Category Archives: Swimming Pools & Spas

Your swimming pool is one of those things that get plenty of use throughout the year, and it’s also something that benefits from a little maintenance and from the use of additional tools and accessories designed for it. 

Things like swimming pool covers are chief among the fall maintenance tools, but when you plan on opening up your pool next year you’ll want to plan ahead. A solar pool cover, sometimes called a Solar Blanket, is an investment worth making no matter what time of year it may be.

These devices are perfect for keeping your pool at that just-right temperature and for increasing the warm-up time needed for comfortable swimming next spring.

Before getting into the specifics of a solar blanket it’s worth answering the question that’s probably on your mind – why should you worry about a solar pool cover if it’s fall? 

The basic answer is preparation. There’s a chance you’re already ordering a swimming pool cover, and adding a solar blanket to an order is an easy step that won’t add much cost. In fact, during the shut-down season you may be able to find a solar blanket at a reduced price.

Having one on hand and ready to go for next swimming season means you won’t have to worry about it when the time comes that you actually need it.

So just what do solar pool covers do? They essentially trap the sunlight and help disperse the sun’s heat throughout your pool. They’re made up of thousands of tiny bubbles and actually resemble bubble wrap like you would ship breakables in. 

Those bubbles are the key to their method of action and they actually transfer the heat and help insulate the water. There are a few different reasons that this warming action is important, and a couple of times that you’ll be thankful it’s there.

When you first open up your pool for the spring, a solar blanket makes a huge difference. The cold of the winter months is in that water and keeps it pretty frigid. In fact, water temps in the forties to fifties aren’t uncommon during the first few weeks of spring.

It takes a lot of time for heat to transfer, and your pool will take a long time to shake off the cold. For families who want to use their pool that means that you’ll either have to suffer with incredibly cold water temperatures that make it uncomfortable to swim, or you’ll need to warm up the water somehow. 

A solar pool cover does just that, and drastically reduces the amount of time it takes your pool to warm up to a comfortable temperature.

The other key use of a solar pool cover is simply to hold in that heat. Especially during spring, the nights can get quite cool. Your pool could lose a bit of its warmth over a single night, and it’s important to prevent this by using a solar pool cover. 

The cover will hold in the heat like an insulating blanket – which it basically is. The day’s warmth stays inside the water instead of vanishing into the night air.

Basically, a solar blanket helps to get your swimming pool to the right temperature and helps keep it there. Whether you just filled the pool or are uncovering it for the spring, it’s good to have.

There’s one more way that a solar cover can help, and that is actually during the fall. If you want to keep your pool open as long as you can, adding a solar cover during the fall is a great way to do so.

Since solar blankets can boost a swimming pool water temperature by ten to fifteen degrees, you’ll be able to swim for several extra weeks instead of closing down the pool early. 

With today’s weather of hot fall days but chilly fall nights, keeping a pool open for an extra amount of time lets you and your family get all the use out of your pool that you can.

It’s important to understand what a solar pool cover can’t do, as well. These covers aren’t designed to serve as a fall cover and won’t protect against debris like leaves and branches.

They won’t serve as a safety cover either, and swimming with one installed can cause serious accidents so it’s important that they be totally removed before swimming. 

They also don’t block the sun’s rays, so they won’t reduce algae growth during long periods of non-use. In short, when you’re ready to close down the pool it will be time to use a standard swimming pool cover or Safety Pool Cover instead of a solar blanket.

Solar pool covers work on above ground or in ground pools and you’ll be able to find them in nearly any size and shape. Numerous ‘stock’ sizes are readily available and priced lower than most people probably realize, but those who have odd shaped pools will still be able to purchase one that is custom cut for their pool’s exact dimensions. 

During the fall and winter, you can store your solar cover just by folding it neatly or by rolling it up onto a solar pool cover reel. These reels make installing and removing a solar cover a snap and eliminate the need for help. You can usually use the covers by yourself as long as you have a reel on hand to provide assistance.

