Help with Finding the Best Pool Cover

[HermanTX]

I am helping a relative who is planning a new pool build in Louisiana. They have not had time to join TFP yet but will be having a SWCG and a robot based on discussions I have had with them. They want a pool cover primarily for safety reasons but also possibly for heat retention in the winter when they heat the pool. It is a large 16 x 38 rectangle in-ground pool and an adjacent 8x8 spa. Their pool builder has proposed cover by Cover Pools and there is another alternative made by CoverStar. I have searched the forum and have found mainly positive reviews on both. I am not familiar with using a cover but see that both manufacturers provide high quality fabric. Due to the pool size there will be sag in the middle from rainfall thus a cover sump pump may be required. Not sure if a mesh cover is strong enough.

Is there a cover that rain water can slope off of without the use of blowup pillows under the cover? The goal is to automate the opening and closing of the cover without having to manually place support pillows or move the cover sump pump.
Is there a metal type of cover vs. fabric and if so, is that practical? I am thinking about something similar to the slide covers used to cover beds of a pickup truck.
Appreciate any guidance or info the forum can provide.

 

[ajw22]

If they are heating the pool for the winter it means they will be using it and opening and closing the cover frequently. They are not going to put a pump on the cover or a pillow under the cover.

We have seen pictures of slat pool covers used in Europe but no one sells them here in the USA.

CoverStar or Cover Pools are the choices. The pool and spa need to be designed for an automatic cover so that the cover can roll over both the pool and spa area. An automatic cover does not work with a raised spa.

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

They are not going to put a pump on the cover

I use a cover pump in drought-stricken CA. I think they'll want one in rainy LA. I pull the pump off with an attached rope to open the cover, and pull it back on after closing the cover. It takes a minute or two.

Being child-free, my pump is to protect the cover from the weight of rainwater. If little kids are involved, the pump becomes a safety feature.

Yes, the cover will sag from rainwater, and no, the water can't run off it because it lies flat on the pool surface. You could conceivably make a slope with pillows, but that would be much more difficult than using a pump.

 

[HermanTX]

If they are heating the pool for the winter it means they will be using it and opening and closing the cover frequently. They are not going to put a pump on the cover or a pillow under the cover.

We have seen pictures of slat pool covers used in Europe but no one sells them here in the USA.

CoverStar or Cover Pools are the choices. The pool and spa need to be designed for an automatic cover so that the cover can roll over both the pool and spa area. An automatic cover does not work with a raised spa.

thanks for the feedback. The plan is to automate the cover operation and yes the spa and pool all on 1 level to facilitate that.
I agree, it will have consistent use so using pillows or the sump pump may not be feasible.
Appreciate it.

 

[wireform]

Pool covers are by design meant to rest on the pool water for support. During the swim season with lots of splash out and evaporation you will need to keep a certain water level for when there's lots of rain water on the top of the cover it can stress the cover sides that are in the tracks by pulling down more then the design allows. Pillows to raise it don't work because the leading edge has a solid bar and it'll just push the pillow and not ride over it. You also don't want to feed water deliberately into the tracks such as tilting the cover in a way to that makes water run into the track system because it'll bring at times dirt with it and set you up for more problems then you care to know. The typical pool cover pumps work very well and that's the norm.

 

[YonnyPiscinas]

I have one of these on my pool and love it. Easy to roll off and on daily. But not sure if you have something similar over there.
So strong you can walk across so great for safety reasons when you have kids/pets.

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