When cozying up the swimming pool, you’ll be considering a variety of add-ons such as heating, lighting, self-cleaning systems, and even an outdoor shower to make your pool more functional.
Another pool add-on worth looking at is keeping your pool safe with a pool cover.
The Advantages and Drawbacks of Pool Covers
In this article, we take a peek at the advantages and drawbacks of pool covers to guide you in your decision-making if it’s a necessary addition to your backyard oasis.
What Are the Advantages of Installing a Pool Cover?
Maintain Pool Water Temperature
One of the most popular reasons pool owners install a swimming pool cover is the ability of the cover to maintain, and in some cases, slightly increase, the temperature of the water. If a warm pool is something you want, a pool cover can assist you drastically in lowering your heating costs.
Reduce the Loss of Water
Pool covers are especially beneficial for people who live in colder climates. Water loss, through evaporation and condensation, is the reason that you might find yourself desperately trying to find room for buckets of water or purchasing expensive booster pumps.
The best pool cover is made of a material that isn’t permeable to water, which will keep the water contained inside the pool.
Can Reduce the Consumption of Chlorine
A pool cover significantly minimizes the amount of UV light that’s making direct contact with the pool water. This is a significant advantage because chlorine degrades when exposed to UV radiation. This saves you from adding chlorine to your pool, especially when the sun is blazing shining. If you’re opting for a saltwater pool, then the chlorinator system will consume less electricity.
When it comes to swimming pools, you’ll always have to pay for the construction, the equipment, and the maintenance. Even the most expensive heated pools are not immune from having recurring issues. A cover, on the other hand, is relatively cost-effective and beneficial compared to other swimming pool accessories.
What Are the Drawbacks of Installing a Pool Cover?
Overall Aesthetics of Your Outdoor Oasis
One of the most common reasons pool owners avoid installing a pool cover is its influence on the overall aesthetics of your outdoor oasis. Modern gardens increasingly include pool structures intended to create a visually unified atmosphere by blending the water with the surrounding plants.
The standard pool cover can be unattractive, and even if you have a modern, well-designed pool cover, you will no longer be able to see the water from inside your house.
The Time and the Hassle
If you opt for a standard manual roller cover, the time and effort required to remove the cover can make it unappealing. Modernized designs, on the other hand, may offer a solution to this problem.
Lack of Space
The shape of your pool cover will determine how much space you’ll need to store it safely. However, if your free area is limited, it may be hard for you to install a pool cover because most of them are built under a deck or even as part of the deck itself.
Pool Design
Pools are no longer just shaped rectangles. Pools are available in various styles, shapes, and sizes, making it challenging to choose the right cover. You’ll need to either select a pool cover that suits the dimensions of your pool or have a custom pool cover built.
Pool Cleaning
If you’re the type that doesn’t bother with cleaning the pool for months, a cover will more than likely be a disadvantage. Pool covers tend to accumulate a lot of debris and dirt. You’ll have to invest more time and effort in removing the cover so it can be cleaned.
Pool covers also affect your overall pool maintenance costs. In most cases, covers will increase as they all need to be removed from the water, stored indoors or outdoors, cleaned after use, then held again before being installed again.
Types of Pool Covers
Several types of pool covers are available in the market, but they can be classified into manual and automatic.
Automatic Pool Covers
Automatic pool covers offer an easy and quick way to cover your swimming pool. They usually come with a motorized reel that helps you to install and remove the cover. This means that the only time you will have to spend getting the cover on is when you first install it or if you want to relocate it.
The automatic pool cover also has a safety feature that prevents the cover from coming off by itself during high winds or severe weather conditions. These features make automatic pool covers highly convenient and safe for your backyard oasis.
Manual Pool Covers
Compared to automatic covers, manual covers are relatively cheaper to purchase, install and maintain. Manual pool covers come in different designs and colors to ensure that they complement the overall design of your pool.
To protect your pool, you’ll need to roll out the cover manually, hence the term “manual.” The manual type also tends to be bigger than automatic covers. If you live in a climate with harsh weather conditions, you should consider installing a manual pool cover because it is highly resistant to extreme temperature changes.
A manual pool cover also can retain heat, which can be of great benefit if you are trying to keep your pool water warm.
Which Is the Best Type of Cover for My Pool?
One of the first things you have to consider is whether you want a manual or automatic cover for your swimming pool. This will help narrow down the options that are available to you.
A manual cover will be easier to install but can be more time-consuming and inconvenient if you have little to no space to store it during the swimming season.
On the one hand, an automatic pool cover will require installation costs but will save you time when it comes to covering your swimming pool. In addition, the automatic type will also help prevent wind erosion of your cover and won’t end up looking like a disaster when you’re not using it.
How to Choose a Pool Cover That Fits Your Needs?
Your budget plays a key role in selecting a pool cover that will work for you. The cost per square foot ranges from $2 to $9 per square foot. However, this amount is only relevant if you have an above-ground pool with 75 degrees Fahrenheit of indoor or outdoor temperature. With an above-ground pool, the cost can be as low as $2 per square foot.
“Consult with a professional pool cover company to determine which option is the best fit for you. The majority of these covers have been approved by the ASTM F134691 safety standards.”
Louie Warco – Customer Success Manager
Conclusion
If you are considering installing a pool cover, make sure it is worth the investment. We all know that many things can save us money, but sometimes they can also lead us to spend more money than needed.
The same concept applies with pool covers – if you choose the right cover for your pool, you won’t have to think about paying off unnecessary expenses later on.
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