If you’re looking for a way to extend the swimming season and speed up next year’s pool opening schedule, a solar swimming pool cover is just what you need. They’re affordable and effective, and one item most pool owners don’t want to be without.

When it comes to pool maintenance, few things make as big a difference as a swimming pool cover. Sure, chemicals and filters are the most obvious things that people think of when they begin to consider pool care, but those who actually own a pool can attest to the fact that adding a pool cover helps eliminate leaves and debris, makes it easier to set up a pool when the spring comes, and slows algae growth.

It can simplify your entire maintenance process and also reduce chemical costs. But there’s another area that adding a Swimming Pool Cover really helps, and that’s with uninvited guests, whether they’re two or four legged, furry or human, or something else entirely.

A swimming pool is almost like an unavoidable magnet for your family. It pulls your family towards it when the warm months arrive, giving them plenty of fun and enjoyment.

But there are others that may be attracted to the pool’s siren song as well, for different reasons. And while there’s not much that you can do about them during the months that your family is really using the pool, using a pool cover once you shut down the pool for the year can help stop them from becoming a problem.

We’ll start with the biggest ‘guests’ – humans. There are plenty of pool owners out there who can tell stories about hearing a noise in the backyard and waking up to find a few teenagers taking a dip in the pool, whether on a dare or just because they had nothing better to do.

It sounds like something out of a movie, but it can and does happen. Putting a Safety Pool Cover over the pool stops your local troublemakers from turning your pool into their own little swimming hole. 

Those are the rarer of the guests your pool can attract. Much more common are animals like squirrels, mice, and even cats and dogs. Whether it’s your pets, someone else’s, or the local wildlife, animals are attracted to pools for one simple reason. They need water to drink, and a pool can provide it.

Not only can this create issues in terms of sanitation, but it could present a safety risk for your own pets or children if they’re attacked by the animals. Additionally, an animal that falls into a pool could be doomed to die there. Nothing’s worse than trying to remove a dead critter from your swimming pool.

A swimming pool safety cover makes sure that no animals try to sneak a drink, fall into your pool, or visit it for any other reason. Moving down the size scale, an even more common issue lies with scaled guests.

Frogs, lizards, and even snakes all love a place to take a nice dip, and your pool is perfect for that. Not only is it great just as it is, but if it begins to accumulate leaves and fall algae growth, it could turn into a flat-out reptile pond that would put the Everglades to shame. 

A cover blocks the leaves and algae that attract these animals, and helps guard against them. If you haven’t noticed by now, it’s worth mentioning that the smaller the group of animals gets the more common their visits become. Continuing that trend, insects are next on the list. 

Most summertime chemical treatments keep insects from becoming a problem in pools, but when the pools are neglected as they often can be over fall, winter, and early spring there is a risk of a serious problem arising.

Pool owners often overlook their regular maintenance and mosquitoes or other bugs can quickly call a pool home. And while it’s true that winter’s cold days will eliminate this issue, it only takes a few days of warm weather for it to become a problem.

Finally, we’re down to the smallest of the small. Bacteria and other microscopic creatures are always present in a swimming pool, but when the fall comes and people stop treating their pools with the same diligence they would during the warm months they can become a problem. 

Add all of the above visitors – bugs, animals and even leaves and algae, and your pool starts to turn into a lab Petri dish.

Add the right level of chemicals and put a swimming pool cover on the pool and you’ll find that you’ve got much better luck keeping all of the unwanted guests out of your pool, whether they’re your neighbors, that pesky squirrel, or something worse.

Cool weather’s coming, with the leaves starting to change their colors and the nights growing longer. That means it’s time to start shutting down your swimming pool for the season. And while there are plenty of steps you should take during this process, installing a pool safety cover is one that could be a lifesaver – literally.

Safety pool covers are designed differently from standard covers and they accomplish much more. They’ll still help keep debris out of your pool and reduce chemical expenses, but these covers also help protect your family from accidental drowning. If you’re wondering if a safety pool cover  is right for you, taking a closer look at what it offers is a step well worth taking. 

