Put a scrap of foam under your pool cover pump.

Yes, the trick is giving the pump a flat, floating surface so it doesn’t suck the cover into the intake.

Pool cover pumps work fine for rainwater removal, but they’re designed to sit on a hard sump floor. If you drop one directly onto a pool cover, it’ll grab the fabric and either rip it or starve the pump. Either way, you’re annoyed.

Solution: cut a 12x12 inch piece of rigid foam insulation board or a dense pool noodle slice. Place the pump on top of that. The foam floats, keeps the pump intake off the cover, and lets water flow underneath. You can also use a plastic milk crate if you have one—same idea.

Don’t let the pump run dry. Most have an auto shutoff, but if yours doesn’t, stay nearby or use a timer. A dry pump burns out fast.

A flat piece of foam costs nothing and saves you from patching a cover or replacing a pump.