Need Pool Cover Advice

[CCAT18]

Last fall I purchased a home with a 40' x 16' vinyl lined in-ground pool in NE Ohio. The previous owners left a solid cover with water tubes - we hired the installer to come winterize the pool and cover it for the winter season. My husband and I are in the market for 2 new pool covers. I am looking for advice regarding brand and success with solar covers (previous owners also left a solar cover reel, but no solar cover) and a new winter cover.

Solar Cover - I have done a little bit of research but it has been inconclusive. We would like to use the cover mostly in the beginning and end of the season to minimize our heating expenses. Need advice on brand and expectations.

Winter Cover - Our current cover is solid with water tubes around the perimeter, it has been a bit of a hassle refilling the tubes/replacing tubes throughout the cold snowy winter it has also been difficult to find time when it is warm enough to pump the excess snow/rain water off of the cover. We are interested in gathering advice on winter safety covers. Do we go with solid or mesh in our region? Any brands that are more substantial then others? We would like our winter maintenance to be a minimal as possible.

Thanks!

 

[chiefwej]

For solar covers my experiance, thin or thick, cheap or expensive, they all work about the same. They provide a little heat gain, but mostly prevent evaporative cooling and loss of heat at night and unless you keep the cover and reel out of the sun when not in use any solar cover will only last a season or two. So unless you plan to put a UV protective cover over the rolled up solar cover whenever it's on the reel, your best bet is to buy a cheap one and don't expect it to last long.

For winter covers, when I lived further north and closed my pool for winter, I used a mesh safety cover by LoopLoc. I was very happy with it. Just be sure to wait to close, until water is below 60, and open very early in spring (before water warms up and turns green). Unlike solid covers no water pooling on top of the cover. Snow just melts and run through. I kept a submersible pump in the pool underneath to maintain my water level during the winter.

 

[bmoreswim]

Agree on the mesh winter safety cover. Merlin's Smart Mesh is on par with Loop-Loc as another shopping option. Essentially no winter maintenance aside from keeping the water level below the skimmers (or tile in our case). In MD I close late October and open late April. That's not when I stop and start swimming though. I'm not crazy or rich.

 

[CCAT18]

Thanks for the advice!

I cannot find a rep or installer for loop loc near my location. I am looking into Merlin.

 

[CCAT18]

How to Size a Pool Cover?

I am investing in a solar cover ( yes I know it will only last a season or two) and I am also looking at mesh safety covers.

Our pool is in-ground 16' x 40' rectangle. Pool deck surround is concrete.

What size solar cover do I need?

What size mesh safety winter cover do I need?

Thanks!

 

[pooldv]

Re: How to Size a Pool Cover?

The solar cover needs to fit inside the pool and lay flat on the water. Mesh safety covers extend 6-18" inches beyond the pool and attach to anchors drilled into the pool deck/coping.

 

[JVTrain]

If you order a 16 x 40 solar cover, it should fit in your pool. Depending on exact dimensions of cover and your pool, you may need to trim a little off one or two edges if you want it to fit neatly on the surface. It's OK if the solar cover curls up on the side a little (2-3 inches), but you don't want too much there.

Mesh covers are the same. If you order a 16 x 40 mesh cover, it will actually measure approximately 19 x 43 so that it will overlap onto the deck to allow for full coverage over the pool and anchor installation. Mesh safety covers can be installed DIY, but you'll need an impact drill, masonry bits and you'll need to plan carefully. Professional installation is something I would recommend if you aren't confident in your ability to install the anchors correctly. Many times you can save $$$ with installation on this project simply by knowing it will be done right and it's not your fault if something goes awry. Aside from being pool chemical charlatans, Leslie's does have a nice form for measuring and determining what type of cover you need: http://cdn.lesliespool.com/wpdf/Leslies-Custom-Cover.pdf This can help you plan if you plan on going the DIY route.