Cover question

[andysutt]

I have the cover that came with my pool... made out of "shower curtain" material and has a few small holes in the center of it.

I've been keeping this on there the last 2 days when not in use.

The water is still a bit cold to just jump into, you have to ease your way in it (this is before I had the cover on it)
and today it seemed a tad bit warmer under the cover.

My question is.... will keeping the cover on, warm up the pool or keep it from getting warmer.

Its a gray color if that makes a difference. I took it off earlier thinking it would not let it warm up as fast due to the sun not directly hitting the water.

Any help would be appreciated.

I plan on buying a solar cover soon, as Im sure what came with it is not a solar one.

So my second question is... with the solar cover, will it help warm it up on a sunny day faster with it on or off?

 

[DavidD]

I'd say it would heat up if you took it off during the day and replaced it at night to help prevent heat loss. Try it but a solar cover is worth its weight in gold.

Dave

 

[andysutt]

I went to Lowes and got my CYA earlier and the only cover they had for a round pool was 24' and mines 15' so I didnt bother. It was $100 and looked pretty cool tho.

I figured leaving it off during day would help heat it up and I can tell a difference right now.

So what about the solar cover, leave it on all the time or off during day and on at nite?

 

[JasonLion]

You want to give the pool some time to breathe now and then. If you swim reguarly that would do it. If you only swim occasionally I suggest taking the cover off for a couple of hours ever two or three day. Direct sunlight helps get rid of combined chlorine, which is a good thing. This isn't a dramtaic effect, you can leave the cover on more than that if you want.

 

[DavidD]

Lowe's is where I bought my last solar cover and it lasted 5 years before developing holes. I had a figure 8 shaped pool so I bought the next size up and cut it to the exact shape of the pool. One piece of advice is to not leave it folded (or wadded ) up in the sun as it will burn a hole in itself....

Dave

 

[andysutt]

I have a 4' square table that I built a few years ago out of 1'' square tubing for outside. I took my extension ladder and opened it out as far as it will go. When I take my pool cover off I fold it in 1/2 and lay it across this so it doesnt get dirty and is out of the way.

The pool gets used daily, even if it's just my mother. But usually it has 2 grown adults and a 2 &3 year old it in everyday. Thanks for the advice on letting it breathe... it definately gets that.

The cover I have now has holes in it in the center, and then 8 about half way out in a circle and then 8 at the very edge. This proboally isn't adequate to let it breathe, but it does help some Im assuming.

I cant wait to get the solar cover. It felt really good earlier when I went to put the cover on it a bit ago. I want to keep it that way.

 

[andysutt]

Umm... another weird question.

Im looking at buying this on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-15-SOLAR-POOL-C ... dZViewItem

My pool is the metal framed one, not the air up kind... this cover seems to sit down in the pool. Are all solar covers like that, or do some go over the edges?

 

[ktdave]

Solar covers are cut to fit perfectly over the water, inside the edge of the pool. Not over the edge.

 

[andysutt]

Ok thanks. I wasn't sure, had never seen one in person.