, debris control and easier spring openings.
The Yorktown, Virginia-based family business announced the service expansion on Aug. 1. Fox Pools serves homeowners in Yorktown, Williamsburg, Newport News, Hampton, Poquoson, Gloucester, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk and nearby Hampton Roads communities.
The new installation offering covers two Hydra products: the Hydra 98.9 Ultra Mesh Safety Cover and the Hydra Solid Vinyl Safety Cover. Both are installed as part of professional pool winterization, which is the seasonal process of preparing a pool and its equipment for cold weather.
What is a Hydra safety cover?
A Hydra safety cover is a custom-made pool cover anchored into the surrounding deck rather than held down with water bags or blocks. Fox Pools installs the covers with brass anchors and stainless-steel springs set into the deck, and the company says it can design covers to match existing anchor layouts where possible.
The Ultra Mesh version is designed to block about 98.9% of sunlight while allowing rainwater and melted snow to pass through the fabric. The Solid Vinyl model blocks sunlight and uses drainage panels to handle water that collects on top of the cover.
For pool owners, the practical issue is what gets into the water while the pool is closed. Less sunlight can reduce algae growth, while a fitted safety cover can help keep out leaves, dirt and pollen through the off-season.
What does pool winterization include?
Pool winterization typically includes balancing water chemistry, adding winter chemicals, removing or protecting equipment, clearing water from plumbing lines and covering the pool. The goal is to reduce freeze damage risks to pumps, filters, heaters, chlorinators, plumbing, tile, coping and liners.
Fox Pools says its winter closing service includes cleaning and removing equipment, blowing out underground plumbing lines, installing winter plugs and expansion devices, and placing the customer’s Hydra cover. The company says it uses specialized equipment to clear plumbing lines instead of lowering water below the return lines, a method it says can help limit refill and chemical costs in spring.
The addition of Hydra safety cover installation in Hampton Roads puts Fox Pools in a common seasonal service category for residential pool companies: closing pools before freezing weather and reopening them when temperatures rise. Homeowners often schedule these services to protect equipment and reduce cleanup work after winter.
Fox Pools says both Hydra models are independently tested to meet or exceed ASTM F1346, a U.S. performance standard tied to pool cover safety when the cover is properly installed and secured. The standard is meant to address child and pet entry prevention for safety covers.
Steven Fox, owner and operator of Fox Pools, said the company added the Hydra Ultra Mesh and Solid Vinyl covers as part of its effort to offer products aimed at long-term pool protection. The company recommends scheduling winterization before outdoor temperatures move consistently toward freezing.