Liquid Solar Cover Benefits
Just like any other chemical, you add to your pool water, liquid solar cover is completely safe for people and pets. It wont irritate your skin , and it doesnt leave any residue on you or your swimsuit.
Note: While its not a good idea for your pet to drink pool water on a regular basis, liquid solar cover is safe for the occasional sip or two your dog might decide to take when youre not looking. Always check the safety notes for the brand you choose before using it, and before letting your pets into the pool.
Reduce Water Evaporation
You can cut water evaporation by about 15 percent with a liquid solar cover. Does it really work? Absolutely. We even tested it.
Heat Retention and Lower Heating Costs
Liquid solar covers are about 75 percent as effective as solar blankets at retaining heat. But remember, it works constantly without your having to remember to cover the pool at night.
This may be a tradeoff for never having to reel in, clean, and store liquid solar cover, though.
Keep Bugs and Debris Out
Well, heres one area where solar blankets and rings are the clear winner. Of course, liquid solar cover isnt going to keep bugs, leaves, and other debris out of your pool.
If you opt to use this heating method, youll have to stay on top of things with your handheld skimmer and vacuum.
Lower Chemical Costs
Nope, were actually adding a chemical cost with this one. But its an affordable one that offers a good return on that investment.
Doheny’s Lowest Price Guarantee
Shop with confidence at Doheny’s.
Our volume discounts guarantee the absolute lowest prices on all of our products: swimming pool supplies, chemicals, equipment and more. To prove it, if you find a lower total delivered price by a licensed and authorized pool supply catalog or website , we will refund you the difference. We will even guarantee our Low Price for 30 days after your purchase. Simply contact our Customer Care Team at: or call us at 1-800-574-7665 to report the lower price. After verification, the difference will be promptly refunded. Doheny’s is not responsible for inadvertent price or text misprints or errors. Some restrictions apply – call for details.
Types Of Inground Pool Covers
There are 4 main types of inground pool covers and each has their own specific purpose when it comes to providing a protective covering. Its also common for pool owners to use more than one type of cover throughout the season as needs change. A solar cover is great during the swimming season when you want to quickly place and remove the cover during but isnt practical for the winter time where a winter cover provides a semi-permanent barrier that keeps just about anything while providing an added layer to your overall pool safety.
You May Like: Is Getting Solar Panels Worth It
How Will An Elite Solar Pool Blanket Help
Elite Super Bubble Blankets are proven to be the best heating blankets available. When you get one installed on your pool, you can ensure longer swimming seasons in warmer water. An Elite Super Bubble Blanket will keep your water in, keep the heat in and keep the chemicals in your pool, saving you money. Of course, with a cover that keeps debris out, you can also spend more time enjoying your pool and less time cleaning it.
What To Look For In A Solar Pool Cover
Size, thickness and color are the most significant factors in choosing a solar pool cover.
Pool covers need to cover the pool exactly from edge to edge. Large, high-quality solar pool covers close to 800 square feet may cost in excess of $200, whereas a smaller cover closer to 100 square feet will be closer to $100 or lower. If your pool cover is slightly larger than your pool, you can usually cut it to size without voiding the covers warranty.
Thicker pool covers should offer better insulation in colder, windier climates, said Gilda Dobrica, founder of ProSwim NYC and creator of the Teach-Your-Child-To-Swim e-course. Thin pool covers around 8 to 10 mils can save you about $100, broadly speaking, and may be sufficient in warmer climates. Solar pool covers with thickness between 10 to 12 mils fall in the medium range.
Blue solar pool covers are best. A UV-protected, translucent blue color offers a better balance between heat retention and pool chemical protection, Dobrica told us. Dobrica said that a clear cover will warm the pool water the most, but it will also allow more UV rays, which can make chlorine less effective as a disinfectant. A chemically imbalanced pool without enough chlorine could lead to algae blooms in your pool.
Also Check: How To Sell Solar Panels
About Our Pool Covers
Sustainable & Eco-Friendly
At CIP, our innovative design provides sustainable solutions. Investing in an automatic pool cover helps reduce energy consumption, conserve water and cut down on costly chemicals and other resources needed to clean and maintain your pool. Automatic Pool Covers help keep the heat inside your pool, and drastically reduce the need for constant heating. Pool Covers also help keep your pool clean, so less energy is needed for chemicals, equipment, and filters. Keeping your pool covered significantly reduces water loss due to evaporation. This way, you wont need to worry about water waste.
