Pop quiz: should you cover your pool every night? If you want your pool to be ready for swimming tomorrow, yes, you should! Don't underestimate how powerful a simple solar cover can be: according to In the Swim, a properly fitting cover can reduce up to 95% of heat loss.
In dry and/or windy conditions, the evaporation rate of the pool increases. Therefore, it is generally beneficial to have a transparent or bubble cover on during daylight hours. In warm, humid conditions the evaporation rate decreases. In this case, it may be more beneficial to leave the cover off during the daytime.
Pool Closing Mistake 1: Skipping the Pool Cover
For one thing, an uncovered pool will become a catch-all for leaves and debris. Those leaves will spend all winter stewing away in the bottom of your pool. In the spring, you'll be welcomed with a nasty, sludgy mess.
When it comes to maintenance, covering your pool dramatically lightens your load. The number one thing a pool cover does is prevents your water from getting dirty and having debris fall in it, which means you will spend less time cleaning it out next time you go to use it.
Keep it covered.
Covering the pool is a good way to prevent algae growth. The right cover keeps algae from entering the pool, but it also keeps leaves, bugs, bacteria, and dirt from decomposing in the pool, providing algae with food.
Once algae gets into your pool water, they can turn into an algae bloom if you have nitrates, out-of-balance chemicals, warm temperatures, sunlight, carbon dioxide, or phosphates. Poor water circulation, poor filtration, and not sanitising your pool will also contribute to rapid growth.
Rainwater itself does not cause algae, but it can provide the right environment for algae.
A covered pool conserves water by losing less due to evaporation. This means you won't be filling up your pool as often as you did when you were cover-less. If you live in a drought area, using less water is the smart way to go.
Covering won't lower the temperature of your pool drastically, but it will prevent the water from getting warmer. If the water is at the temperature you want, make sure to keep it that way by covering it up tightly whenever you're not using it, especially during the day.
Place a cover over your pool after hours to block excess heat from the surface of the water. The cover will also trap whatever moisture happened to evaporate so this supply can rejoin the original water.
Covering your pool during winter is essential for its upkeep. This cover protects the pool from fallen debris and prevents insect and algae infestations. When it comes to the material, homeowners have two options: tarps or winter safety pool covers.
Whether installed at the end of the season or automatic, a solid safety cover impacts chemistry in two ways: 1) it prevents rain and snow from getting into the pool and diluting it, and 2) it prevents carbon dioxide from escaping. Meaning the pH is unable to rise naturally to its 'ceiling'.
This is important because all that nastiness we mentioned before that can grow in an uncovered, unused swimming pool can do more than just cause a headache when it comes to spring opening. It can also cause damage to your pool, particularly the liner and filtration system.
A pool that is uncovered can lose up to 5° F overnight; a good cover can cut that loss by half.
If a major storm is in the forecast, it's best to skip the cover altogether. Automatic covers are even less advisable because they are costlier, and you can't “secure” them any more than the original design. So, don't use the pool cover in heavy rains and major storms.
You can close your pool once the temperature of the water remains consistently below 65°F.
If you don't open your pool at the right time, the higher temperatures may warm the minimal amount of water left in the bottom of your pool, creating a breeding ground for algae and other bacteria.
Stains, scaling, algae growth, and imbalanced water chemistry are just a few dilemmas that can arise if you don't use a winter pool cover. Pool covers block both debris and sunlight from entering your pool — conserving winter chemicals and protecting the pool's structure.
Liquid pool blankets are an excellent and effortless alternative to conventional solar pool covers. Liquid blankets save energy by trapping heat and reducing evaporation.
When temperatures reach below 40°F algae growth is stopped, but it can still survive and become dormant over the winter. Pool algae will come back to life weeks before you decide to open your pool.
It's often recommended to shock your pool once a week. If you don't do it every week, you should at least do it every other week. This is necessary to maintain your pool's water chemistry. If you have a lot of people over in your pool or have a party, you may want to shock your pool more frequently.