How Effective Are Solar Pool Covers - July - 2024 (2024)

FAQs

How Effective Are Solar Pool Covers - July - 2024? ›

The results of the study, summarized in the chart shown here, was that automatic covers, solar covers, and foam covers all perform at the same level of effectiveness; about 95% efficient. Solar rings, which leave open and uncovered areas between the round disks, reduced evaporation by about 50%.

Like a solar blanket, a liquid solar cover will not add heat to your pool from the sun, it simply works to maintain warmth by reducing evaporation. In the right conditions, however, liquid solar covers can be quite effective at maintaining your heat and reducing evaporation.

By harnessing the heating powers of the sun, solar pool covers offer the added benefit of raising pool water temperatures by an average of 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. All of that translates to solar pool covers ultimately saving pool owners both time and money.

How Quickly Will a Solar Cover Heat my Swimming Pool? According to the experts, a fully covered pool will heat between 10-15 degrees in about 6 hours. There is mixed information out there. Some experts say that you will get 7-10 degrees with three consecutive days of sun.

Research has shown pool solar covers are 95% effective in stopping heat loss and water evaporation. Another benefit to using a cover is prolonging the effectiveness of water chemicals. It reduces chemical degradation from UV radiation by absorbing the radiation and shielding the pool water.

Yes, you can safely use both at the same time! The pool cover does not have any effect on the pool pump circulating water around the pool. In fact, we would recommend it as it reduces the number of hours that the pump needs to be run and therefore extends the lifespan of your pool pump.

If you leave your solar blanket on your pool for a few days, you could cause a green house effect that will lead to an algae infestation. Invest in a good solar roller or reel or plan on removing your solar cover once a day. . . . .

Solar covers will help a pool warm up faster in the spring and help maintain warmth in a pool a little longer in the fall but one misconception about them is that they will warm up a pool in the dead of winter, which simply is not the case.

It's unfortunately typical for many of the cheapest solar covers to only last for one season before seriously deteriorating. However, if you have opted for one of the more trusted and expensive brands, your cover may continue to serve you well for as long as seven years.

Should the bubbles be up or down on pool solar cover? ›

Which Way do the Bubbles Face? The simple answer is they should face down, always. The way they heat your pool is through the sun warming up the air that is trapped in the bubbles. The heat is therefore then transferred into your pool.

This is a question we get every year about this time of year when the temps creep up into the high 80 low 90's. The answer simply is no, your solar cover and your automatic pool cover cannot cause an algae outbreak in your pool. An algae outbreak in your pool is strictly caused by not having a properly balanced pool.

Solar Cover Use

There are times when you should not use a solar cover. Remove the cover during heavy storms and wind events, to prevent damage from flying debris. Remove the cover before shocking a pool, and leave it off until chlorine levels drop below 2.5 ppm.

Clear covers are ideal when the sun is shining in your yard for long periods of time. If your pool gets less than 6 hours of direct sunlight each day, you may wish to try a different cover color (such as blue) which will absorb more heat in a shorter amount of time.

Conclusion. In conclusion, solar pool blankets offer a lot of advantages for pool owners. Not only do they provide the comfort of warm water and minimize water evaporation, but also significantly reduce rising energy, chemical and water costs.

For a pool that is completely covered by a solar blanket, and one that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight on the pool, a 10-15 degree F gain is not unusual.

If you leave your solar blanket on your pool for a few days, you could cause a green house effect that will lead to an algae infestation. Invest in a good solar roller or reel or plan on removing your solar cover once a day. . . . .

However, this is not to say that your solar cover will be redundant on cloudy days, as you may still see some small increases in temperature when using it. This is why it's important to use your cover along with another heat source, as you'll be able to more effectively maintain a consistent temperature.

Key Takeaways: Removing the solar pool cover during the day allows for even heating of the water. Leaving the cover on can protect the pool water from leaves and debris and reduce water evaporation. Keeping the cover on during extremely hot days can lead to uneven water temperatures.

Which Way do the Bubbles Face? The simple answer is they should face down, always. The way they heat your pool is through the sun warming up the air that is trapped in the bubbles. The heat is therefore then transferred into your pool.