Basically, safety pool covers are made from a much tougher material than traditional types of pool covers. It’s worth mentioning now that if you have an above ground pool, the only way you’ll be able to install a safety pool cover over it is if the pool is completely surrounded by a deck.

That’s because these pool covers attach to anchors installed within the deck. The straps that hold the cover run to springs which then attach to these anchors, giving it the strength that is needed to protect those who fall into it from drowning.

Anchors can be mounted into almost any material, from wood to concrete and beyond. And before you ask, the anchors are mounted flush with the surface of the deck to prevent those painful stubbed toes or dangerous trips. Our safety pool covers come in a variety of different colors, so no matter what your style is you’ll be able to find it.

You can match your cover to your home, your pool furniture, or whatever else you need to match it up with. Be sure to take a good look at scrim numbers when you’re shopping for safety pool covers, since these tell you how dense the weave is. 

That helps indicate just how dense and strong the material used in the safety pool cover is. Quality covers will be rated to around 485 pounds per five square feet and in some cases to even more. The other point to consider with pool safety pool covers is whether or not you want a mesh or solid one. 

Solid ones are just what they sound like, and block out every bit of debris, dirt, and sunlight from the pool. Mesh ones are designed with small perforations to allow drainage. They’ll let in more light and possibly some debris, but in areas with heavy snow or rainfall they ensure that the weight of the water on them doesn’t ruin the cover.

You’ll want to think about your climate and the weather you get over a winter to figure out which option is right for you. Installing safety pool covers is easier than most people realize. 

It’s basically the same as a standard pool cover, only with the extra step of using the lanyards and anchors instead of just weighting down the edges. If you have kids, pets, or are just concerned about the overall safety of your pool when you close it down for the season, upgrading to a safety pool cover is probably a good idea.

Your swimming pool demands a bit of maintenance in order to keep it clean and ready for your family to enjoy. And that maintenance doesn’t stop when the weather turns cold and your family trades in bathing suits for snow coats.

You’ll still need to keep your pool in the right shape, and the right swimming pool cover is an important part of that. But finding the right Pool Cover and shopping for a cover can be overwhelming to many people. 

Luckily, it’s a little bit easier than most think. By just following a couple of easy steps you’ll find the cover you want quickly and get back to enjoying the fall.

For starters, figure out what kind of cover you want. The two options will be a winter pool cover or a safety pool cover. Both will keep out debris, leaves, and small animals as well as block the sun to prevent algae growth.

But a safety pool cover will provide a level of protection you won’t get with a winter pool cover since it will prevent accidental drowning and keep your pets and kids safe. Not everyone will need a safety cover, so take a minute to figure out if it’s something you need or if you can settle on a winter pool cover. Either way, the next step is to get the right size cover. 

Pool covers for above ground and in ground pools are usually stock sized, and you can generally match up the cover you need with your pool size pretty quickly. In some cases you may need a custom cover made, especially if you own a pool that is an odd shape or size.

In any case, be sure that you don’t make the mistake of buying too large or too small. Obviously a too-small cover won’t do much good, but a cover that is too large has drawbacks as well. The fit won’t be very good, for starters, but beyond that you’ll also void any warranty when you use a safety pool cover that isn’t the right size.

You may also need to decide between a solid or mesh pool cover, especially when buying safety pool covers. A mesh cover will allow water to drain through it into the pool below while a solid cover won’t.

Solid covers block out all debris and light, while a mesh cover will prevent serious water pooling from occurring. The choice is up to you, but consider the snow and rainfall in your area and choose the one that fits your specific situation the best.

Once you’ve found the right pool cover you need to also consider the anchors. In some cases your anchors will be included, but generally speaking you’ll have to purchase them separately. In standard in ground pool covers or above ground covers with a deck you’ll likely use a series of weighted bags placed around the perimeter of the pool to keep the cover in place.

Above ground covers with no deck are usually secured with a cable that cinches tight around the pool, often with additional clips to hold the cover in place. Some cheaper covers may just use a drawstring. And for safety pool covers, you’ll use a series of installed anchors around the pool that attach to straps. Also think about other accessories. For many, adding one or more inflatable pillows is a good idea. 

