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.
Covering a pool when it is not in use is the single most effective means of reducing pool heating costs. Savings of 50%–70% are possible. Pool covers on indoor pools not only can reduce evaporation but also the need to ventilate indoor air and replace it with unconditioned outdoor air.
No, but winter covers protect your pool from stains, algae growth and poor water balance that could damage pool surfaces. ... However, if you want to close the pool, but keep it uncovered all winter, or if you need to delay purchasing a new cover until next fall – here are the steps we took to do it for our customer above.
If you don't cover your above-ground pool, it's going to get dirt, leaves, and other debris in it. Even if you don't have any trees nearby, the wind will still blow debris into the water.
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.
If your ambient temperature is decent and there is not much wind, leaving the pool cover off will heat the water faster (and not just heat the cover and the water near it).
Algae can become resistant to normal levels of chlorine and can then breed rapidly if the conditions are right. Simply fitting a solar pool cover will not make the pool go green. However, because solar covers will warm the water, they can accelerate algae growth.
Algae growth is stopped at temperatures below 40° F, but some algae can continue to survive, and like weeds in a lawn, can go dormant over the winter, coming back to life in early spring, weeks before you open the pool.
Pools open green when the winter cover is not keeping out debris, the water chemistry is poor, and there is inadequate sanitizer. Even if you open late, and even if you have a mesh safety cover – you can skip the stains and discoloration by avoiding these problems with the pool cover and the winter water chemistry.
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.
Try to remove as much debris as possible because the more that is on the winter cover when you remove the cover the more chance of debris getting into your pool when you remove the winter cover. Once you have removed the debris it is time to take the winter cover off.
In sunny areas, a dark cover will provide some additional heat. When used the right way, a black tarp can help with pool heating. For example, when using the black hose trick, you can lay your black hoses on a black tarp. This can help generate more heat.
Solution. Never close the cover immediately after shocking the pool. It is recommended to wait several hours before closing the cover. Use a test kit to regularly test the pool water.
Overall, the lessons learned today is you should run your pool pump an average 8 hours a day to properly circulate and clean your water. The pump should push your entire pool in gallons in this 8 hour period of time. Residential pool water only needs to be turned over once daily to have proper filtration.
Earlier is Better
When it comes to opening your pool, sooner is better than later. There are no set rules for pool opening, and the exact time highly depends on your region of the country. Mid-March is fine after a milder winter, while April is better after a colder season.
For this reason solar covers (unlike solar rings) will actually block sunlight and keep heat out of the pool during the day – not magnifying the sun like many people will assume. So for these reasons a solar cover should be put on in the evening and removed in the morning, for maximum benefit.
The size of your pool, the efficiency of your pump and filter, and how dirty your pool is are just some of the factors you need to consider. Nevertheless, most pool cleaning professionals would advise against running a pool pump for more than 8 hours a day.
Is It Safe To Run The pool Pump With The Pool Cover On? It is safe to run the pool pump and filter with a swimming pool cover on. The pool cover doesn't in any way stop or hinder the pool pump from circulating the water or carrying out its function.
How does a solar cover work? 75% of a swimming pool's heat loss is due to evaporation. A solar cover minimizes heat loss from evaporation by acting as a barrier between swimming pool water and the air. Specifically, you can reduce your swimming pool heating costs by up to 70% by using a solar cover.
Pool Cover Colors
Today, green and blue covers are the most inviting, popular choices for homeowners, but you can also find shades of black and gray as well as Earth tones to complement virtually any backyard or color scheme.
10 x 12. Better Polypropylene Winter Cover. *Note: The scrim usually refers to the number of thick, loosely woven threads, per inch, that are sandwiched between the top and bottom layers of the cover that give the cover its strength. Typically, the higher the number, the better the cover. (
Black covers are opaque, allowing no light or UV rays to pass through the cover. The opaque quality and black color do allow for very fast and easy heat absorption, heating your pool quickly.