Best solar cover for inground pool

Solar pool covers perform several functions. However, different designs are best for different functions. None of them are the best at fulfilling every need. Consider the following factors to help decide what qualities to look for.

Climate

The weather where your pool is located is perhaps the most important variable to consider when finding the proper solar cover. A climate that is hot during the day but cool at night will require more insulating qualities than heating qualities. A climate with relatively warm but short summers will benefit most from a cover designed for heating the water.

In general, clear solar covers are best at heating water, while solid colors do better at keeping heat trapped in the water. Up to 15 degrees Fahrenheit of free heating can be obtained on a moderately sunny day with a clear or translucent cover. An opaque cover will allow the pool heater to run less during a cool night by maintaining water temperature.

Pool Usage

Decent quality solar pool covers are built of either polyethylene resins or PVC vinyl. Polyethylene is a flexible yet fairly durable material, while vinyl is a bit more rigid but very durable.

If your pool is used often, or every day, you’ll want a cover that is flexible and easy to remove and reinstall (and if not, it’s a good idea to identify a pool installation company who can also help with pool covers). Polyethylene provides this flexibility but sacrifices some durability. Which means it will have to be replaced more often than vinyl. The more durable product is vinyl, which will last longer out in the elements, but takes a bit more effort to put on and take off. It’s great for use on pools that are only used a few times a month.

Pool Base Material

A fiberglass pool is quick to install and has the lowest maintenance costs, while a vinyl pool is customizable, but the liner needs to be replaced every 5-10 years. A concrete pool may be worth the return on investment since they last the longest but also take the longest to build.

Pool Liner Thickness

Vinyl is certainly the most popular liner and is typically offered at 20, 27, 28, or 30 mils thick. After choosing the pool liner thickness, it is also essential to ensure your pool liner stretches against the corners and conforms to the curves of your pool.

Color

Light blue or deep blue is definitively the “it” color for a pool liner. Not only does it make your pool more picturesque, but a blue color also absorbs sunlight to help make the pool feel a little warmer.

Air Bubbles

Air bubbles in your pool liner can signify rising groundwater that seeps under the vinyl that pushes up the liner to cause air bubbles. Other causes could be an improper installation of the liner, damage from vacuuming the liner, or any other reason that would cause the liner to shift.

UV Resistance

Not only are pool liners most commonly blue because the color absorbs sunlight, but blue is also less susceptible to fading from the UV rays of the sun.

Buying a quality pool cover is a costly purchase that should not be rushed.  A good quality cover will be backed by a solid warranty and will last for many years.  Adequate time should be allocated to do the proper research and to get the right cover for your pool design and lifestyle.

With literally dozens of different pool covers on the market, making the right choice is a seemingly daunting task.  However, when simplified, all Pool Covers fall into two basic categories and a further two sub-categories.  They are;

Floating Covers

• Solar Blankets
• Thermal Covers

Winter Covers

• Solid Covers (eg. Pool Shutdown Cover)
• Mesh Covers (eg. Premium Leaf & Debris Cover)

Floating Covers

Floating covers are used very effectively for improving the thermal efficiency of your pool and for controlling evaporation.  These covers float on the surface of the water and are easiest to manage if cut to the exact waterline of the pool.  Floating covers are thick, bulky and heavy such that a Pool Blanket Roller will be required to manage this type of cover on anything other than a spa or small plunge pool.

Floating covers are held in place only by the surface tension of the water.  Wind skirts can also be added for outdoor pools in high wind areas. They cannot be cut oversize to prevent leaves and debris, nor can they be effectively laced or strapped to the pool, because the material will just tear.  If you want a cover to keep the pool clean – this is not the cover for you!

Solar Blankets

In an outdoor pool, a Solar Pool Cover can warm the water by up to 8ºC – FREE.  The translucent top layer allows solar energy to penetrate into the pool water and warm it, and the excellent thermal efficiency of the bubble material maximises heat retention.

Buyer Beware:- Not all solar blankets are created equal.  We regularly receive calls and emails from people who were lured into buying cheap imported blankets.  These blankets rapidly break down in the Australian sun and often require replacement after only 12 months of use.