They’ll go underneath the cover and will help reduce accumulation of rainwater and also protect the sides of your pool by reducing pressure caused by freezing water. Leaf nets can be added over a cover to make removal of leaves much easier, and a solar cover purchased now makes it much easier to get your pool warmed up and ready next spring. 

All of these additional items are worth thinking about when you’re shopping for a cover. It’s a lot easier to shop for a pool cover than you may think, and these very basic steps will help you track down the right cover quickly and get your pool ready for the fall. It’s a small investment that will pay off big over the lifespan of your swimming pool.

Your swimming pool is one of the best features of your home. Whether it’s an above ground swimming pool or an in ground one, pools add value to a home, give your family a place to play and enjoy time together, and more. 

And while a standard pool is perfect for any family, there’s something to be said for a pool that stands out. 

Unique shapes and sizes on a pool can help yours be a little bit more fun for your family. But those sizes can also make it harder to pick the right swimming pool cover when the time comes to close down your pool.

Closing down your swimming pool for the season is important, and using a safety cover is one of the best options when you have children or pets.

Safety covers provide the same benefits of other covers in that they help guard against leaves and debris and also help reduce algae growth. Over the fall these can accumulate and make your springtime setup a huge pain in the neck.

But safety pool covers also go above and beyond basic swimming pool covers and prevent accidental drowning. But their design requires that they fit a swimming pool neatly, and with a uniquely sized or shaped pool this can be a challenge. 

If you have a pool that is an odd shape or size, Custom Safety Pool Covers are your best option, and are really your only option. Safety pool covers attach to anchor points installed around the perimeter of your pool, and the cover itself fits perfectly over the pool’s surface.

Straps run from anchor point to anchor point and provide the strength that keeps your family safe – a quality custom pool safety cover will be rated for around 485 pounds per five square feet in terms of strength. So, with all that said, it’s easy to see why a safety cover is the right call for you and your family. But how do you get a custom cover that is right for your pool? It’s actually not as difficult as you may think. 

Essentially, a custom swimming pool safety cover will be carefully measured and cut to fit your pool. You’ll usually have experts arrive at your home, take the measurements needed, and then turn in their measurements. Once the cover is ready, they could also help with anchor installation and initial setup of the cover, teaching you how to install it. In other cases you’ll be in charge of taking the measurements yourself.

If this is the case, follow the measurement instructions exactly. Remember that things like slides or diving boards that are within one foot of the pool will have to have a cutout for a proper fit. Once the information is taken and turned in you’ll get a quote within a day or so, and then have your cover shipped to you within one to two weeks.

You’ll also have to decide between a solid or mesh custom swimming pool safety cover. A mesh cover allows rainwater or snow to drain through it, back into the pool. Solid covers won’t allow for drainage. 

The advantage of a solid cover is that it allows absolutely no dirt, debris, or sunlight to penetrate into the pool. But while a mesh safety pool cover will allow some light and dirt to enter the pool, those in areas that receive heavy rainfall or snows will want to opt for mesh since it won’t allow water to pool on top of the cover and weigh it down, which can become a serious hazard. 

While plenty of people simply purchase a rectangular swimming pool cover that is large enough to cover their entire pool, most of them don’t realize that by doing so they’re reducing or eliminating its effectiveness as a safety cover and that they’re voiding any warranty it may have.

In other words, cutting corners by avoiding a custom pool safety cover isn’t the best idea for any pool. If you’re a pool owner who has a uniquely shaped or sized swimming pool, make the right call for your pool and purchase a custom swimming pool safety cover.

It’s a purchase that you won’t regret, and one that will often be easier and cheaper than you probably realize.

Fall weather means football, Halloween, and that it’s time to start shutting down your pool for the year. 

As much as we’d all like to skip that bit of work and relax on the couch while our favorite team plays, your swimming pool needs to be properly winterized in order to keep it in good shape for next year. 

