You know how enjoyable it can be to take a refreshing dip in your pool on a hot summer day. But as a pool owner, you also know that maintaining your pool can be time-consuming and expensive. One way to help make your pool maintenance easier and more affordable is by investing in a pool cover.
A swimming pool cover is a smart addition to any pool. It offers a number of valuable benefits: retaining heat, safety, and protection from the elements, and more. In this article, we will break down the top seven pool cover benefits and why investing in one is a good choice for any pool owner.
The Top Benefits of a Pool Cover
Choosing a pool cover for your swimming pool is a good investment for a number of reasons. Here are the top reasons you should have a pool cover:
#1 – Safety
Safety should always be a first priority when you own a swimming pool. Children, pets, and the elderly sometimes unknowingly wander into areas that are dangerous for them. The Centers for Disease Control reminds us that it only takes seconds for a drowning to happen and many times it is a silent tragedy. According to the American Red Cross, nearly 70% of young children who drown were not expected to be near water.
One of the biggest benefits of a pool cover, specifically sturdy mesh and solid covers, is that it helps prevent these accidents. Some covers have floating slats that cover the entire pool surface, making an accidental fall onto the pool cover frightening but not deadly. Some covers also have anti-slip surfaces as an added safety feature. Regardless of which cover you choose, it will significantly increase the safety of everyone who is near your pool.
#2 – Reduced Heating and Water Costs
The two biggest energy costs associated with swimming pools are heating it and cleaning it. By using a pool cover, there will be less loss of water through evaporation. That, in turn, means you will not need to add as much water to the pool, which would then need to be heated all over again.
A cover also means you won’t need to heat the pool continuously, especially if you use a solar cover. For a swimming pool that relies on the sun for heat, covering it at night can still make it warm enough to swim in the next day. Otherwise, the heat will be lost overnight when the temperatures drop. The use of a cover, especially a solar cover, will result in saving significant amounts on your energy bills. The reduction of added water to the pool is significant: 30%–50%.
The US Department of Energy states,
“Swimming pools lose energy in a variety of ways, but evaporation is by far the largest source of energy loss. Evaporating water requires tremendous amounts of energy. It only takes 1 Btu (British thermal unit) to raise 1 pound of water 1 degree, but each pound of 80ºF water that evaporates takes a whopping 1,048 Btu of heat out of the pool.”
#3 – Reduced Size of a Heating System
It is logical that a pool that retains its heat longer needs less heating from a pool heating system. In fact, a pool cover increases the pool temperature by around 10 to 15˚F in pools that get the sun.
The cover on the pool doesn’t have to be expensive in order for it to keep the water warmer. Then, you can shop on the lower end of the cost scale for your pool heater, too. To give you an idea, the average cost of a pool heater runs between $1,500 and $5,000. So, you could enjoy significant savings on the cost of your heating system.
Exactly how much can you save? It depends on where you live and the type of pool heater you have: propane, natural gas, or a heat pump. But, in general, using a pool cover keeps heat in your pool, which then allows you to use a smaller heating system.
#4 – Reduced Use of Pool Chemicals
Remember all that water that evaporates from your pool if you don’t use a pool cover? As it evaporates, it takes the chemicals you carefully added to the water along with it. You can cut down on your pool’s consumption of chemicals by a whopping 60% if you control the evaporation from your pool.
Long-time pool owners know that there is chemistry involved in owning a pool. Keeping the chemicals at safe yet effective levels takes some work. Then, adding in the issue of evaporation seems like you’ll need a chemistry degree to make it all work! Just remember that a pool cover eliminates much of the concern for you.
#5 – Less Time Cleaning the Pool
Imagine all the things that will end up in your pool if it isn’t covered: kids’ toys, insects, debris from nearby trees and shrubs, flowers, dirt, and grass. All those items will have to be retrieved by someone and that is often you.
A pool cover catches all that and at least keeps them within easier reach. There will be less need to clean the pool and you’ll have more time to actually enjoy the pool with your family.
#6 – Reduced Set-Up Time
Let’s keep thinking about all the debris and dirt that ends up in an uncovered pool. If it’s been some time since the pool has been used, you may need several days to clean the pool thoroughly. For example, when you are “reopening” your pool in the spring. That time spent is lost forever. The cost of a good pool cover will be recouped in no time at all through these savings of time and effort.
#7 – Protection of Other Equipment and Materials Around the Pool
If your pool is enclosed, the condensation that is another by-product of that evaporation mentioned earlier can ruin equipment and furniture near the pool. Maintaining a pool and creating the environment you want around it is sometimes expensive. Don’t put it all at risk. Get a pool cover; it will make everything last longer and protect your investment.
A Pool Cover = A Wise Investment in Operating Your Pool
All pool owners want quality at affordable prices. One of the investments that guarantee that combination is a swimming pool cover. There are several kinds of covers to choose from, depending on the use of your pool and where you live. Regardless of which type you choose, as you can see, there are a number of important benefits of a pool cover.
There is a great deal of information available for pool owners about pool covers. But the most professional, experienced source is Mike Steele here at Pool School Videos. Mike has 30 years of experience in all aspects of pool maintenance and he has put that know-how into 20 self-paced online pool maintenance videos.
These videos are clear and understandable, and provide information that isn’t available anywhere else. By using Mike’s videos, you will learn much more about how to properly maintain your pool and save both money and time doing it.
Plus, by purchasing the video series, you will become a member of our private Facebook group that gives you a forum for personalized guidance when you have a question. Post your question in the group and you will receive an answer within 24 hours!
Pool School Videos can save you hundreds of dollars a year! Get started today!
