Archived Thread

NFT: Pool Solar Cover?

moze1021 : 5/6/2021 1:12 pm

Is a pool solar cover worth it?? Live in PA and have no heater so typically not "adult ready" until June, figured this might speed that up...

Need at least a 24x42 foot rectangle to cover my freeform shaped pool... seems like I can get it for ~$280 on Solarcovers.com. Anyone ever use that site?

Should I get a reel?

Input greatly appreciated!

Note: Adding a heat pump (no gas service) is in my future, but want to wait until I do a pool deck reno and relocate the system due to the noise. Unless folks suggest otherwise and I turn off while swimming?

Solar covers do help some.

Red Dog : 5/6/2021 1:26 pm : link

My wife had one on her pool here in western NY for years. It definitely helped some, but is no substitute for a real heater early in the pool season and especially in cool fall weather when you don't have the really warm sun of springtime.

We also found that they don't last very long - three or four years was about all they are good for, five years at most.

All that said, they are definitely better than nothing.

Yes, but not because they heat the pool up a ton during the day

jlukes : 5/6/2021 1:34 pm : link

But because they prevent a ton of water temp cooling at night

Solar pool covers

Scyber : 5/6/2021 1:35 pm : link

help reduce heat loss at night and during they day due to evaporation. They don't actually add more heat to the pool. It still requires a good amount of sun to warm up the pool. And the usually don't show much benefit unless they have been on the pool for an extended period of time.

You won't get to balmy temps, but by preventing heat loss, the temps will go up a few degrees.

And yes, get a reel

jlukes : 5/6/2021 1:35 pm : link

Any folding or creasing from improper handling can shorten the lifespan

what jlukes said

Pete from Woodstock : 5/6/2021 1:47 pm : link

I live

NYGiants19 : 5/6/2021 1:49 pm : link

In western New York and the solar cover is great I had one for years the one draw back of having the cover is your chlorine burns out because it used the sun to heat the water. I hope this helps

I'm in CNY

fivehead : 5/6/2021 2:29 pm : link

We put the cover on at night and take it off in the morning. It keeps the heat in and slows evaporation at night.

we are in nor cal

Paulie Walnuts : 5/6/2021 3:32 pm : link

I had a few and yes you need a reel

I threw it all away as it wasa PIA to open and close and the water looked "dead" when you took the cover off, also Wife and I like to sit poolside and have coffee and the cover built up debris and ruined the ambiance

put a solar pool heater on instead

Yes and Yes

Juice921 : 5/6/2021 3:44 pm : link

and Convert to Salt if you havent already.