Versatile & Customizable
Our Automatic Pool Covers are designed for rectangular swimming pools and can be customized to cover a wide variety of swimming pool shapes and sizes. Varieties such as Roman-style swimming pools, Grecian-style swimming pools and L-shaped swimming pools are most compatible with our rectangular design. Free form pools, such as Kidney-style swimming pools, Oval-style swimming pools and Monaco-style swimming pools often require additional pieces of pool blanket that can be manually placed over areas that are not completely covered by the rectangular pool cover.
Built to Last
Saving on Every Level
Hands-Free- No Strings Attached!
Benefits
- No strings, ropes, or tracks
- Designed for continuous and repeated operation
- Effective safety features
- No leaves, bugs or debris
- Less chemicals needed
Our Summary On The Best Solar Covers For Inground Pools
We hope you enjoyed this guide on how to choose the absolute best solar pool cover for your inground swimming pool!
There are many benefits to having a quality solar swimming pool cover from maintaining your pool temperature to balancing out your pools chemicals. You can use the above reviews to decide which product is the best solar cover for your inground pool, our teams personal top pick is the Sun2Solar Clear Rectangle Solar Cover.
Let us know what you think about our top solar cover choices for inground swimming pools in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: Solar Chargers For Car Batteries
Are Solar Pool Covers Dangerous
Pools in general have an inherent danger, so you need to be aware of the risks associated with owning a pool.
Solar pool covers, like other soft pool covers, add an additional risk factor to your pool that all pool owners need to be aware of.
On their own, soft pool covers and solar pool covers are not dangerous.
However, when they are sitting on top of the water surface they can pose an additional risk, should pets or children, or even adults, walk on to the pool cover.
Soft pool covers can collapse around a person, pet or animal, and make swimming more difficult. Soft pool covers increase the risk of drowning in a pool.
The safety of soft covers can be increased by supporting them with a frame. You can easily make a frame using PVC pipe, or purchase a frame from your cover manufacturer.
These frames will reduce the space that can sink in, should a child, pet or adult accidentally fall on top of a soft cover.
This can reduce the drowning risk, but it does not eliminate the risk completely. You still need to closely monitor activities around your pool to ensure everyone is safe.
As a pool owner, you need to make sure that when you arent using your pool that visitors, kids and pets are well supervised.
This is the case even if your pool isnt covered. Being diligent is a must if you have a pool in your yard.
Choose The Elite Solar Pool Blanket For Superior Performance
Ten years ago, the team at Elite Pool Covers set out to improve on all aspects of the run of the mill round bubble blankets and succeeded by developing the Elite Super Bubble Blanket that is proven to out-perform all solar types of round bubble blankets on the world market.
There are a number of run of the mill round bubble type blankets on the market. These tend to keep the heat in your pool the same, as they all have similar small bubble size, same average insulating qualities, same lifespan and similar thicknesses.
The Elite Super Bubble Solar Blanket is truly superior and is proven to outperform all other round bubble blankets according to independent scale tank tests and comparative guarded hot plate tests to Australian Standard AS4859-1.
You May Like: Do Birds Nest Under Solar Panels
How To Properly Store Solar Rings
For temporary storage, such as when youre swimming but youll be putting the rings back on the pool later, you can simply stack them near the pool. Keep them out of the wind, though, or they may end up all over the pool deck and yard.
Some rings and squares have loops on the outer portion so you can hang them up while you swim.
When the swimming season is over, long-term storage is easy, too. Once you have the rings out of the water, spray them off and, if necessary, use a soft push broom or brush to clear any debris from them. Do this before you deflate them to make sure nothing gets trapped in any folds or wrinkles.
Next, dry them completely. It will be easiest to do this by hand. Taking a leaf blower to solar rings may just blow them right back into the pool, or into the neighbors yard. While that might be entertaining, it wont be efficient.
Once theyre dry, deflate them, flatten them, and store them in their storage bag , or in a container with a lid. Keep the bag or container in a cool, dry place.
Regardless of how and where you store them, just be sure to keep them out of direct sunlight, and away from abrasive surfaces.
In The Swim Premium 12 Mil
Specifications
Reasons to buy
The In The Swim Premium 12 Mil Solar Blanket is made of polyethylene and its thick material can raise the temperature of your pool by up to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. This can really help cut heating costs.
Raised air pockets on the surface of this thick blanket prevent your pool water from evaporating and protect it from things like falling tree branches or garbage – not to mention small, unwanted insect visitors. The air bubbles also trap heat and keep your pool warm. The thickness of this solar blanket means itâs pretty durable but the real winner is the impressive seven-year warranty to give you added peace of mind.
This solar pool cover also has UV-stabilized resin to prevent excess damage from the sun. If your pool isnât round, thatâs not an issue either as you can cut this pool cover to size.
While there arenât many reviews for the In The Swim 12 Mil Solar Pool Blanket, it scores an average of 4.5 out of five stars on the companyâs website. Users state that it effectively warms the water.
