You can leave your pool cover on any time you're not swimming. In fact, it's recommended. During daylight hours, the more you keep the pool cover on, the more efficiently it will heat your pool.
The longer you leave your pool cover on, the more likely it is to tear and rip. The elements put stress on your pool cover which can then lead to damage. Additionally, debris and animals can cause rips and tears too. Be sure to take good care of your pool cover to keep your water clean and clear.
With spring on its way, it's time to open up your swimming pool once again. A lot of debris can accumulate on top of your pool's safety cover during winter. As the snow melts, there will likely be all sorts of leaves, twigs and other debris that will need to be cleaned from the cover.
So while a solar cover won't actually 'turn your pool green', it will warm your water by up to 8 degrees, so if the other conditions are right, adding a solar cover can easily accelerate algae growth, very rapidly. You need to get the water balance in your pool right before putting the cover back on.
You should cover your pool every night for several reasons. First off, a pool cover saves energy and conserves water by decreasing the amount of make-up water. Also, it reduces the consumption of chemicals, and finally, it saves a lot of cleaning time since it keeps the debris out of the pool.
We recommend it, yes. A pool cover does much more than just cover your pool in the winter. It can keep heat in your pool, keep leaves out of the pool, and save your chemicals and water from evaporating.
Conserves Water
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.
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.
The rule of thumb is generally 8 hours, although it could be anywhere from 6-12 hours, depending on your pool's size. Each pool is unique, so to keep your pool pump efficient and effective, you need to figure out exactly what your pool's turnover rate is.
A pool cover reduces the amount of UV light coming into contact with the water. This is an important advantage as the pool chemical chlorine is degraded when exposed to UV light. This means you won't be required to add as much chlorine, which can save you time to refill and money purchasing the chemicals.
It is vital to remove excess water from solid tarp style winter covers, commonly used on above-ground and some in-ground pools, to avoid damage to the cover and the pool. This can easily be done with a submersible pump on your pool cover whenever temperatures are above freezing, and liquid water is present.
When preparing your pool for a storm, leave it uncovered. Installing any kind of cover across the pool will not do much to protect against dust and contaminants because storms often bring strong winds and heavy rain that can cause the cover to lift off your pool.
Chlorine/non-chlorine chemicals – When adding chlorine or non-chlorine chemicals to “shock” your pool after a fill-up, wait about 24 hours or until levels are approximately 5 ppm. If you'll only be adding liquid chlorine, it's generally safe to swim after about 4 hours or until levels are 5 ppm or lower.
Air bubbles in the pool cover act as an insulator in a similar way that your thermos would keep water warm. A pool cover will, therefore, keep your pool water warmer for longer.
It's best to run your pool pump during the day
Not only does sunlight give fuel for algae to grow, it also destroys your pool chlorine and this is why you should always run your pool during the day!
One of the most significant consumers of energy in homes with swimming pools are pool pumps, which keep pools clean by circulating water through filters. Pool pumps can consume 3,000 to over 5,000 kWh per year.
Chemicals that you add to your pool while the water is circulating don't need to be recirculated; they will stay mixed even if you don't pump the water continually. Although it's generally recommended that all the pool water undergo filtration every 24 hours, the pump does not need to run all the time.
Using a pool cover overnight can reduce evaporation. Plus, the cover will trap accumulated moisture, and it'll naturally go back into your pool. You'll be rewarded with a more consistent water level and maybe even a lower water bill.
The automatic pool cover can be walked on, but for the main purpose of rescuing someone or removing fallen leaves, twigs and other debris. However, it is not meant to be jumped on or played on. Putting the weight on the cover excessively or frequently can damage it over time.
Your first instinct when you fill your pool with new water, is to shock it. But that shock then oxidizes the metals, that chemical reaction then causes the green hue in your water. This is common with refills that used well water or even water that hasn't been shocked but instead contains a high level of metals.
If the leaves on your cover are dry, use a leaf blower or pool brush to move them onto the deck or into your yard. You can gather and compost them from the grass. If the leaves on the cover are wet (as is often the case), you'll want to have a leaf rake specially designed for use on pool covers.
BUT, if you have to shock your pool during the day in broad daylight, you can still swim after adding shock. It's recommended that you wait one hour after adding shock with the filter running, and then test the water to confirm the pH and chlorine are in the proper range before letting anyone enter the pool.
Many areas have wet or rainy seasons. During these times, you can leave your pool cover pump on your swimming pool cover and let the pump work for you. Every time it rains, the cover pump will automatically activate and evacuate the water when a certain amount collects by the pump and then shut itself off.
The extra filtering will help clean out the impurities rain has introduced into your pool's water. Pool pumps are made to withstand rain and it is beneficial to run your pump during or after rain.
Remember, rain is acidic. Hence, pool overflowing from rain causes the Alkalinity and pH levels to lower. Very low pH causes pool water to turn very clear and acidic, which destroys your pool surface and equipment.