Use a swimming pool cover
Pool covers serve two main purposes. First, they can reduce your pool’s maintenance cost, and secondly, a safety cover can serve as an excellent preventative in pool related accidents. There are a variety of covers available and you should be able to find one that meets your needs. The four main types of pool covers are Solar Covers, Winter Covers, Safety Covers and Leaf Nets.
They all are designed for different reasons and come in a variety of fabrics including mesh fabric and vinyl material. Leaf nets and winter covers protect your pool from accumulations of dirt, leaves and other debris. Covers for in ground pools and above ground pools differ in use and design, but there are stock and customized covers that will fill the needs of most customers.
Solar covers or blankets conserve both energy and water. They will raise your pool’s water temperature by an average of ten degrees by absorbing sunlight during the day and holding it in the over the night time hours. A solar cover will reduce your water and chemical evaporation by up to 70 percent which can save gallons of water each month. If you use a heater, the heat retained by a solar cover helps to reduce your heating costs which can mean a savings of up to 90% in the summertime. Other advantages of solar covers are that they help keep debris out of your pool and they save you money because you end up running your filter pump less.
Winter pool covers primarily serve as a protector for the pool from winter weather and to keep limbs, leaves, dirt and other debris from falling into the pool. For an in ground pool, a solid cover is secured with water bags placed around the edge inside sleeves attached to the cover. An above ground pool uses the same type of solid cover but it is held in place by a combination winch and cable assembly that runs through grommets in the cover.
Inflatable air pillows rest on the water under the cover to make stick and leaf removal easier and helps water to run off the cover. A winter cover also blocks sunlight that inhibits algae growth. A winter cover is an important part of winterizing your pool which makes your springtime opening much easier and less expensive.
So what does a leaf net do? Leaf nets are lightweight covers made of an open weave material that fits over your winter cover or solar cover and helps you avoid accumulations of wet, heavy saturated leaves and twigs on top of your winter cover. These nets ensure a quicker removal of leaves and helps prolong the life of your winter or solar cover. They can be used in any season and are a big help if your pool is located in an area surrounded by trees. The open weave allows water to pass through the net but will block twigs and trash. They help make it easier to remove your pool cover.
Finally, we have safety covers which are the most expensive type of pool cover. A safety cover is a maintenance cover as well as a safety barrier over your pool. All safety covers must meet the requirements in the ASTM standards F1346-91 (1996) that means a cover must be able to support the weight of a small child or animal should they walk out onto the cover. A proper safety cover is securely anchored into the deck area surrounding the pool and lies flat so there are no gaps between the pool and the cover that could allow a child to get under the cover and into the water. They give the pool owner peace of mind.
Sharp objects can create a hole in your safety cover but a good cover is made from material that will not run so the hole will not automatically increase in size. Safety covers follow the shape of the pool and have a proper number of anchors embedded around the pool to hold the cover in place. Some covers require professional installation but many can be installed by the owner. Safety covers are available in a mesh or a solid material. Mesh covers are lightweight and allow the water to pass through but not debris. Some solid covers also contain a draining mesh area.
It is important to remember these points. A covered pool will experience less freezing than an uncovered one. A covered pool will take less time and will be more cost-efficient to open it up in the spring time. And safety covers will protect children and animals from tragic accidents by falling into the swimming pool. Check out the different types of covers and decide which is best for your pool.
Trey Collier is owner of BackyardCityPools.com – North America’s finest resource for quality pool supplies, including a wide selection of Swimming Pool Covers.
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