Cover Story: Swimming Pool Cover Guide
By Alan E. Sanderfoot
New pool buyers tend to pay a lot of attention to how their pools will look. Little time, however, is spent picking out products that make pool ownership less expensive and more enjoyable, like swimming pool covers.
Why are swimming pool covers so important? For starters, they reduce maintenance by keeping debris out of the water, by reducing heat loss and by limiting evaporation of chemically treated water. Depending on the type of swimming pool covers purchased, it may also act as a safety barrier that prevents children, pets and uninvited visitors from entering the pool.
A covered pool acts like a giant solar collector, absorbing heat and transferring it to the water, thereby saving on heating costs. By one estimate, a covered pool can have a solar heat gain of 10 to 15 degrees.
Cover Costs
Like everything else associated with buying a pool, you can spend a little or a lot on a swimming pool covers depending on your specific needs and budget. For example, someone in the Southwest might not need a cover that retains heat as well as a cover being used in the Northeast. Or, someone who wants a cover that rolls up using a track system might choose a manual version over an automatic one due to budget constraints.
That said, here are the principal factors that differentiate swimming pool covers at varying price levels.
For aboveground pool owners, the choices are rather limited. To capture solar heat and retain it on cool nights, an inexpensive solar blanket (similar to bubble wrap) is all that is necessary. The next level of protection are winter swimming pool covers. This is a plastic fabric that completely covers the pool and is tied tightly around the perimeter or weighted to keep it from blowing off. Though these can be cumbersome for day-to-day use, they are a must if you want to protect the pool from winter conditions and eliminate costly spring cleanup. If your budget permits, look for a cover with UV stabilizers, reinforced seams, mildew inhibitors, colorfast treatments and more than a five-year warranty.
For inground pools, there are many more options. Some inground swimming pool covers are designed primarily for winterizing, while others are supposed to be used whenever the pool is vacant or left unsupervised. Innovative manufacturing techniques now enable homeowners to order swimming pool covers to fit any pool configuration - from multilevel geometric pools to curvaceous freeform creations.
Though there are a lot of similarities among inground swimming pool covers, there are also some significant differences that make it worthwhile to comparison shop.
Tie-Down Versus Track
Inground swimming pool covers fall into two general categories: tie-down and track. Both are a major step up in quality and price from the basic winter cover described above. A tie-down cover secures the pool with a sheet of vinyl or mesh that has been reinforced with stitched webbing. The cover is installed using springs and adjustable straps that attach to deck-mounted anchors. These swimming pool covers can be quite heavy and are installed mainly by pool professionals as part of the winterization process. While they are not practical for daily use, they are a great option for someone who is using a solar blanket during the swim season and wants to pay more for added safety and protection during the off-season. At an additional cost, it is also possible to have a tiedown cover custom-designed to fit over steps, raised spas, rock outcroppings, water features and other unique pool features.
For the majority of pool designs, the most expensive swimming pool covers on the market tend to be track covers. These covers are composed of a roll of vinyl stored on a reel system and attached to tracks that run the length of the pool. They are available in two versions: manual and automatic. The manual version requires someone to crank the cover open and pull it shut, whereas the automatic version uses a motorized system to accomplish these tasks. Not surprising, the automatic version typically costs hundreds of dollars more.
Because manual swimming pool covers require a lot of arm power to operate, they tend to work best on smaller pools. If possible, try out a manual cover before purchasing it. If you find it difficult to open and close on your own, you are not likely to use it all of the time - essentially negating its use as a true safety cover. In this case, you are probably better off paying more for an automatic cover.
Another factor affecting cost is the type of track installation you choose. Almost any new or preexisting pool can be fitted with deck-mounted tracks, as long as the tracks run parallel to each other. For a bit more money, you can opt for recessed tracks, which are set flush with the deck surface and are less noticeable. The ultimate installation, however, calls for an under-track system, where the tracks are installed beneath the coping, making them almost invisible. An under-track system is usually installed during pool construction because the coping must be designed and installed to accommodate the cover track.
If bells and whistles interest you, there are a few other sumptuous, though costly, options from which to choose. Increasing in popularity are in-home and remote controls. If the doorbell rings while you are poolside, you will be more likely to close the automatic pool cover properly before answering the door if the controls are convenient. Custom colors are also cropping up more frequently. Most suppliers offer a variety of standard and custom colors-both for the cover fabric, as well as for the hardware that shows. This allows you to choose the cover system that blends best with the rest of the poolscape.
Whether you spend a little or a lot, any type of pool cover is better than none. And the money you save on water, chemicals, heating and maintenance make them a lot more affordable than you might think.