Pool Covers: Types & What You Gain

Raised pool of galvanised panels with pipework

What you gain with a cover

Heat: an uncovered pool loses much of the day's warmth at night. Covered, it keeps more, and every heating system works better.
Water: evaporation drops noticeably, and so does topping up.
Cleanliness: fewer leaves, insects and dust, less work for the filter and the vacuum.
Chemicals: less light and less dirt usually mean lower chlorine consumption.
Safety: only when the cover is designed as a safety cover.

Types of cover

Solar summer cover

A bubble sheet that floats on the water, bubbles facing down. It goes on at night and whenever you are not swimming, and rolls up on a reel at the edge of the pool. It is light and simple, but it takes no weight: a child or animal that steps on it ends up in the water, under the cover.

Winter cover

A durable opaque tarpaulin or mesh stretched over the pool while it is closed. It keeps out leaves and light, so algae do not grow. Mesh lets rainwater through, while with an opaque tarpaulin any water that collects on top is removed. It is part of closing the pool for winter.

Roller cover

Floating plastic slats that roll onto a shaft, by hand or with a motor, usually at one end of the pool, above the water or in a special submerged position. It opens and closes in a few minutes, so it really does get used every day. It has to be planned at the design stage, because it needs space for the shaft and a simple rectangular shape.

Safety cover

A taut cover on bars or straps, anchored to the paving around the pool, that can take the weight of a person. This is the cover for families with small children or pets, and it also closes the pool for winter.

Type	Heat	Cleanliness	Safety	Use
Solar	Very good	Good	No	Daily, in season
Winter	Of little importance	Very good	No, unless it is also a safety cover	While the pool is closed
Roller	Good	Very good	Some models	Daily, all year
Safety	Good	Very good	Yes	Whenever the pool is not in use

Which one suits you

A holiday home that stays closed for weeks: a winter cover or a safety cover, to keep out leaves and light while you are away.
A family with small children: a safety cover or a roller cover designed as a safety cover, always together with pool fencing and supervision.
Warm water from early spring: a solar cover or a roller cover, easy to put on every evening.
Lots of trees around: a cover that opens and closes effortlessly, because one left rolled up at the edge protects nothing.

The type and fixing method have to match the shape of the pool and the paving around it, so they are assessed during the site survey.

Tips for use

Take the cover off when you shock chlorinate and leave the water uncovered for several hours, so the gases can escape and the material is not stressed.
A solar cover left rolled up out of the water in the sun wears out quickly; cover it or keep it in the shade.
Before spreading it out, make sure nobody is in the water. Children must know never to step on a cover unless it is a safety cover.
Before storing the cover, rinse it with water and mild soap and let it dry.

No cover replaces adult supervision. For the other measures, see pool safety for children.

Questions

Can I leave the solar cover on all day?

You can, as long as the water is circulating and the chemistry is right. In the hottest months, though, the water can get too warm, so leave it off for a few hours.

Is a winter cover enough in an area with frost?

Not on its own. In areas with frost, the pipes, the pump and the filter are also drained, and floats are placed in the water to absorb the pressure of the ice.

Pool covers: which one does what