Our Other Pool Videos: Above Ground Pool LED Light Install: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gSR2oAzT2B8.html DIY Solar Pool Heater:ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-PbAimKCUdcQ.html Do solar pool covers work: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-W3tnlHHbrRA.html Should you buy an above ground pool: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5g-jk2BT5xk.html Robot Vacuum for your pool: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-K3shfxKX5Cc.html How to kill algae FAST: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-SVEm-1F37DY.html Another way to kill algae FAST: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-a82fCLyFYA8.html Should you buy an above ground pool? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5g-jk2BT5xk.html Hayward above ground pool vacuum: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_R63547QI_c.html Hayward Pool Vacuum 4 years later: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-CYXiRLR_ees.html Make a solar heater for $25 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-PbAimKCUdcQ.html Wrap your pool in bamboo: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Ai9DoZN9nbY.html How to get rid of brown pool water: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rQts8UGsfbw.html
I have been using solar pool covers for 30 plus years. I live in southern California and before using a pool cover my pool topped out at 80 degrees, if I was lucky, in the middle of the summer. Nice but not awesome. With the solar cover the water hits 90 degrees no problem. In fact it will go over 90 degrees so at times I have to leave sections off for days at a time.( Mine is cut into 4 sections because of the size of the pool. ) You really don't want to go higher than 90 degrees or algae will be a real problem. It is a bit of pain taking the cover on and off, and leaves do collect on it that would otherwise float off into the skimmer. However we all really love a pool that is so warm you could stay in it all day! If your pool is a more rectangular shape you may be able to use a pool cover reel to eliminate a lot of the work putting the cover on and off. I would gladly do that but our pool is free form and not suited for that.
Hi Joan, I’m in Southern California as well, and was wondering, is it best to leave the cover off during day to heat better, then put back on at night? Or should I leave cover on all day and night? I know the cover seems to be heating the top layer, and have a pool robot to push up water from bottom of pool, but not sure what the best way is to heat my pool, as I don’t have a heater. Thanks!
@@stevenbrown5210 It rarely gets broiling hot here, so I am not going in the pool to cool off, just to play with the grandkids or simply relax. So actually 90 degree water is delightful (for my family anyway 😁) and we can play in the pool for hours and not get cold.
Excellent points to consider. My pool is lakeside in Arizona. Ducks and geese seem at times to prefer my pool to the lake. A pool cover not only keeps the heat in, but also keeps the waterfowl out. Not that I have bird bias, it's just that they tend to use my inground pool as a toilet. Seldom to they land on the cover. Your suggestion to cut the cover into two or four sections really makes sense because that would be much easier to remove and replace each time. I also may consider the clear cover instead of the usual blue, as the water here is full of calcium which after evaporating leaves white powder behind. Thank you for your suggestions.
Had a blue one many years, got to combine with a solar heat pipes system to got nice results in my area. Now I have a clear one, no more need the solar pipe system, clear is much better than blue according to my experience.
Another Con: You have to dispose of the pool cover when it is at end of life. I try to salvage the better parts for when I sell something on eBay for packing materiel to give it one more short repurposed life. I live in NorCal and mine lasts about 2 seasons, I roll it up and put it away in the garage for the winter so it doesn't get blasted all year long. I have a cover reel, it makes pulling and putting it back on a breeze, definite must have if you have an inground pool. I also buy it in the dead of winter off eBay when it is half the price vs. spring or summer time. Usually it was under $100 for a 16x32... but inflation and supply shortages who knows what the prices will be these days 🤷♂.
they work for what it is and heats up my 2000gal bestway about 10 degrees on a sunny day. I just added 250ft of solar heater and by 4 5 pm my pool reaches 85~90 on a sunny day
It’s my experience that your pool will actually heat better if you take the cover off and let the sun heat the water during the day and use the cover when the outside temperature drops below the pool water temperature.(at night) The cover helps prevent heat loss and evaporation but it’s not proven that it actually magnifies the suns ability to heat the pool. Also. Best to cut your cover an inch or so smaller than your pool all around to allow it to gas off. Cutting it into smaller more manageable pieces will not really affect the heat retention but makes it much easier to take off and put on the pool. Cut it in 4 strips and then roll it up off the side of the pool. Also will help to prevent any entrapment If an animal or person were to fall in on the cover. Poolguy. Many years.
My experience as well. Really just kept the cool night temp drop from being too bad and increased my need to watch for algae plus such a pain to deal with.
Put up my first pool, 12x24, It came with a pool cover, and our pool is in the sun (unless its a cloudy or rainy day) pretty much all day until about 4:30pm then one corner of it starts to get a little shade. But our pool temp is about 68 or colder almost every day.. Not sure it works for use to warm the pool.
left Chicago and my big gas heater. Moved to Nashville. 24 ` round. Oct 4th, nights are getting low 60's. Pool was down to 72. Put my heavy duty cover on 2 sunny days ago. Getting Plus 4 a day and minus 1 at night. Im at 79 on noon 3rd day. will see 82 by 4pm today friday and will be swimming in 86 tomorrow. 4 things: 1. cut as close to edge as possible. do not want the edge of the cover on the rail off the water. 2. Dont want big air pockets where it is not touching the water. Cover bubbles in the air is no bueno. I've got a good 5% or more airpockets and thats not helping. (it was too cold to jump in and put it on correctly. 3. watch for algae. My brother in law told me his cover worked great. 5 days on, took off one day to swim. shocked it. 5 days on again, took it off to swim but next day algea bloom. something about Phosphates reaction to rapidly rising heat??? I balanced, double shocked and algaecide before i covered it. 4. Brother in law told me to expect more heat increase as it gets warmer. That is that going from 82 to 86 is easier than going from 72 to 76. Forecast is 4 more days sunny mid 80's My goal is to hit 88-90 and see how long I can hold it after day temps drop back into 70's
This is good information. It might have an evaporation issue with my pool. I did the Bucket Test to check for leaks and is shows the same level of water loss. I'm going to get one and cut it to size as my pool is irregular in shape. One more negative is it can hold organic debris like leaves, acorns, water on top. If not taken care of the sitting fresh water can be a pool for breeding mosquito's.
