Getting the right tool for the right job was always something my grandfather would stress to me. Pool covers are no different, and choosing the right one is more complex decision than they first appear. Each pool is part of an environment, part of its own backyard’s eco-system. Pool covers have some plusses and minuses that need to be understood. Before making a costly pool cover purchase, here are a few things you will want to consider:
Benefit of a Pool Cover: Reducing Evaporation From Your Pool
In California, water has become a concern for most pool owners. In summer, evaporation means two or three inches of water leave the pool every week, due to evaporation. Pool covers also utilize the energy of the sun to heat the water and retain that heat in the evenings. These are all great advantages a cover offers. Covers probably do extend the swim season by at least one month. In addition they can save you big money on refilling costs.
The Problem with Pool Covers: They Can Make Your Pool Dirtier
No, that is not a typo. I hear all the time; “I want to get a cover in order to keep my pool clean.” This is exactly wrong. Covers make your pool dirtier. While the cover prevents evaporation out of the pool, it also provides a surface to collect debris that will eventually fall into the pool. This is why we at Pike Pool strongly recommend utilizing a pool cleaner in conjunction with a cover. The cleaner gets the debris that falls from the cover and aids in water circulation that is compromised from the cover.
Keeping your pool cover clean
It is also an excellent idea to get a little sump pump to throw onto the cover to export water that gets on the cover when it rains. (yes, sooner or later it will rain.) Otherwise when water gets onto the cover a little pond is sitting on top of the cover waiting to get dumped into the pool when you want to go swimming or when your poor service company shows up the service your pool.
Some things to Consider When Choosing Your Pool Cover
- What do you do with the cover when it has been removed during swimming. It needs to be stored and be out of the way. Some deck areas may not have ample enough space to store the cover.
- Recently there have been introduced into to the pool world a new tool. These devices are fittings that are attached at the return ports on the side of your pool. They aid in the circulation and distribution of water as it reenters the pools. Not many know of these excellent tools or their advantages.
In short, covers are great tools when deployed properly. We hope that understanding the complexity that covers introduce will aid you in making the right decision. As always, Pike Pool and Spa will be happy to assist in choosing the right pool cover for your aquatic lifestyle.