Solar cover smells like mildew

[Shiney69rr]

I had it rolled up for approx 8 days and when I rolled it out to cover the pool I noticed the stench of mildew. Is this normal and will is fade away or must I scrub it.
2- Does a solar cover actually keep the temperature from decreasing?
3 What type of temperature gain can I expect from using a cover.
4- Does a solar cover prevent evaporation?

All replies are much appreicated.

Thanks !

 

[JasonLion]

A solar cover is excellent at reducing evaporation. Usually you will get a 5 degree gain from the solar cover alone, sometimes a little more. A solar cover does not prevent the temperature from going down, it just stops evaporation, which is usually the primary cause of the temperature going down. Still, other things can still cause the temperature to go down.

For the smell, you should wipe down the whole cover with a dilute bleach solution, or raise the pool to shock level and put the cover on for a while and then flip it over the other way and leave it there for a while.