Good point, since mine is an above ground we don’t get a lot of debris on it, but the pool I had before this was an in ground as we’d have to keep it clean.
Another issue with solar pool covers is things, or people getting trapped under them. Having them cut into sections like you show in your video makes them safer.
My knee high pool didn't warm up like you people are talking about had the bubbles down 90 outside directly in sun still 68 temperature. In small pool. Keeps leaves off and evaporation I guess.
I’m actually surprised you don’t tap into that solar panel on the roof and run an electric heater but I suppose this is still the more cost effective method because you don’t get the evaporation
Great video! Have you ever run the pump filter with the cover on? Think we will put our cover on at night and take it off during the day so the pump can circulate the water during the day and the cover doesn’t get all bunched up especially neat the steps and skimmer.
We did testing on covers in another video and the recommendation was going with a blue cover, medium thickness was best. Id also recommend a cover roller as well, they make taking it on and off a LOT easier.
What exactly do you do with these solar covers in the colder months like November to April? Have you experimented as to what the max temperature these can get the water to in those winter months? Southern California can still have high 70s low 80s in winter but I would assume its the low night time temperature that will kill all the heat. I have always wondered this, would appreciate any feedback.
I’m in the north east of the country and I have a in ground pool will it work for me?? And how do you deal with skimming the pool from bugs ? What is extra heavy how many mils
Yes, it would definitely work. The skimmer will still function with the cover on, and you'll notice a lot less bugs with the cover on. If I get a lot of stuff on the cover, I'll hose it towards the skimmer. 12mils and up is what I'd go with.
Any tips regarding the COLOR of the cover? I now have a new clear one and I’m afraid it might not allow for the saving of Chemical use? Is it wise to paint the top of the cover with a special paint?
Question for you. We have a 24 foot pool that came with a house my sister purchased. We need a cover but I'm unsure if a solar one is ideal, we are in MN, the Temps are drastic both sides, winter and summer. I'm unsure if we need it for the pool to stay warm. We do need some thing to cover our to keep debrit out since there are trees near by but the netted covers look like they have too big net holes. From what I've seen so far, what would you recommend with the drastic Temps here ? What if it rains, would we cover the pool to keep from having to clean it out daily? And so l do you have a winterize video ?
Unfortunately, I don't have any knowledge of winterizing pools, I live in the desert. I would recommend checking out the website "trouble free pool", that site and its forums are probably the best resource for homeowners taking care of their own pools.
you say to get the extra heavy duty thickness but don't tell us what the MIL of it is. some companies call their 12 mil heavy duty while others say 18 mil is heavy duty. What is it that you use that sometimes gave you 2 to 3 seasons?
My current cover is 12m, I wouldn't go lighter than that. If you plan on folding it or rolling it 12 seems to be the easiest to deal with. The thicker you go the harder they are to fold or roll, and the heavier they get.
The sealed covers are more for winterization, you don’t have to use a sealed cover with a solar cover over the summer, or if you don’t winterize your pool
There's so many pros of pool covers that go way beyond heat, they really are just common sense for pools. People that don't use them are just plain old lazy.
Your video is very helpful. Do you leave the floating chlorine dispenser in the pool with the solar blanket on? Do you run the pump/filter at night with the solar blanket on? If yes, is there any risk to pump/filter? Thank you.
I've been running the pool filter with the cover on for years, there are no issues with it at all. I do use a chlorine float, I usually push it under the cover so it's not directly up against the side of the pool.
@@DoItYourselfDad Thank you. I will try my luck doing the same and will try to leave the chlorine float toward the middle of the pool under the cover. Hopefully the chlorine dispenser will disperse the chlorine well from the center of the pool with the pump going. Tonight will be the first time I use a solar cover so I better get proficient with my solar cover wrangling skills.
Have a 33 foot oval with a deck. Trying to decide how to install and find a reel with a new cover that would it this size of pool. You mentioned cutting the cover in half? Do you think I could install a stationery 24 foot and fold sides in to fit the reel? I know I’m fishing here… thanks
I see your solar cover is the transparent blue style. What mil thickness is it? Before you purchased this cover did you look at the style that are blue but have a grey/silver under layer making them a little more opaque. I have read the grey layer reflects the heat nicely but also doesn't let sunlight thru and creates a darker environment for algae to grow. Thoughts?
These covers are designed to sit on the surface of the water. Allowing it to come over the lip will allow wind to get under it and pull it off the pool.
I bought one. It lasted one season then started to fall apart in the pool. The plastic pieces destroyed of my 3 pumps. Cost me 9k to replace them. Do not purchase this cheap mans pool cover, better known as shipping bubble wrap.
If that was your experience you bought a crap cover and/or were running way way way too much chlorine. I’ve been dealing with covers for over 20 years and never had such issues.
