Has anyone used foam boards instead of a solar cover?

[Rand K]

Hi all,

We kept our pool between 85 and 90 degrees for all of last September and used a solar cover except while swimming. It cost about $200 in electricity for that month, and I bet I can do much better by covering the pool with foam boards at the end of the season.

Has anyone done this or can anyone think of a reason why I shouldn't. The only downside I can think of is maybe wind, otherwise besides being much more insulating, featherweight boards would be much more manageable then a solar cover and have other benefits as well.

-Rand

 

[JasonLion]

That could work, but it won't be significantly better than a regular solar cover. The great majority of the heat loss is from evaporation, which any kind of waterproof cover will eliminate.

 

[Rand K]

Yeah, I think I'll keep that idea in the back of my mind for awhile. It would cost about $200 for the boards and if the savings are small, it would be a long payback.

Thanks,
Rand

 

[Melt In The Sun]

I suspect they would end up disintegrating in the sun, just like a solar cover.

 

[pwrstrk]

On a windy day I would think there's a chance they would blow off ?

 

[ping]

I would think over time the foam will absorb water and they will end up weighing a lot. We've left some foam noodles in the water for an extended time and they became waterlogged.

 

[tcat]

That could work, but it won't be significantly better than a regular solar cover. The great majority of the heat loss is from evaporation, which any kind of waterproof cover will eliminate.

Curious about that. On my cover there's always a bunch of water "puddles" on top of the cover. All seems to be floating fine, but I'm guessing the "puddles" take up 50-75% of the surface. Wouldn't that water keep evaporating at the same rate? I can see how they hold heat in, just curious about evaporation statistics. My pool auto-fills, so I never know how much is evaporating. I do know after a rain (up an inch or two) that it seems to go down to nominal just about as fast with or without a cover in Texas heat.

 

[ping]

I've started using a cover again in the last few weeks and my evaporation has gone from over 2 inches a week to less than an inch in three weeks. That is with the cover off for a good portion of the day for 2-3 days a week.

 

[pwrstrk]

A solar cover without a doubt saves water from being evaporated. Last two seasons I've never had to add any water to the pool. Have gotten just enough rain to keep it topped off and the cover helping with evaporation. ?