Can we talk solar blanket?

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brasilmom

Well-known member
Jul 23, 2011
187
Brookfield, WI
Greetings,

My pool is open, the water is balanced, the kids have been swimming, and now I need a new solar cover. I am in Wisconsin and the weather sometimes fluctuate too much. Do you use a solar cover? What are the best brands available? What features should be considered? Is thicker necessarily better?

Any advice is welcome. Thanks. Be well

Miriam
 
i think you will get "find the cheapest one you can, none of them last very long." From my perspective of similar size pool, i would consider a solar reel if you have space for it. I did not get one for two reasons-expensive and no space. The cover i have is fairly easy for two people to put on/remove, but it seems my helper and i are rarely on the same page at the same time, so it doesn't get on/off as much as i would like. in fact, i am going to cut it in half length-wise (into two 10x40 ft sections) to see if the 10 ft wide sections can be done by one person. if not, no loss.
 
I don't worry about brands, I usually go with the least expensive I can find in the 12 mil range.
Any thicker is a big hassle due to weight, especially if no roller for cover. Thickness will not matter when it comes to exposure to the elements, 2-3 years max and they will start to fall apart anyway.
 
12 mil is really all you need. And because you have a straight pool, invest in a reel on wheels. I have a cover that was cut in half and then a small piece for the steps. Although, my PH drops over 3-5 days pretty significantly if I do not let the pool breathe. Now the cover is on as the weather is not cooperating. In addition, I use the cover to heat up the pool faster because I have a heat pump and it works real well. Only use mine as needed. Make sure you store away from the sun as this is what damages covers and your TC should be on the lower side as well. My cover is going on 3 years and looks good.
 
On my last pool, I used a lighter weight reel with the cover. Even with the cover on the reel it was light enough for me to pick up and move to the side of the house, out of sight. As others have said, you will likely get 2-4 seasons out of the cover before it starts to break down. For my climate its still a worthwhile investment.

Mine looked something like this...
EMX.jpg
 
Get the cheapest cover you can get to fit your pool they all work the same.

Spend money on a really nice cover reel that makes putting the cover on and off as easy as possible. The easier it is to put the cover on and off the more likely you will be to use the cover and the warmer your pool will be.
 
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