Sweet, I have a solar cover!

[C3Cl3N3O3]

I bought my house in 2010 which came with a pool. There was blue "bubble wrap" of some sort rolled up in the basement. I deduced a few years ago it was a pool solar cover, but never used it (I assumed it was just rectangular material rolled up).

I really got in the routine of doing regular exercise in my TFP pool last year, and was saddened to close it down in the fall. So today's project was to haul it out of the basement, unroll it, see what I've got, and hopefully cut and glue it to make a kidney bean shape.

So surprise...it was already cut to size! There is a single seam, and it fits really well. So I'm pretty excited about this. It shows mild use but is in great shape. I can swim above 75 degrees or so, so my hope is to keep at it well into October. The water temp in the morning right now is 80, so it isn't really needed right now. The cold front arrives tomorrow, however.

Installing it is pretty easy. My objective is to be able to remove it every evening, swim, and recover overnight reasonably easily without tearing it or wrenching my back. Maybe I can just fold it up near the stairs while I swim? I need a "life hack" here. The previous owners were an older couple, so they presumably figured it out. They had a pool company that did everything, so I believe this was professionally customized.

Any idea what brand it is? The insulating bubbles are triangular shaped.

 

[Poolbreh]

Score, solar cover company’s come and go the more mil the longer it will last. They usually last 2 years before being damaged from the sun. They are easy to cut to shape with a razor blade or household scissors. I would just pull it to left of the picture and when you are done pull it back slowly while in the pool. Of course be safe while doing it. You can also use your pole to move it into place.

 

[derekm]

Although they're likely rare in SC, you might want to consider getting a gas or electric heater or electric heat pump for the shoulder season. They're essential here in Canada (as well as a solar blanket) if you want to swim in September, but could likely extend your season well into November. I have propane, which has the advantage of quick heat, but may move to a (more expensive to buy, cheaper to run) heat pump at some point, as I plan to add PV solar panels to the house.
How to Reduce Your Pool Heating Energy Bill - INYOPools.com

As for your solar cover, I've never seen one with triangular-shaped bubbles, although this link suggests they are better as there is very little wasted space between the bubbles: Round vs. Diamond: Comparing Solar Cover Bubble Shapes - PoolSupplies.com

I have a reel for my solar cover (see profile pic), which makes rolling and unrolling it easier on my rectangular pool, but the shape of yours, plus the diving board, ladder, and nearby fence at one end and the rail at the other would make having one difficult.

 

[C3Cl3N3O3]

Although they're likely rare in SC, you might want to consider getting a gas or electric heater or electric heat pump for the shoulder season. They're essential here in Canada (as well as a solar blanket) if you want to swim in September, but could likely extend your season well into November. I have propane, which has the advantage of quick heat, but may move to a (more expensive to buy, cheaper to run) heat pump at some point, as I plan to add PV solar panels to the house.
How to Reduce Your Pool Heating Energy Bill - INYOPools.com

As for your solar cover, I've never seen one with triangular-shaped bubbles, although this link suggests they are better as there is very little wasted space between the bubbles: Round vs. Diamond: Comparing Solar Cover Bubble Shapes - PoolSupplies.com

I have a reel for my solar cover (see profile pic), which makes rolling and unrolling it easier on my rectangular pool, but the shape of yours, plus the diving board, ladder, and nearby fence at one end and the rail at the other would make having one difficult.

Yeah I'd love to get a heat pump.

The plan for this cover is to extend this season at all costs. I got my laps in today and it was holding firm at 82 degrees. But it comes at a price. I've been through two cycles now varying the approach and this thing is just a beast. Putting it on and removing it is going to leave me tired, wet, somewhat bewildered, and questioning my life choices.

I can't imagine having to order a replacement and cut it to size every year or two. Measuring kidney beans is a pain. Just for the shoulder season? That's just a bust.

