When should I put on my solar cover?

[wayner]

I live in Toronto. My pool was uncovered a few days ago (I have a mesh safety cover). As is always the case upon uncovering the pool is cloudy and greenish and had some debris including leaves, dirt, etc. So I have shocked it and it is clearing up. It has been vacuumed but I still need to do some brushing. I am running the dolphin robot a few times per day to get the rest of the leaves, etc. The salt level was low so I need to add salt and the pH was 6.8 which I have remedied.

I likely won't start heating the pool to swimming temperature for a few weeks until air temperatures are warmer - maybe late May or early June. I have had the pool for about 16 years but I have never had a solar cover until mid season last year. When should I put the solar cover on the pool? Does it make sense to do so once the pool is clean and the chemistry is corrected? If it is covered I presume that this will mean that the temperature of the water will increase so I will need to burn less gas once I turn the heater on. And evaporation will be less as will the loss of Chlorine so I won't have to run my SWCG as much.

Any other issues to consider on when to put the cover on?

 

[Newdude]

Any other issues to consider on when to put the cover on?

Nope.

Put it on as soon as you feel like dealing with it.

The cover will reduce evaporation, FC loss and overnight heat loss. All 3 can be a moot point in the early season with less of each to worry about.

Once you're paying to heat the pool, then you need it's benefit.

 

[SJPoe]

Every day you have that cover on is a day the sun can help heat the pool, and the cover can help retain that heat. Ultimately that will result in less heating required when you are ready to swim.

With the last few days of 75F+ weather and brilliant sunshine, it's amazing how much heat gets pumped into the system.

 

[wayner]

Thanks for the advice I will do that, but I think first I want to get in cleaned up as much as possible.