Let’s face it – the UK isn’t the warmest of countries, so if you are lucky enough to have your own swimming pool you may like to keep it warm with a solar cover.

 

 

 

 

What Are Solar Covers?

A solar cover or a solar blanker, is a plastic sheet that lies on top of a swimming pool in order to protect the water underneath. A solar cover will have a similar appearance to bubble wrap with small air pockets on the underside.

The size and thickness of the cover will vary depending on each product. The thicker the plastic is, the stronger the cover will be, but this also means it will be heavier.

How Do They Work?

Did you know that ¾ of a swimming pool’s heat loss is due to evaporation? Well, a solar cover helps to reduce this heat loss and minimize evaporation by creating a barrier between the water and the air. These solar covers can reduce heat loss dramatically by up to 70%.

The top of the cover will be blue in colour in order to mimic the water but the underneath will be a shiny gold or silver colour. This tin foil like material is used to reflect heat back into the water helping it to retain heat. This ‘Geo Bubble’ guard is more effective than the simple blue cover.

A solar cover should last up to 3 years but if the plastic begins to flake or the bubbles fall off, it may be time to replace it sooner.

What Are the Key Benefits?

As well as the heat retention properties, solar covers for swimming pools have many benefits making them well worth the investment. These are:

• Some solar panels will allow solar energy to pass through the plastic. This can increase the pool temperature by up to 8°C.
• Greatly reduce water evaporation and therefore reduce water consumption levels and costs.
• Cut down on pool chemical evaporation loss by up to 30% and reduce the amount of money spent on cleaning and maintenance products.
• Covers keep your pool clean from leaves, dirt, insects and any other debris that may litter your water. This is especially handy if your pool is in a green area. This plant life can cause algae or bacteria to feed and grow in your pool so keeping your water covered will keep your pool safe. Plus it will improve the appearance of the water when the cover is removed.
• If less heat is lost, less energy and therefore more money is required to heat the pool.
• Solar covers are for indoor pools too! A black cover will keep the heat in just as well, but is likely to be cheaper. A blue one may look prettier though!

Are Solar Covers Worth the Investment?

Well, that’s up to you to decide but all these savings are bound to add up. Let us know what your opinion is of solar covers for swimming pools – are they a yay or a nay?

(images: Wikimedia)