 

[Tcadwall0]

A couple of things.
1) the reel makes it quite easy to remove, replace. I bought an aluminum one on Amazon at the beginning of the season.
2) When you purchase a cover, you just get the overall width and length. Then you lay it over-top of the pool and use scissors (NOT a razor blade) to cut it to shape. Cut a little large, and if you need to trim it again later, no big deal. It really doesn't take much time to do this.

Hooking up the reel doesn't take much time either, and if you get one with wheels on one side it is pretty easy to wheel the whole thing out of the way.

I am in Charlotte, and cover nightly right now - it really takes less than 5 min to cover or un-cover.

Since it is a blue cover like mine - it really won't heat the water more during the day, but it will keep the heat in at night. My anecdotal experience is that direct sun heats my pool better uncovered than covered, even if the water is warmer than the air (no wind).

 

[BK MAC]

As I'm normally taking the cover off by myself and a reel isn't practical around my pool, I cut my solar cover into 3 pieces along the seams. I'm not going to tell you I enjoy the process of taking it on and off, but it's much more manageable for me than trying to accordion the entire cover by myself. I also have a large storage box the individual pieces will fit into if I don't want them laying around.

 

[C3Cl3N3O3]

As I'm normally taking the cover off by myself and a reel isn't practical around my pool, I cut my solar cover into 3 pieces along the seams. I'm not going to tell you I enjoy the process of taking it on and off, but it's much more manageable for me than trying to accordion the entire cover by myself. I also have a large storage box the individual pieces will fit into if I don't want them laying around.
View attachment 372990

Cool, seems like you have similar requirements as me. That does look easier to get on and off.

 

[derekm]

Yeah I'd love to get a heat pump.

The plan for this cover is to extend this season at all costs. I got my laps in today and it was holding firm at 82 degrees. But it comes at a price. I've been through two cycles now varying the approach and this thing is just a beast. Putting it on and removing it is going to leave me tired, wet, somewhat bewildered, and questioning my life choices.

I can't imagine having to order a replacement and cut it to size every year or two. Measuring kidney beans is a pain. Just for the shoulder season? That's just a bust.

I average 3 years out of a solar cover, don't have to trim them much if at all, and have a roller, so it's a no-brainer for me with a rectangular pool. I leave the cover on the roller on the pool deck, snow and all, all winter, with a bungee cord loosely around the middle to prevent it from unrolling in wind. My propane delivery guy only has one customer without a solar cover "and he's my best customer!" so they make a huge difference here in Canada.

If you have the room (maybe take the old and new cover to a park or soccer field in the off-season on a calm day), the easiest way to cut it is to put the new one on the ground, place the old one on top, trace the edges of the old one onto the new one with a Sharpie, and cut the new one with a decent pair of big scissors/shears. I find that putting on and taking off the cover from outside the pool is done fastest and easiest with 2 people, but I can do it with one, although I find the easiest way to put it on by myself is from inside the pool.
Looking at your pool picture, I'm not sure where you would put a roller though, unless you remove the handrail at the shallow end or the diving board at the deep end.

Yeah I'd love to get a heat pump.

The plan for this cover is to extend this season at all costs. I got my laps in today and it was holding firm at 82 degrees. But it comes at a price. I've been through two cycles now varying the approach and this thing is just a beast. Putting it on and removing it is going to leave me tired, wet, somewhat bewildered, and questioning my life choices.

I can't imagine having to order a replacement and cut it to size every year or two. Measuring kidney beans is a pain. Just for the shoulder season? That's just a bust.

 

[C3Cl3N3O3]

Well my temps are hanging tough at 82 despite ambient temps in the mid 70's and rain today. So that's good.

I have to say the cover has more condition issues than were first apparent. Many of the bubble triangles appear to be compromised, I'll say a third of them. They have become opaque with condensation. I'd expect to still get a decent blanket effect, but I'd venture to guess that most would replace it at that point. How do you know if the cover has had it?

 

[ccbill]

I can usually swim laps into October and have swam in November a few times - I've kept a solar cover on it 24/7 for years.

I'm seriously considering getting a wetsuit this year to extend the season.