Solar Pool Covers

Having your own pool is one of the most sought after amenities in America. If you currently own a pool then you are already one of the lucky few. However, the biggest problem with having a pool is figuring out a way to keep it warm. A pool cover is the most cost-effective way to reduce heat loss, chemical use, and water evaporation. Heating a pool and then not covering it with a solar pool cover when you are done is like heating a home with all of the doors and windows open. Not very smart is it?

No matter what heating system you use, you can benefit from using solar swimming pool covers. By using a cover, you will have a warmer, cleaner, and all around more enjoyable pool. In addition to saving you a significant amount of money on your heating bill, solar pool covers all do the following:

• Help conserve water by reducing refilling amounts by 30%-50%
• Decrease the pool’s chemical use by 35%-60%
• Reduce the time it takes to clean the pool by blocking dirt and other debris from entering

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The most effective way to reduce heating costs is to always cover your pool after every use. Around 70% of the heat energy your pool loses is through evaporation. A solar pool cover is able to drastically cut heat loss by acting as an evaporation barrier, this will save you energy and money.

Evaporation actually requires a lot of energy to occur. While it only takes about 1 Btu to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water 1 degree, a single pound of 80ºF water that evaporates drains 1,048 Btu worth of heat from the pool.

The rate of evaporation is dependent on several factors including the pool’s initial temperature, the surrounding air humidity and temperature, and the pool surface wind speed. Greater evaporation rates occur when the temperature and wind speed are high and the humidity is low. While things like trees, fences, and shrubs can reduce evaporation, then may also shade the pool from the sun, which eliminates a huge heating source.

Despite the fact that indoor pools are not exposed to the elements, they lose the same amount percentage of energy from evaporation as their outdoor counterpart. The large amount of humidity in the inside of an indoor pool area is proof of high evaporation amounts. Also, an indoor pool requires that you have a ventilation and air conditioning system to cut through the humidity which increases your energy costs.

To determine how effective clear solar pool covers are you must consider whether the cut in evaporation losses as a result of using the cover is greater than the loss in solar radiation caused by using the cover. In the case of a clear cover, this usually works out positively.

If you live in a dry or windy location then the rate of evaporation is very high. A pool in this environment will benefit greatly from a clear solar pool cover because it maximizes the absorption of light solar energy.

Pool covers are made using UV-stabilized polyethylene, polypropylene, or vinyl in order to reduce deterioration over time. Pool covers usually last several years.

Solar pool covers look like bubble pack material, but they use much thicker plastic and are equipped with UV inhibitors.

Heavier and longer lasting covers are made of vinyl. There are also insulated vinyl covers that come with a thin layer of flexible insulation that is between two layers of vinyl.

I hope I have answered all your questions more effectively than other solar pool covers reviews. You can check out my favorite solar pool cover by CLICKING HERE.