The most popular solar heating cover for an outdoor pool is the Daisy 525 micron Solar blanket which allows the sun’s energy to heat the water.  The cover also insulates the pool from the cool night air.  This cover will warm your pool, minimize evaporation and extend your swimming season.

In order to allow maximum heating of the pool water, we recommend Daisy’s light-coloured blue UltraDome™ material which will maximise transmission of the infrared end of the solar spectrum.

There is also a non-heating version of this cover (525TC) which insulates and reduces evaporation, but is designed to minimize heating from the sun.  This is generally used to retain a cool refreshing pool in hot climates but can also be used on indoor pools where collection of sunlight is not possible.  Keeping the pool water dark in these circumstances will reduce algae growth.

All Daisy 525 micron covers carry a 10 year pro-rata warranty.

Thermal Covers

A thermal cover is a foam cover which has the greatest insulation rating, but is not designed to collect heat from the sun.  The Thermal Cover will retain heat, but will not collect heat.

A thermal cover is used primarily for indoor pools or in an outdoor resort situation where the cover is not fitted during the day.  Thermal covers are rarely suitable for a domestic pool situation where the pool will generally be covered. This is because the pool will go cold unless external heating is used.

The best closed cell polyethylene (PE) foam Thermal Covers are manufactured in Australia by Daisy under the trade name ThermoTech™. They are made from an industry leading 4.5mm thick, cross linked PE closed cell polyolefin foam. ThermoTech™ Covers have almost double the insulation rating of the UltraDome™ Solar Covers, but remember – they retain heat, but do not collect heat.

Summary of Floating Covers

If thermal efficiency is your main objective from a pool cover, then a floating cover is your best choice.  When fitted, floating covers will also reduce evaporation by at least 95%.   However, please be reminded that this cover will not keep the pool clean.

Your choice of Solar Blanket Vs Thermal Cover will depend upon the desired outcome and also the time of day that the pool is proposed to be covered.  For instance, if the pool will only be covered overnight, then the Thermal Cover with a much higher insulation rating will be the best choice.  Conversely, if your pool will be covered during the day, you can benefit from the solar collection capability of the Solar Blanket.  For most domestic pool owners wanting a warmer pool, the Solar Blanket will be the clear choice.

Winter Covers

Winter Covers overlap the pool coping and are firmly secured using straps, rope or other specialist attachments.  The primary purpose of these covers is to winterize the pool and to keep it free from leaves & debris during the non-swimming season.  A good winter cover will minimize (or eliminate) sunlight from entering the pool, because less sunlight = less algae growth.  Some types of winter pool covers also have a child safety benefit, albeit only during times when the cover is fitted to the pool.

Solid Covers

When properly fitted to the pool, a good quality solid cover such as our Winter Shutdown Cover will prevent all leaves, debris and sunlight from entering the pool.  This means that the pool water will remain fresh and clean without the need for filtration or chemicals during the non-swimming season.  A Winter Shutdown Cover has the Smart Watermark Approval and will reduce evaporation by a massive 99.6%.  Please see full details of our Winter Shutdown Cover and Pool Shutdown.

Pool Shutdown is an enormous cost saving and a fabulous time-saving feature.  However, the downsides of this cover also need to be realized when making an honest assessment.

• Solid Covers are heavy, typically weighing 30 – 40Kg depending upon the dimensions of the pool.
• The cover will ordinarily require 2 people to remove and re-fit.
• Care must be taken to ensure that the cover overlaps the sides when removing and re-fitting or it will sink underwater.
• A Shutdown Cover is pulled taught, but rests upon the surface of the water for support.  Leaf litter may gather in the depression.  This can be removed with a leaf blower.
• The Shutdown Cover relies on being supported by the pool water and cannot be fitted to an empty pool.
• A Shutdown Cover pools water during rain.  This is easily managed with a simple siphon, but it does need to be managed!  See video below.
• ‍ With repeated pooling of rainwater, the cover will ultimately become soiled and grubby, detracting from the aesthetics of your pool area.

What is the best solar pool cover for inground pools?

What thickness pool solar cover is best?

What is the best material for a solar pool cover?

What is the difference between a clear and blue solar pool cover?