Solar Pool Covers

Solar pool covers offer another interesting way for heating your swimming pool. They can be an addition to your already existing solar pool heating system or can operate as a stand alone system. Covering a pool when not in use is a very efficient way to keep the water warm and make your swimming season a little longer. A solar cover will also reduce your utility and maintenance bills if you are using gas to heat your swimming pool.
Solar blanket as they are also known can be positioned manually or by using a swimming pool reel system that will allow easy deploying and retracting of the solar cover. Opening and rolling-up the pool cover can be easily done by only one person.

The choice of solar cover for swimming pool will depend mostly on the budget you are willing to spend. Solar pool covers are available for above ground and in ground swimming pools. Pool covers are usually made of polyethylene or vinyl.  Both materials are UV treated enabling them to resist deterioration over time.   Vinyl solar covers have a longer life span. Polyethylene solar blankets look very similar to the bubble packing material used to wrap fragile objects but they are thicker.
The function of a solar cover is to allow the utmost amount of sun’s ray to enter to the maximum depth of your swimming pool. Solar pool covers works like giant solar collectors, they grab the solar energy all day long and move the heat obtained to the water. Solar blankets work by reducing the water evaporation process and retaining the heat of the pool. They are more suitable for gentle climates where there is no extreme cold. It is most probably the cheapest technique for heating a swimming pool.

Solar pool covers float on the water and anchors are not necessary. They can raise the water temperature up to 15 degrees. Although solar covers are not intended for cleanness purposes, they will significantly reduce the amount of debris that usually fall into any swimming pools.
Too much chemicals in your pool is the most frequent cause of degradation of pool covers. Chlorine will slowly attack the material forming the cover. Make sure to always roll back the solar pool cover before adding chlorine and other products to the water. The solar cover can be used again once the chemicals are totally mixed with the water.

To extend the life of solar pool covers you should always remove them during the winter season. Before storing the cover in a safe place it is important to clean it and dry it meticulously to avoid deterioration.