Pool Care Archives - Page 6 of 6 - Pool Owners Academy

Should You Cover Your Pool Every Night? If you have a swimming pool in your yard, you probably keep it clean and take all of the measures to maintain it properly. Covering your swimming pool may not be your priority, and you may not have even thought about it. However, I think you'll be surprised to see all of the benefits that come with covering your pool nightly. So, should you cover your pool every night? Yes, 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 and evaporation. 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. In this article, I will list to you the reasons for covering your swimming pool every night. I understand that this can be an annoying task; however, I will explain all of the benefits that go with it. Once you read about the advantages of pool covers, you will definitely change your mind and change some habits around your house. Why Should You Cover Your Pool? If you have a swimming pool in your backyard, you are probably aware of the hard work it requires to keep it clean and in good shape. Once you get your pool set, you probably think your job here is done. However, even though it is summer, the temperature might not change, but the weather conditions will do for sure. Due to rain or winds, your swimming pool can get full of twigs, leaves, and other debris. This can be quite annoying, and it means that you have to clean it all over again. Furthermore, the water might get colder, so you need to heat it up again. Nothing of the listed above will happen if you just had a pool cover. These are just some of the reasons why you should obtain a pool cover. The benefits are amazing, and you will have more time to enjoy the pool rather than cleaning it. Below, I have provided a list of reasons for covering your swimming pool overnight, so later you could decide whether it is a good idea or not. Saves Energy Swimming pools use energy in different ways, but evaporation is one of the greatest sources of energy loss. Evaporation of water requires a lot of energy, and its rate depends on the pool’s temperature, humidity, wind speed, and air temperature. Therefore, if the water in your pool has a high temperature, that means that the level of humidity will be lower, and the rate of evaporation would be greater. In the case of a pool cover, the evaporation rate will be significantly lower, so you would save a lot of energy on heating. How much you would save usually depends on the way you maintain your swimming pool, but savings of 50%-70% are highly possible. Reduces Chemical Use Chemicals found in the swimming pools can be quite harmful, especially to those who have sensitive skin, asthma or are prone to irritations from allergies. If a pool cover is used daily, you can reduce the chemical use by 35% to 60%. Keeps The Debris Out Of The Pool Swimming pools are places where all of the yard debris goes in due to winds, not to mention the leaves and twigs. If you have a yard with a lot of trees, then leaves would definitely find their way into the pool. This means you would need to clean the pool every other day and waste some of your precious free time. Instead of enjoying it, you would have to clean it, and that is no fun at all. On the other hand, if you cover your pool every night, you will need just a few minutes to remove the cover every morning and the whole day to relax by its side. Decreases The Amount Of Maintenance Instead of spending each other day vacuuming and sweeping around and inside of the pool, you will spend just a few minutes uncovering it. This does not mean that you would not have to clean it, but you will not have to do it so often. Maintaining a swimming pool with all of the equipment can be quite difficult, and it requires a lot of time. However, one cover for it can change all of that in a second. Saves Money Besides saving your time, a pool cover saves your money as well. Instead of buying all of that equipment for keeping the pool clean and neat every day, you can just invest in a swimming pool cover, and all of your problems will be gone. Then, instead of buying equipment for maintaining your swimming pool, you can spend that money on yourself or some other yard decorations and furniture that will make your backyard a more pleasant place. Helps With Safety Measures Depending on the type of cover you use, you can add some safety measures in your backyard. For example, covers made of fiberglass are solid and sturdy, and they can withstand a weight of up to 400 pounds. That way, you can prevent anyone from falling inside the swimming pool. These kinds of covers usually require a manual for using it, or they have automated features. If you choose a cover that is managed automatically, you can consider all of your hard work in the backyard done. Saves Water A lot of water from the swimming pool is lost due to evaporation. The pool covers reduce evaporation, meaning that you will save a lot of water. In other words, you would not have to fill up your swimming pool every two weeks or so. This is especially convenient if you live in a dry area, where droughts are constant occurrences. Pool Cover Types Technically, all you need is some plastic that will keep your pool well-preserved over the night when it comes to pool cover types. Plastic meets all of the requirements for this purpose. However, some plastic covers can be quite heavy and bulky, meaning that they would be difficult to manage, especially if you intend to use them on a daily basis. Also, the sun can easily damage the surface of it, so you would be able to use it for a season or two, and that would be it. Therefore, this would not be the ideal option for a pool cover. Instead, you should purchase a specifically designed cover for swimming pools, i.e., it is made of the proper materials for easy use and good coverage. Usually, these pool covers are built in a way that allows them to last for a long time. The covers created for swimming pools are made of particular materials, like UV-stabilized polyethylene, polypropylene, or vinyl. They can be opaque, transparent, light, or dark. The choice is yours to pick what suits your yard the best. Bubble (Solar) Cover This type of cover is one of the cheapest on the market. It is called the bubble cover since it resembles the bubble packing material. The only difference between the cover and the packing material is that the cover includes UV inhibitors and a thicker grade of plastic. Vinyl Covers Vinyl covers are made of heavier and more solid material than bubble covers. They usually last for a long time, meaning that they are a good investment. These types of covers can also include a thin layer of insulation between the vinyl. Once you choose the material for your cover, you would have to choose its features. Actually, you would have to choose whether you would operate the cover manually, semi-automatically, or fully automatically. Manual Pool Covers With manual pool covers, the only thing you can do is pull the cover on and off whenever needed and store it somewhere where it will not get in the way. You can also buy a cover reel that will help you easily remove or put the cover on. The reel has wheels which make this process easier. Semi-Automatic Pool Covers Semi-automatic covers use electricity to be managed, but you will need someone to pull the cover while unrolling or push it inside when you are rolling up the cover. These are usually built into the swimming pool deck, or they use reels on carts. Automatic Pool Covers The automatic pool covers are permanently installed into the swimming pool deck, and they are operated by the push of a button. Usually, these types of covers are the most expensive ones, but they are the easiest to use. You will not need to use any effort, you will cover and uncover the pool very quickly, and you will save a lot of time. I do not think you need any more reasons to answer the question of whether you need to cover your pool every night or not. Using a cover for your pool is primarily eco-friendly and economical for you. Along with these, you also get some personal benefits.