Failure to winterize a pool could lead to pump damage, liner damage in the case of above ground pools, and a huge amount of cleaning when spring finally rolls back around. In other words, you need to make sure that you’ve taken the steps needed to really keep your pool in good shape.

Don’t just stop with a heavy round of chemicals and a pump and filter shutdown. You need to use a Swimming Pool Cover to get the most from your pool. Most pool owners are already aware of this and own a pool cover, but if you don’t, you need to consider purchasing one quickly.

There are plenty of reasons to do so, from leaf blockage to algae prevention to safety. If you do already have a cover, your first step will be taking it out and giving it a quick inspection. Unroll the pool cover and take a look at it. You don’t have to break out a microscope and Sherlock Holmes hat – just give it a quick pass to see if you can spot any damage.

A rip or tear in the material could spread quickly, especially if rain or snow weights down your pool. Look for dirt and debris as well. Maybe you didn’t wash off the tarp enough before you stored it, or perhaps the location you stored it was susceptible to mice. Regardless, if you spot any caked on dirt or debris, be sure to wash it off.

You also need to check your weights, water tubes or anchors. For those using Safety Pool Covers, check the anchors installed in the deck around your pool as well as the actual straps and springs. For those with traditional covers, take a look at the weights and make sure none are missing or too badly damaged to be used.

And for those using Above Ground Pool Covers, be sure to check the cable and winch or whatever other type of securing device is used on your cover. If any of these are damaged, you may need a new cover. Simply put, using a poor, damaged swimming pool cover can sometimes be as bad as using none at all. 

If yours is ready for an upgrade, don’t skimp on the investment. Take the time to find and purchase a quality pool cover so you’re not left with a huge mess. A rip that turns into a major tear could be a huge problem, and fishing a heavy pool cover out of a swimming pool in the middle of December is nobody’s idea of a good time.

There’s plenty of time to watch football. Take a few hours to close down your pool properly and you’ll be glad that you did.

And if you need a new cover, be sure to buy one and not just ignore the problem. It’s a minor investment that will save you big in terms of time, money, and energy over the fall and especially next spring.

 

Pool owners usually love their pool and what it does for their family. Pools give you fun, exercise, and a place to be together without having to take expensive vacations or spend your days bored out of your minds.

But when fall and winter roll around, most pool owners face the worst part of owning a swimming pool – the winterizing process. Luckily, closing down your pool for the winter isn’t really that difficult to do if you know what to expect.

 A solid half-day is the most it should take in most cases, from the moment you begin to the moment when the winter pool cover is in place and you walk away for the season. Here’s a quick rundown on the process. First of all, you need to make sure that your pool’s chemical levels are perfectly balanced.

While the obvious reason is to help prevent algae growth and unsanitary conditions, but a properly balanced pool also prevents scale buildup, corrosion, and more. This helps protect pumps, filters, and swimming pool walls.

Aim for a pH of 7.2 to 7.6 and a chlorine level of one to three parts per million. Additionally, alkalinity should be around eighty to one hundred and twenty parts per million while calcium hardness should be between one seventy five and two hundred and fifty ppm.

Once you get the levels balanced where they need to be you’ll be ready to start the next stage of the process. Clean the sides of the pool and the floor. Use your pool vacuum and your skimmer to remove all dirt and debris so the pool is perfectly clean.

This is important because leaving debris in the pool can cause staining and encourage bacteria growth. Once you’ve cleaned the pool thoroughly, remove any and all deck equipment. This includes ladders, handrails, and anything else that actually goes into the pool.

Next add the winterizing chemicals to the pool. There are specific chemicals that need to be introduced to the water that will maintain water quality while the pool isn’t being used, so be sure to purchase the right winterization chemicals and use them when you’re closing down the pool for the year. 

Now clean out your filter, skimmer, and pump basket. These components aren’t going to get a lot of TLC over the coming months so it’s important to get them in the best shape possible prior to shut down. Remove any chlorine products from your chlorinator and remove any cartridge filter elements.