You May Like: How Did Our Solar System Form
What Are The Best Solar Pool Cover Brands
The most popular solar cover brands are Sun2Solar, Intex and Blue Wave. These companies regularly release durable, cost-effective options for in- and above-ground pools.
For Intex and Blue Wave, we recommend opting for a heavier cover, since both brands offer covers ranging from 8 mil to 16 mil. Most customers find the 14 and 16 mil covers more reliable, since they arent as easily blown off by strong winds or subject to heat loss.
How Do You Clean A Solar Pool Cover
An effective method of cleaning your solar pool cover starts by removing loose debris with a garden hose and sprayer. Then, mix gentle soap and water and lightly scrub any stubborn areas with the solution and a soft brush. Rinse the entire cover with the garden hose. Allow it to dry thoroughly before storing. Always avoid the use of harsh chemicals to clean the cover.
Recommended Reading: Should I Form An Llc Or Sole Proprietorship
What Is The Best Solar Pool Cover
There are three types of solar covers: blankets, rings, and liquid. Here are our top picks for all three.
NOTE: These solar pool covers are available to buy on either Amazon and InTheSwim.com. Check both sites for availability. All the links are affiliate links which means if you click a link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you. It helps us keep the lights on
For a classic solar cover thatll not only heat your pool but will also help reduce water and chemical evaporation at night, we like this lightweight clear solar cover. Perfect for both inground and above ground swimming pools.
Solar Pool Covers: Rectangular Oval Custom Sizes
A Thermal Pool Cover is recommended for all pool heating systems. Heating a pool without a cover is like heating a house without a roof the heat just goes right out the top. Without a pool cover, the cost of operating a Heat Pump or Gas Heater is doubled, and a Solar Heater’s effectiveness is dramatically decreased. For convenience a roller may be added to ease placement and removal of the cover. If a pool cover is not being used, the size of the heater must be increased by 75% – 100%.
Solar pool covers save energy, reduce evaporation loss as much as 90% and cuts nighttime heat loss while keeping your pool free of debris. High profile bubble covers are available in Economy 8mil, Deluxe heavy 12mil and Premium extra heavy 15 mil bubble. Rectangular, round, free-form and custom sizes are available.
Don’t Miss: Solar Light Caps For 4×4 Posts
How To Remove A Solar Cover From Your Inground Or Above Ground Pool
If you have a large pool, or if you swim often, removing the solar blanket every time you want to use your pool can be quite a chore. One solution is to cut the solar blanket into smaller panels so you can remove the pieces one at a time. If youd rather not cut the blanket up, a convenient alternative is a solar cover reel.
Good for both inground, above ground, and Intex pools, the solar reel is placed at one end of the pool. Youll attach one end of the solar blanket to the reel, and then turn the handle or wheel. The blanket will be spooled onto the solar reel, saving you a lot of hard work.
Some solar blanket reels are available with wheels, so you can roll up your cover and then move the solar reel aside. Others come with mounting hardware to install permanently in one location. Which version works best for you will depend mostly on how much space you have around your pool.
If you dont have a solar reel, you can pull the cover off and accordion fold it. Pull about four feet out, then fold that section in half. Continue pulling two-foot sections, folding each one back and forth like an accordion. This method also lets you rinse off each small section before folding, if needed.
Tip: If you remove the solar blanket temporarily, be sure to keep it covered or in the shade to prolong its life.
Solar Covers Transfer Heat
If you laid a sheet of plain bubble wrap on top of your pool water, all the little bubbles would act as magnifying glasses and would transfer some heat to the water. But regular bubble wrap is too flimsy to use for this purpose. Enter the solar blanket.
Depending on the color, opacity, and type of solar blanket you use, you could very well get some actual heating benefit from it. A light-colored, clear cover will allow the suns UV rays to pass through to the water, thereby heating it. A dark, opaque cover may still let some through if the material is thin, but not as many as the light, clear cover.
To get the most heat transfer from a solar blanket, look for one that is white or clear on top, with dark or black bubbles. The dark color will absorb the suns heat and will transfer that heat to the water theyre touching.
If heat transfer is one of your goals in buying a solar blanket, keep these features and benefits in mind so you can choose the right one for your pool:
Don’t Miss: How Much Is A 6kw Solar System
Do Solar Pool Covers Work
Despite what one might think, solar covers usually work very well. In most cases, they will warm the pool water temperature 48 degrees. Although this may not sound like much, it makes a huge difference in terms of the comfort level of the water temperature. This is also why in many climates pool owners only use their solar cover at the beginning and end of the season, as the cover can cause the pool to get too hot during the heat of the summer.
