Solar Cover - Clear vs Blue ?

[richmgreen]

I see a lot of posts about the difference between 8, 12 and 16mm covers, but not much about Blue vs Clear. I live in CT and use a Heat Pump at the beginning and end of our short swimming season. I’ve mostly used 16mm clear over the years. But, now I’m older and the 16mm is too heavy to reel and doesn’t seem to last any longer then the 12mm.

Anyway, I’m looking to get max sun absorption and max heat retention. Does a clear cover do that much better than a Blue cover ?

Thanks
Rich

 

[Newdude]

IMO there is no difference no matter what the manufacturers claim. I bought into the white cover heating the pool when I was new and hated the decision everyday. The white cover was obnoxiously there out of the corner of my eye all the times, even when doing something else like mowing the lawn. With a blue cover it will fool the eyes unless you look directly at it more often than not.

Any thickness cover will stop the evaporation which accounts for about 70% of your heat loss, usually overnight, and seen as 'gains' the next day. Regardless of the cover thickness, they all have the same flimsy bubbles which are the ultimate failure for most.

The thick covers are less likely to be ripped when snagging them, but they also cost more so if you get an extra season out of it, it's a wash. Go cheap and thin and consider it disposable. With a short season you should get a few years out of any cover providing its stored well in the off season.

Even the risk of snagging them is iffy at best. When we moved I inherited a 16 mil cover on an aboveground and ripped it the first time I took it off. I may have been able to wrangle a lighter cover by myself without snagging it.