Also backwash your sand filter if that’s the type of filter you have. Essentially you want to get your filtration system and pump back to the point they were in when you installed them. Next, either lower the pool water to the point just below the skimmer and returns or insert a Gizmo into the skimmer, then plug your return line.

This eliminates damage that freezing temperatures can cause to your expensive equipment. It’s important that you don’t completely drain an above ground pool because it will trigger collapse in many cases.

Next, finish preparing the different components of the pool. Remove any detachable hoses and remove any drain plugs from pumps and filters.

If there are specific instructions for winterization shutdown, follow them. For those with hard lined plumbing, be sure to blow all water out of the system. This is usually done with a shop vac or air compressor that is then used to blow air down the skimmer. 

This blows all water out of the plumbing. Again, this safeguards against any damage that freezing temperatures can cause. Water left in the plumbing that freezes could do hundreds or even thousands of dollars in damage. Next, add your air pillow.

These go underneath a winter pool cover and will add an extra layer of protection to your pool. Fill it with a compressor or shop vac and then attach it to two anchors around the pool wall. This is an optional step that not everyone takes. Air pillows are usually used in areas where freezing temperatures are common since they’ll help protect pool walls against dangerous freezes.

Not everyone uses them, but if you live in a cold winter location they’re probably a good idea. Now you’re ready to add the winter pool cover. Follow installation instructions closely when you do. 

.In most cases the black side of the cover goes down. Anchor the pool cover accordingly – for in ground pools you’ll use water tubes or in some cases sand bags to help weigh down the edges of the Winter Pool Cover.  Safety Pool Covers utilize a series of straps and anchor points to give them the strength they need to support weight.

And above ground pools use a cable system in most cases. Some cheaper models may use drawstrings or other types of closures, but a cable and winch system is much better.

You can also add clamps to help secure the pool cover. Finally, place a cover pump or a siphon drain in the center of your winter pool cover. This prevents standing water from rains or snows from becoming a problem. Rips and tears can occur when too much weight builds up in the center of a cover, or the cover could be pulled down into the pool. 

Few things are as troublesome as trying to fish a heavy winter pool cover out of a swimming pool in the dead of winter. If you’ll keep these basic steps in mind when you shut down your swimming pool you’ll have a worry free winter and a hassle free spring set up. 

It may take a bit of time, but it’s well worth it for the results you get.

 A swimming pool cover is one of the most important tools you can have when you own a pool. Yes, you read that right – tools. It’s a tool because it helps get a lot of different jobs done. It prevents dirt and debris from building up in your pool, reduces algae growth, and simplifies fall and winter maintenance while making it easier to open the pool next spring. 

But it doesn’t really do all of this alone. Along with your work putting it on and taking it off, there are other accessories worth taking a closer look at and a couple of other types of covers worth pondering as well. The most important accessories you can get for your pool cover are simply the attachments. In most cases covers will come with some method of securing it to the pool, but it never hurts to get extra or to upgrade.

For some covers, especially Safety Pool Covers, anchors are attached to points around the pool and connected to the cover. In other cases weights like sandbags are used to weight down the perimeter. For above ground pool covers, this is usually a moot point but anyone with an in ground pool should pay attention to this. 

Adding extra attachments and weights will help ensure that your cover doesn’t slip into the pool, which can become a huge burden to deal with. Another accessory to think about is actually a kind of pool cover in its own right. The Leaf Net is a device that stretches over your existing cover and helps with leaf control. Basically, you put on the cover and then put the leaf net over it. Once the leaves have finished falling you just remove the leaf net. 

You may feel like it’s an expense that isn’t worth it, but the fact is that even the most experienced pool owner will end up spilling a few leaves into the pool when they remove their cover. The leaf net stops that from happening completely, letting you get rid of the leaves before you even take off the cover.

Finally, think about a Solar Cover. Sometimes called a solar blanket or heat blanket, this is just what it sounds like. It’s an inexpensive kind of cover that fits over your pool and sits directly on the water. It captures the sun’s rays and helps convert the warmth into the water. Essentially, this helps to speed up the process of warming the water.

