ManualGuard - Pool Safety Cover with Manual Reel

[cgeorg07]

Hi all - Was hoping I could hear from anyone who has seen this cover in person, or has it installed. Automated Pools Inc. has a Manual Safety Pool cover with an on-deck track.

ManualGuard Pool Cover - Automatic Pool Covers, Inc. | Your Safest Option

ManualGuard MORE ABOUT OUR PRODUCTS The ManualGuard pool cover by APC was designed with limited space and smaller pools and spas in mind. Perfect for pools less than 18 feet wide and shorter than 38 feet long, a manual safety cover is the simple, flexible yet reliable option for those who demand...

www.automaticpoolcovers.com

It requires you to manually pull it across the pool, and then has a reel on one side to recoil the cover. We priced out automatic covers with our PB, but it is just out of budget for our 16x36 pool, and this option is under $4K.

We are in NJ with two young children, so the pool is not open year round and I can deal with manually opening and closing for a few years until they're older.

 

[PoolGate]

Do you plan on putting the safety cover on every time you are done using the pool? If so, I don't think you'll find a cheaper option. Safety covers alone for your sized pool run over $2k by themselves. I assume this is a secondary safety mechanism to the pool being fenced/isolated and possibly alarmed when not in use?

 

[cgeorg07]

@PoolGate - Yes, the plan is to 100% of the time have it closed when we are done using the pool. Our fence is around the perimeter of the property, but does not protect from going through the interior doors to the patio. We are looking to incorporate as many safety features as possible - e.g. Safety Turtle wristbands, alarms, etc.

 

[PoolGate]

@PoolGate - Yes, the plan is to 100% of the time have it closed when we are done using the pool. Our fence is around the perimeter of the property, but does not protect from going through the interior doors to the patio. We are looking to incorporate as many safety features as possible - e.g. Safety Turtle wristbands, alarms, etc.

MD code would restrict the interior doors and windows to the pool as MD requires an alarm on any entrance from the home to the pool. I would think NJ would be as least as restrictive on that. Not so? How old it the pool maybe it is grandfathered? I also suggest a camera perhaps with motion detection/notification zoned to cover the pool surface.

Automated covers usually run $10k-$15k. $4k if it includes installation is a pretty good price.

 

[cgeorg07]

@PoolGate - It is a new build (coming this fall), and to be honest, I am not sure what the code dictates, but I agree with you on putting an alarm on the door from the home to the pool. You make a great point about the Camera, I think that is another excellent idea. I plan on doing the install for the manual safety cover. It looks pretty straight forward - 2 rails on the side of the pool and the cable system run through the channel. Now if it was the hydraulic motors and all that, that is over my DIY head

 

[bradgray]

@PoolGate - It is a new build (coming this fall), and to be honest, I am not sure what the code dictates, but I agree with you on putting an alarm on the door from the home to the pool. You make a great point about the Camera, I think that is another excellent idea. I plan on doing the install for the manual safety cover. It looks pretty straight forward - 2 rails on the side of the pool and the cable system run through the channel. Now if it was the hydraulic motors and all that, that is over my DIY head

Cgeorge, how did this turn out for you? Did you stick with your plan?

We have a client looking at adding a cover but who refuses to accept their price tag. We're interested in giving them options, and this seems to be an uncommon one.

I'm very curious how you've liked it, assuming you've now had some experience with it.

 

[cgeorg07]

@bradgray - unfortunately we didn’t end up installing it. It was too heartbreaking to consider drilling dozens of holes in our bluestone. The best option we considered was aquamatic offers a solar powered top track cover. No hassle of running electrical, decently priced and no manual cranking for a few k more.

 

[bradgray]

@bradgray - unfortunately we didn’t end up installing it. It was too heartbreaking to consider drilling dozens of holes in our bluestone. The best option we considered was aquamatic offers a solar powered top track cover. No hassle of running electrical, decently priced and no manual cranking for a few k more.

Understandable. Did you elect to forego a cover altogether then?

 

[cgeorg07]

Understandable. Did you elect to forego a cover altogether then?

Correct. It was our first pool summer here in NJ, and we did not run the heater as often as I thought we would and chemical costs for our salt pool were practically nothing.

We invested in weekly swim lessons for the kids instead for the last year.