I have a new pool and my pool builder gave me a quote for a GLI Max Shade mesh cover. I wanted to get at least one more quote so I had the local pool store come out and give me a quote for a Merlin Smart mesh cover. The quote from my pool builder is $2200 more than the local pool store. The GLI cover has a 25 year warranty vs a 15 year warranty for the Merlin cover. Is this a situation where it's worth $2200 more for the longer warranty? Is the the GLI cover that much better than the Merlin cover?
Safety Cover: Merlin Smartmesh vs GLI Max Shade
- Thread starter mummer43
- Start date
+1. It's hard enough to get anyone to honor a 3 year warranty.
Will either of them even be here in 15 years ?
Will either of them even be here in 15 years ?
This is what it states on the product website: 25-year warranty with 5-year full coverage and 20-year prorated coverage against manufacturer defects
Maybe it's a typo.
You should verify to be sure.
Also, the pro rated details matter.
In any case, I wouldn’t put a lot of the decision on the warranty.
In my opinion, the following are some of the best cover manufacturers.
I would consider Loop-Loc to be the best and the rest are about equal.
https://looploc.com/
https://www.merlinindustries.com/dealer-locator
https://www.lathampool.com/about-us/
https://meycocovers.com/
https://anchorinc.com/products/pool-covers/
http://www.glipoolproducts.com/Products/Safety-Covers/
You should verify to be sure.
Also, the pro rated details matter.
In any case, I wouldn’t put a lot of the decision on the warranty.
In my opinion, the following are some of the best cover manufacturers.
I would consider Loop-Loc to be the best and the rest are about equal.
https://looploc.com/
https://www.merlinindustries.com/dealer-locator
https://www.lathampool.com/about-us/
https://meycocovers.com/
https://anchorinc.com/products/pool-covers/
http://www.glipoolproducts.com/Products/Safety-Covers/
Any manufacturer defect will be obvious immediately, so you're not going to have a manufacturer defect show up after 5 years.
So, the warranty is basically meaningless.
Do you really think that you're going to call them in 10, 15 or 20 years and get any meaningful warranty coverage on your cover?
Only you can decide if you believe you need the longer coverage from manufacturer defects.
The overwhelming majority of cover problems are from animals / branches / patio furniture/ etc landing on the cover and punching holes. Or like mine that one year I didn't realize that acorns got under the edge all around and I had a bunch of holes worn through it in the spring. So your most likely failures won't be covered.
Want to see fun math ? On the 15 year warranty posted by James above, you pay 1/156 per month (13 years after the first 2 with full coverage) of the replacement cost and a 15% handling fee. Well 15% of 156 months is 23.4 months. So that shaves almost 2 full years off the 15 year warranty. Freight charges ($$$$$) will reduce another two years worth, meaning if it fails under a covered portion of the warranty after 11 or so years, it will cost you more than a replacement to use the warranty.
The overwhelming majority of cover problems are from animals / branches / patio furniture/ etc landing on the cover and punching holes. Or like mine that one year I didn't realize that acorns got under the edge all around and I had a bunch of holes worn through it in the spring. So your most likely failures won't be covered.
Want to see fun math ? On the 15 year warranty posted by James above, you pay 1/156 per month (13 years after the first 2 with full coverage) of the replacement cost and a 15% handling fee. Well 15% of 156 months is 23.4 months. So that shaves almost 2 full years off the 15 year warranty. Freight charges ($$$$$) will reduce another two years worth, meaning if it fails under a covered portion of the warranty after 11 or so years, it will cost you more than a replacement to use the warranty.
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The warranty also says that they can repair the cover at the same cost.
So, you're almost paying for a new cover for a repair on your 13 year old cover.
You have to pay freight both ways and any labor if you want someone to handle the labor for you.
So, you're almost paying for a new cover for a repair on your 13 year old cover.
You have to pay freight both ways and any labor if you want someone to handle the labor for you.
Take the extra $2,200 and invest it; and even at 3% in 15 years, you will have $3,427.53.
At 5% in 15 years, you will have $4,573.64
In any case, the cover for a 20 x 40 rectangle should be a stock cover and it should not be super expensive.
What actual prices are you being quoted?
In short, extended warranties past 3 years are just gimmics or blinders if you look at from other angles. Put the extra cash in your pocket and spent how ever you want where as the other way is just making them richer at your expense.
4500 for the Merlin Smartmesh. The pool builder came down a bit on his price for the GLI Max shade and is asking 6500 but that includes closing the pool and tax.
Spend the least you need to get by as they both do the same job but one works for less $$$
I would go with the Merlin.
$6,500.00 is excessive for a stock 20 x 40 cover.
$6,500.00 is excessive for a stock 20 x 40 cover.
I would go with any if the name brands for a $2k savings. In this particular case, i have seen many a Merlin cover and they are quality.
The pool builder is also quoting two covers. One for the pool and one for the raised hot tub. The cheaper quote is for one cover that comes up over the hot tub. Is there an advantage for either of these setups?
jark87
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- Jun 5, 2011
- 1,189
- Pool Size
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- Jandy Aquapure 1400
I have a Katch-a-Leaf custom cover that is a single cover that comes up over the spa. I never considered 2 separate covers and I’m not sure how that would work for my pool layout. It would probably make the pool portion more difficult to put on, as it would have to stretch around the spa. The pro would be easier access to the spa during winter, but I just flip the spa cover over onto the pool, so it’s not a huge difference.
With the single cover, the most probable potential failure points are the where the cover gets stretched tight over the corner edges of the spa waterfall. Katch-a-Leaf includes mesh “pillows” that are placed on these edges to help prevent wear.
I would agree with other assessments above regarding warranty. Warranty will cover manufacturer defects, not wear and tear. The latter is what would cause failure. I don’t have any idea what my warranty was when I bought my cover. My Katch-a-Leaf is 15 years old and still going strong. I’d buy one again if it ever fails. They sell a safety net if you need something stronger - Katch-a-Kid.
With the single cover, the most probable potential failure points are the where the cover gets stretched tight over the corner edges of the spa waterfall. Katch-a-Leaf includes mesh “pillows” that are placed on these edges to help prevent wear.
I would agree with other assessments above regarding warranty. Warranty will cover manufacturer defects, not wear and tear. The latter is what would cause failure. I don’t have any idea what my warranty was when I bought my cover. My Katch-a-Leaf is 15 years old and still going strong. I’d buy one again if it ever fails. They sell a safety net if you need something stronger - Katch-a-Kid.
Well that certainly helps the higher estimate.
Is the hot tub raised at all ? I'd prefer it not rubbing if so. If it's entirely flat/level I wouldn't mind a bigger cover that blanketed it all. Rubbing wouldn't be covered under a manufacturer defect.
So right there are to very big differences. As I see one cover to be problematic unless it's super custom made that'll have a piece that goes up vertically the spill over wall and then over the top but if it just goes up and over being one flat area the corner coping by the spa will destroy it in no time and besides when there's snow pulling down it'll put crazy pressure on those corners so that will make the 2 separate cover design the way to go.