Again, for some it sounds like a kind of item that isn’t really a necessity and it’s not. But if you’ve ever faced impatient kids or spent days waiting for your pool to shake off the winter cold, you’ll understand why this is a worthwhile purchase. Of course, just buying a quality swimming pool cover is the first step and one that you can’t ignore. 

But taking the time to buy a couple of accessories could help you get the most from your pool cover and make it much easier to keep your pool in top shape no matter what time of year it is.

Any pool owner who’s dealt with a spring setup following a fall and winter with their pool uncovered can attest to the fact that a pool cover will have a huge impact on maintenance costs and effort as well as on the spring setup of a pool. But when you’re closing down the pool this season, it could be time to invest in an upgrade and purchase a Safety Pool Cover.

If you’ve got children or pets, it’s well worth doing. But before you decide, just take a closer look at what safety covers are all about and how they’ll help your pool. It should help you decide whether or not they’re worth it for you. Basically, safety covers are heavier duty covers than the standard ones people put on their pools. 

They also use a much different attachment system. While most Winter Pool Covers are fixed in place by little more than a series of sandbags or weights, safety pool covers are actually attached to anchor points around the pool with a system of cords. This helps them hold up the weight of a child or pet that stumbles into the pool, and are much easier to attach and set up than they may sound.

Safety pool covers should also not be confused with Solar Pool Covers, which float on top of the pool’s water and helps heat the water and maintain the heat in swimming pools. Take a look at safety covers’ scrim numbers. This refers to the weave within the very makeup of the cover, and the higher it is the better quality the cover will be. Higher numbers mean more weaves, which in turn mean denser material that will be more durable and stronger. 

All safety covers that meet today’s minimum standards will be rated for more than four hundred pounds per square inch. Combined with proper anchors, that’s more than enough to ease most parents’ minds about their kids or dogs being near the pool. Safety pool covers come in two forms – mesh and solid.

Solid doesn’t mean that it’s as rigid as a board, of course, just that there are no perforations within the material. Basically, it’s a solid cover that allows no drainage. The advantage here is that it allows no light and absolutely no debris to pass through the cover, which helps with algae and hygiene issues, however solid safety covers will either have a small mesh drain panel in the middle of the cover or a small pump will be necessary to keep water from building up on the cover.  

A mesh safety pool cover will have perforations throughout it, and it’s essentially just what its name suggests. This may allow some light to pass through, but it won’t be weighed down by rainwater,  or other problems. For areas with heavy rain, that drainage is very important to the overall stability of a safety cover. So how do you know if a safety pool cover is the right choice for you? There are a couple of things to think about.

First of all, those with above ground pools may not need them. It depends on whether or not your pool is surrounded by a deck or just accessed by a ladder. In the latter case, you may not need a safety cover since you can often remove the ladder. Those with in ground pools or above ground pools with a deck around them will be much more likely to need a safety cover. This is especially true if you have children or pets.

75 percent of children who die in swimming pool accidents are under three, and drowning is the second leading cause of death among those under 14. In other words, having a safety cover will help prevent the unthinkable from becoming a reality. Even if you don’t have young kids, a safety cover may be worth it.

An icy deck can be very hazardous, and one slip could lead to death or serious injury. A safety pool cover is a kind of investment that delivers added safety as well as peace of mind other covers won’t give you. No, they may not be for everyone, but for many pool owners they’re an upgrade that you can’t ignore.

Have you opened your pool yet? Whether you have or not, you are probably ready to start swimming as soon as possible.

A Solar Swimming Pool Blanket is a great way to warm your pool quickly. 

Using the power of the sun, a solar blanket traps heat and transfers it directly to your water, warming it 10-15 degrees in a short period of time.

We have solar covers in every shape and size that you can imagine, for in ground and above ground pools.

You can add a solar cover reel to make putting on and taking off the cover incredibly simple.

In addition to heating your pool before the initial use, solar covers can also be used at night to retain heat that is generated during the day.

Solar blankets are also affordable, making them a small investment with a big return!