AlphaMAX Mesh Safety Cover (and related questions)

[baundy]

We recently got quotes for a safety cover, pool closing, etc. It's our first season, so we need the whole thing. The quote we intended to go with was an AlphaMAX Mesh cover with 99% shade. Like always, came here to see what the word on this cover is and I found nothing. Does anyone have any experience with this cover?

Also, is 99% overkill? The other company that gave us a quote installs Latham, Finley, and Hydra safety covers ranging from 95% shade to 99% shade. He wasn't big on the Hydra, but recommended either a Latham or a Finley cover.

 

[Newdude]

99% is a great compromise between a heavy solid cover and the 95% that let's more sunlight and dust through it. If you hold the 99 up to the sun, it appears solid but it let's water through slowly and a couple hours after a big rain it drained itself. Often times I get little puddles from the morning dew.

Alpha max or reasonable variations isn't coming up on Google. Maybe my GoogleFu isn't working today. Is that the brand or the product line of a company ?

Findlay has been at it since 2005 and Hydra since 1984, more regional IIRC.

Looploc, Merlin, Latham and GLI are national companies.

I don't think anyone would notice a difference between any established large supplier.

 

[baundy]

99% is a great compromise between a heavy solid cover and the 95% that let's more sunlight and dust through it. If you hold the 99 up to the sun, it appears solid but it let's water through slowly and a couple hours after a big rain it drained itself. Often times I get little puddles from the morning dew.

Alpha max or reasonable variations isn't coming up on Google. Maybe my GoogleFu isn't working today. Is that the brand or the product line of a company ?

Findlay has been at it since 2005 and Hydra since 1984, more regional IIRC.

Looploc, Merlin, Latham and GLI are national companies.

I don't think anyone would notice a difference between any established large supplier.

They sent me a PDF of what looks like a screenshot from a cell phone. There is a website - onlyalpha.com but I don't see any safety covers on there. The screen shot says that 5x5 spacing has a 12 year warranty and 3x3 spacing has a 15 year warranty. I don't know what 5x5 or 3x3 spacing means though.

I prefer this company to go through because they were really responsive, I just can't find ANY information about this AlphaMAX safety cover that they would be using is my only hang up.

 

[Newdude]

don't know what 5x5 or 3x3 spacing means though.

The size of the squares between the straps/seams. Smaller squares are reinforced more and theoretically hold more weight / hold up better over time. Whether or not it's needed is debatable.

The screen shot says that 5x5 spacing has a 12 year warranty and 3x3 spacing has a 15 year warranty.

Most cover warranties are prorated. We deep dove one a couple seasons ago and it wasn't worth it about halfway through. There was a processing fee of sorts and you had to pay to ship the old cover back. Freight shipping costs a fortune so it ate most of the gains shaving several years off the warranty.

Make sure to read the fine print. It's probably not all it's cracked up to be.

onlyalpha.

They've been at it about 20 years. They're probably doing something right.

 

[baundy]

They've been at it about 20 years. They're probably doing something right.

Agreed. I just didn't see safety covers anywhere on the website.