We had some pretty gusty winds last Thursday and being a newbie to pools I felt I was safe as the solar cover seems to stick to the water...Not!! Wind lifted it completely out of the water and ripped it off the 8 doeys that hold it to the roll up bar and deposited on the lawn 25 feet away. Having a humpback kidney shape was a little bothersome anyways as rolling and unrolling on a non rectangular shape is tricky. My other concern was the week prior the dog was looking up in the sky (she barks at the white lines jets make... weird I know) and lost her footing and slipped into the pool. I was not home at the time but my son had to get her out and he said that he was afraid if in her panic she might have gone under the cover. So I have chosen to live without the solar blanket for the meantime. I instead picked up some of these pool pills and will give them a whirl. They say they are not as effective as the solar cover but I am not sure what it is worth in aggrevation to roll and unroll the darn thing as opposed to plopping a $13 liquid in instead. Anybody out there using these and do they really work? Also I would be curious to know ball park based on keeping the water at 81 when we swim, how much the cost difference is for natural gas? If the savings are 2 or 300 per season then I am willing to pay it, but having never had a pool before I have absolutely no idea what that heater will run me. I look forward to your responses. Thanks'
solar b lanket was ripped off the pool by wind and detached
- Thread starter gabagoo
- Start date
The liquid covers have gotten some rather negative reviews. They do help just a little, but can be expensive and feel annoying on your skin.
Natural gas heat can get expensive quickly. We spend more than $150/month in the spring and fall, over $700/year, and don't even heat half the time in the early spring, late fall.
Natural gas heat can get expensive quickly. We spend more than $150/month in the spring and fall, over $700/year, and don't even heat half the time in the early spring, late fall.
Some people weigh down the cover with half-gallons of water (a use for all the empty bleach jugs!). I was skeptical but if it's arm's-length from the edge, the cover should support it.
--paulr
--paulr
It would be great to know a ball park figure of hbow much$$$ the cover saves, then I might be more motivated to use it again. If I saved 600.00 per season then it might be worth it, but if it is 2 or 300 then I am willing to pay the price for the convenience of not having to worry about the dog or the fact that a nasty wind can ruin it. The jugs are not a bad idea in fact I was thinking of attaching 2 pieces of rope and putting grommets in where they penetrate the plastic for extra strength then tieing the rope into some stakes in the ground at the opposite end. Still is it worth it?
I figure the cover is worth it for reducing water usage, but that's because of the drought conditions. Retaining heat is secondary for me. I do have a heater but I don't use it.
--paulr
--paulr
PaulR said:
In the past we have used either 3/4" or 1" PVC pipe filled with water and capped on both ends in long sections placed on the cover to hold it down when away for the weekend so we knew it wouldn't blow away.
I trimmed my cover to the inside contour of my pool and simple let it float on the water. Zero wind problems and no need for tie downs or weighted jugs etc.
Actually I trimmed it about 1/2 inch smaller than my pool to insure no "lip" for the wind to grab. It lies at on the water and the wind blows over. Piece of cake!
Actually I trimmed it about 1/2 inch smaller than my pool to insure no "lip" for the wind to grab. It lies at on the water and the wind blows over. Piece of cake!