After a long swim or preparing for winter, it’s easy to underestimate the value of covering your pool. However, swimming pool covers offer more than just protection – they’re an easy way to save time and money on maintenance.
When temperatures drop, winterizing and covering your pool protects it from debris and harsh weather. However, swimming pool covers provide more than just seasonal protection. Today’s innovative pool covers offer year-round benefits like energy savings, accident prevention and water conservation, making them an invaluable investment for any pool.
With various options, pool covers cater to different environmental needs and personal preferences. From safety to cost savings, each type has unique advantages. In this guide, we’ll explore the top benefits of swimming pool covers and highlight the various options to help you choose the perfect cover for your home.
Cover Your Bases: The Benefits of Swimming Pool Covers
Using a swimming pool cover provides numerous advantages for both your pool and your family. Depending on the type of cover you choose, it can help you:
- Reduce the risk of accidental drowning.
- Conserve water by reducing evaporation.
- Lower chemical usage by reducing water evaporation – less water loss means fewer chemicals needed for balancing.
- Save time on maintenance by preventing debris from entering the pool, reducing the need for frequent vacuuming.
- Cut energy costs by retaining heat, making pool heating more efficient.
- Maintain comfortable water temperatures at night, extending your swimming season and enjoyment.
Uncover Your Choices: Swimming Pool Cover Options
Today’s pool owners have a wide range of swimming pool covers to choose from, each offering unique features and benefits. Whether you prioritize safety, heat retention or aesthetic appeal, it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons of each type before making a decision.
Take your time to consider what matters most for your pool – be it protection, ease of use or cost-effectiveness – to find the perfect cover for your home’s needs.
Winter Pool Covers
Best For: Pool owners looking for an affordable, easy-to-install solution for seasonal protection.
Winter pool covers are an affordable and practical solution for seasonal pool closings. Designed to protect your pool from temperature extremes and debris, these covers help maintain water quality during the off-season. Secured with water bags or weights, they are easy to install and cost-effective. However, winter pool covers are not designed to support the weight of children, pets or heavy debris, making them unsuitable for accident prevention. Despite this limitation, they remain a popular choice for pool owners looking for a simple way to safeguard their pools in colder months.
Automatic Pool Covers
Best For: Pool owners seeking convenience, safety and extended swimming seasons.
Automatic pool covers let you open and close your pool effortlessly with the push of a button. They are user-friendly, highly secure and provide excellent protection against accidents. However, these covers typically require professional installation and include visible tracks to guide their operation. While they come with a higher price tag, automatic pool covers are a worthwhile user-friendly investment. Additionally, they help extend your swimming season by retaining heat, reducing evaporation and maintaining pool temperature across various climates.
Hidden Pool Covers
Best For: Aesthetic-focused pool owners seeking a sleek, minimalistic look.
For pool owners prioritizing aesthetics, hidden pool covers offer a sleek, minimalistic design. Available in automatic, semi-automatic or manual models, these covers retract into a stand-alone housing or a cantilevered area of the pool for a clean, unobtrusive look. Although they also come with a higher price tag, hidden pool covers provide both functionality and visual appeal, making them a popular choice for those seeking an elegant solution.
Thermal Pool Covers
Best For: Pool owners prioritizing energy efficiency and heat retention.
Thermal pool covers work like a blanket, using insulating material to retain heat in your pool water effectively. While they don’t actively heat the water, they excel at minimizing heat loss and protecting your pool from the sun’s rays, which helps reduce algae growth. These covers are one of the best ways to insulate your pool and typically require professional installation for optimal performance.
Solar Pool Covers
Best For: Budget-conscious pool owners looking to reduce water evaporation and heating costs.
The solar pool cover is one of the most affordable and user-friendly options for pool owners. Lightweight and easy to handle, solar pool covers can be installed without professional help. Designed to resemble a bubble wrap blanket, these covers trap heat and minimize water evaporation. During the day, they absorb the sun’s rays to warm your pool, while at night, they retain heat to keep the water comfortable. Simple, efficient, and manageable by just one person, solar pool covers are a cost-effective way to maintain your pool’s temperature and reduce water loss.
Safety Pool Covers
Best For: Families and pet owners prioritizing accident prevention.
Safety pool covers are specifically designed to prevent accidental drowning, offering essential protection for children and pets. These covers are secured with straps, springs, and anchors installed in the pool deck, ensuring a tight and reliable fit. Available in mesh and solid vinyl materials, safety pool covers can be tailored to your needs. Most are certified to meet ASTM F134691 safety regulations, providing added peace of mind for pool owners prioritizing safety.
If you’re considering adding or replacing a pool cover, consult your local pool service professional for guidance. They can help you choose the right cover based on your pool’s design and your safety priorities. Be sure to inquire about ASTM F134691 certification to ensure your cover meets the highest safety standards.
Why Not All Alternative Pool Sanitizers Work Well With Pool Covers
When choosing a alternative pool sanitizer, it’s crucial to consider its compatibility with swimming pool covers. Some sanitizers can create unintended issues when used under a cover, affecting safety, health and usability. Understanding these differences helps you maintain a cleaner, safer pool without compromising your pool cover’s performance.
Hydroxyl-Based AOP: A Pool Cover-Friendly Solution
Hydroxyl-Based AOP pool sanitizers stands out as the best practice for maintaining refreshing water while keeping your pool cover safe and functional. Its patented technology mimics the natural cleaning power of hydroxyl radicals, minimizing chlorine to drinking-water levels or less. For pool owners prioritizing health, ease and sustainability, Hydroxyl-Based AOP is the clear cover-friendly choice.
- Healthy With No Gas Build Up: Hydroxyl-Based AOP pool systems treat air instead of water, preventing the buildup of corrosive or unhealthy gases under your pool cover, unlike ozone and ozone + UV pool systems.
- Fresh, Crystal-Clear Results: By creating high concentrations of hydroxyl radicals, this system keeps your water crystal clear, odorless and gentle on the skin – perfect for those with allergies or sensitivities.
- Easy and Sustainable Maintenance: Hydroxyl-Based AOP pool systems only need a 5-minute yearly cartridge exchange – no special tools, training or downtime needed. Plus, the company sustainably recycles your old cartridge into new ones.
Ozone & Ozone + UV AOP: Hidden Challenges
Traditional ozone and ozone + UV AOP pool sanitizers can build up unhealthy and corrosive gases if used without degassing. While ozone and ozone + UV AOP pool sanitizer systems are popular alternatives, they come with significant drawbacks for pools with covers:
- Corrosive Gas Build-Up: These systems produce ozone gas (O₃), which can accumulate under the pool cover, damaging equipment and posing health risks.
- Unpleasant Air Quality: Disinfection by-products (DBPs) from ozone and UV treatments can create unhealthy, odorous air under the cover.
- High Maintenance Demands: Ozone + UV AOP requires up to 12 hours of annual servicing. This includes UV lamp replacements that require gloves, special tools and professional expertise.
Choosing the Right Pool Cover for Your Needs
When selecting a pool cover for your home, consider safety, ease of use and compatibility with your pool’s setup and alternative sanitizer. By investing in the right cover, you can extend your pool’s lifespan, lower hassle and ensure a safe, enjoyable environment for everyone. Take the time to explore your options and make a choice that keeps your pool protected and ready to use when you are.
Ready to close your pool for winter? Check out our blog, “Winter is Coming: How to Close Your Pool.”
Louie Warco
Customer Success Manager
