Covering Your Options
Pool covers come in many different styles, including solar, automatic, safety, and more. Decide which type is right for you.
By Nicole Janda
When shopping for a pool cover, you’ll soon realize that covers are sold in a variety of styles and materials, each one serving a different purpose. Some are designed to just heat the pool water; others protect the pool during the winter months; some also secure the pool from unwanted entry. Deciding what pool cover to buy will depend on the type of benefits and protection you’re looking for.
Solar Covers
Solar covers are the most common type of pool cover and can be used in aboveground and inground pools. Also called solar blankets, these covers are primarily used to keep the water warm and help prevent loss of heat, water, and chemicals. Most solar covers are made out of a synthetic polyethylene material and have air pockets or bubbles that absorb heat from the sun and transfer it to the water in the pool. Because they can increase the water temperature as much as 10 degrees, you may save on heating costs.
Ever heard of a pool cover that comes in a bottle? A liquid solar blanket is another type of “cover” that uses the sun’s rays to heat the water. Typically a mixture of Isopropyl alcohol and a proprietary ingredient, liquid covers are added to a pool through a floating dispenser. The liquid chemical spreads out and creates a thin invisible barrier that traps in heat and prevents evaporation. The substance is safe to swim in, and some come with an automatic injector that continually adds the proper amount of liquid cover to your pool as needed. While not as effective as traditional solar covers, liquid covers take up much less storage space and don’t have to be removed and put back on every time you want to use the pool.
Solar pool covers are the most inexpensive type of pool cover, with traditional covers typically priced around $100, and the cost of liquid covers at about $40. While these are not safety covers, they are a great choice for pool owners who simply want to keep their pool water warm.
Tie-Down Covers
Tie-down pool covers stretch across a pool and are tied down to multiple deck-mounted anchors, forming a taut barrier around the pool. While they require two to three feet of decking around the pool’s perimeter, tie-down covers can be installed on any type of deck surface, even decked aboveground pools. They can also be custom-designed to fit over steps, raised spas, and water features.
Tie-down covers help reduce water evaporation and keep dirt and debris out of the pool. They can be made of solid vinyl or a mesh fabric, which allows rainwater or thawed snow and ice to run through them. They generally require two people to set them in place, which usually takes 20 to 30 minutes. Since removal and replacement can be time-consuming, tie-down pool covers are typically only used during the winter for seasonal pool closure. However, newer lightweight models can be used throughout the swimming season.
Tie-down pool covers cost $500 to $1,500, depending on the size of the pool and materials. They are ideal for pool owners who may use a solar blanket during the swim season but have to close their pools for the winter.
Track-Style Covers
As their name implies, track-style pool covers slide open and closed on a track system that is installed either on top of the existing pool deck or under the coping. Made from reinforced coated vinyl, they roll up onto a reel or into a sunken housing unit at the end of the pool when retracted.
Track-style pool covers keep debris out of the pool and help reduce water loss and heat loss; plus, their easy operation makes them a good choice for everyday use. There are three different track systems available: manual, semi-automatic, and fully automatic.
Manual models require you to hand crank the reel system to roll and unroll the cover; these are best for small pools. Semi-automatic versions have an electric motor-driven reel system, but require you to guide the cover on and off the pool. They can be permanently built into the pool deck or can use reels on carts. Fully automatic covers have permanently mounted reels that are powered by a hydraulic motor. They operate at the push of a button or turn of a key and can cover or uncover the pool in less than a minute.
Track-style covers can be installed during pool construction or on an existing pool. While most standard models are made for rectangular pools, they can be custom fitted to suit many different pool shapes, including freeform. They can also be mounted on top of the pool deck or recessed in the ground so that the tracks do not protrude up out of the deck.
Manual track-style covers typically cost $200 – $350, depending on the size of the pool. Semi-automatic systems start at $3,000, while fully automatic systems can cost $7,000 – $15,000. The ease-of-operation makes a track-style pool cover a good choice for owners who use their pool often or year round. These covers can also be used for winterizing the pool.
Safety Covers
A swimming pool cover is considered to be a safety cover if it meets the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International F1346-91 performance standards. According to the standards, the cover must be able to hold at least 485 pounds within any 3-foot diameter, have no spaces large enough for a child to slip through, and provide adequate drainage of rainwater on the cover’s surface to avoid risk of drowning. A majority of tie-down and track-style covers meet this criterion, but always check with the manufacturer to make sure it qualifies as a safety cover. Most safety covers are made of a threaded nylon mesh material, which allows water to pass through it. Others are made of a strong vinyl; these may have mesh openings where water can drain or be equipped with an automatic pump to get rid of any water that accumulates on the surface.
Safety covers are typically secured to solid brass fasteners that are anchored in the surrounding pool deck. They can be used on inground and aboveground pools as long as there is adequate decking around the pool to properly fasten the cover. Although these covers can be a DIY installation, some pool owners prefer professional installation to ensure safety.
Safety covers typically cost $1,000 – $4,000 for tie-down versions and $3,000 – $8,000 for tracked models. A safety cover is recommended for any family with small children or pets, in addition to other layers of protection.
Photo courtesy of Aquamatic Cover Systems
- Photo courtesy of LOOP-LOC, LTD.