The 7 Best Solar Pool Covers Our #1 Pick: Sun2Solar Heat-Retaining Blanket. BUY ON AMAZON. Best for Round Pools: Blue Wave Solar Blanket. BUY ON AMAZON. Best for Rectangular Pools: Intex Solar Cover. BUY ON AMAZON. Sun2Solar Solar Cover. Robelle Heavy-Duty Solar Cover. Blue Wave Solar Blanket. Solar Sun Rings Pool Heater.
How do I choose a solar pool cover?
How to Choose a Solar Pool Cover Measure the size of the pool to get the properly sized cover. Select a light color for the pool cover. Choose a solar cover with air bubbles in it. Look for pool covers with reinforced UV-stabilized polyethylene. Select the solar pool cover mechanism that suits your needs and budget.
Does blue or clear solar cover heat better?
The best choice in the debate between clear vs blue solar covers is clear – literally and figuratively. The clear solar pool covers last longer, cost less, and retains more heat than blue covers.
Is a solar cover good for a pool?
A solar pool cover can lower the cost of heating a pool by as much as 70 percent because the pool heater won’t have to run as much to maintain the set pool temperature. Solar pool and hot tub covers prevent evaporation, effectively lowering your water bill. They keep dirt, debris, and insects out of the water.
What size solar cover do I need for my pool?
To determine what size solar pool cover you need, simply measure the longest and widest points of the pool. When the cover is installed, it’s best to completely covers the water surface so there aren’t any gaps for heat to escape.
Can you use bubble wrap as a solar pool cover?
While it may look a lot like bubble paper, the product used to cover a swimming pool and potentially heat the water is actually a solar pool cover. They work to heat your pool in two ways, by using absorbing heat from the sun’s rays and by preventing heat loss.
Should I cover my pool every night?
Covering a heated swimming pool at night will reduce heat loss. For a swimming pool that relies on the sun for heat, covering it at night can still make it warm enough to swim in the next day, instead of losing all the heat overnight when the temperatures drop.
Does a pool heat up faster with the solar cover on?
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.
How long should a solar pool cover last?
Over time, your solar cover will slowly deteriorate. You will need to replace your solar cover when it begins to flake and when bubbles begin to fall off of it. Most solar covers last for up to three years, though many people replace them more frequently.
Do dark pools get hotter?
Others claim that the darker color has no impact on their temperature. The fact is that technically, darker colors help absorb the sun’s heat. There is no conclusive evidence available to tell us whether or not the pool actually gets warmer depending on the color of the liner.
How do you keep a pool solar cover from blowing off?
Re: Cover blows off pool. To keep my solar cover from blowing off the pool, we lay pvc pipes (capped on both ends) across the cover. You can fill them with something first to give some added weight if you wanted I suppose, but I don’t. I have 4 or 5 of these and I just lay them in various places across the cover.
Do solar pool covers go bubbles up or down?
Useful Tips for your Solar Blanket Pool Cover Bubble side goes down! There is more of the cover that will touch the water and the surface tension helps hold the cover on the water. Also the sunlight seems to get focused by these bubbles like lots of little magnifying glasses. The flat side goes up.
Does a pool cover warm the water?
Insulating the Pool Water from Heat Loss 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.
Why is bubble wrap a bad insulator?
Air is a good insulator, and as bubble wrap is nothing but air bubbles trapped inside plastic sheets, it serves as a good insulator. The air in a confined space tends to resist temperature changes. Bubble wrap will increase the resistance to heat flow by a factor of one.
What can I use instead of a solar cover?
Solar Cover Alternatives Solar Sun Rings™ – w/ Water Anchors. SolarPill™ Liquid Solar Blanket for 12,000 Gallons Pools(Various Pack Sizes) Noair® Heat Squares. Beluga Solar Heater. Heatsavr™ Liquid Cover. Rx Clear® Solar Retain® – 1 qt. SolarPill™ Liquid Solar Blanket. Solar Sun Rings™ – Solid Blue With Water Anchors.
Is a pool cover just bubble wrap?
The first pool covers were developed from the same technology as bubble wrap. The pool covers are made from two layers of plastic one flat layer on top bonded to a bottom layer with air bubbles in it. Pool covers are often referred to as bubble covers.
Does leaving a pool cover on cause algae?
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. The best solution is to try using algae starver.
What happens if you swim in a shocked pool?
If you enter the pool immediately following a chlorine pool shock treatment, you are risking as little as skin and eye irritation and as much as fatality. Shocking your swimming pool is necessary, but take caution when doing so.
Do you need to cover your pool when it rains?
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.
How long does it take for a pool to warm up with a solar cover?
Directly convert solar radiation into usable heat: In an in-ground pool, a cover can increase the water temperature by 5 degrees F for each 12 hours of coverage.
Should you keep solar cover on pool during day?
Ideally, you’ll put your solar blanket on whenever the pool is not in use. Daytime is the best time for it to heat up your water, of course, since it relies on the sun. However, keeping it on through the night prevents water and heat loss via evaporation.
Do Black Bottom pools keep water warmer?
Are dark and black bottom pools warmer? Pools are no different. A dark bottom pool will likely be a few degrees warmer than a sandstone or white pool. The deeper your pool’s pigment is, the more heat you can expect it to retain.