How To Use Solar Pool Covers

Nobody likes a cold pool. Ok, maybe that’s a little false. I’m sure some people like a cold swimming pool. I remember mowing my front and back lawn in the summer heat and as soon as I mowed that last blade of grass, I did a cannonball right into my freezing cold pool. It was awesome!

That being said, there are exceptions but for the most part, we like our swimming pools warm rather than cold. The phrase “feels like bathwater” is enticing to us.

To keep our pools warm you can spend the dough and invest in a gas or electric heater. Or, you can save your money and just get a solar pool cover that will not only bring the temperature up in your pool, it will keep it there too, without using any of today’s expensive gas.

What Are Solar Pool Covers?

Solar covers are also known as solar blankets or summer covers. During the year, swimming pools are left exposed to nature's elements and it's temperature changes. Solar pool covers are lightweight covers (which look like giant pieces of bubble wrap) that you can place over your swimming pool to keep your pool's temperature warm. A bonus feature for solar covers is that they will help keep out unwanted debris that may fall in your pool during the day. However, the main purpose is to keep your pool warm and help it to get there.

How Do Solar Pool Covers Work?

Contrary to popular belief, a solar cover does not heat your pool. It helps attract sunlight due to their dark color, but what they really do is stop your pool from losing all the heat that it gains from the sun during the day.

When the sun is hot and the air is warm, this contributes to your pool getting warmer. Unfortunately at night (when it gets cooler outside) all that heat that your pool gained during the day slowing escaping your pool water. A solar pool cover stops that heat from escaping your pool at night or on cold rainy days.

The Benefits of A Solar Pool Cover

Well as we talked about, the best thing about a solar pool cover is the fact that it helps to keep heat in your pool. Another benefit to having a solar pool cover is the price. Solar covers are a very inexpensive way to control the temperature in your swimming pool. You can pick up a cover at your local pool store or online for under $100, depending on the size of your pool of course.

Another benefit is they are light and easy to take on and off your pool. If you have a larger pool you may want to invest in a swimming pool cover reel to make this process even easier. Some pools have an odd shape, like a kidney or a lazy L. If you have this shape, they don’t make a special solar pool covers for you, but you can always get a cover that will fit and cut it to match the shape of your pool.

Quick Tip: If you pool is REALLY big, you can cut the cover into smaller pieces so that it’s easier to get on and off your pool. Instead of having a really giant cover that can sometimes be difficult to deal with.

Another Quick Tip: Even if you have a swimming pool heater attached to your pool, using a solar pool cover is a great way to keep your utility cost down because it will allow you to maintain the heat you initially pump into your pool for a long time.