Category Archives: Swimming Pools & Spas

 

Have you ever wanted to save energy and money by turning off your swimming pool heater, but haven’t done so because of the inevitably colder water temperatures you’d experience?  It is possible, though, to reduce your pool heater usage this summer and still swim in comfortably warm water.  The easy money-saving and energy-saving solution is the solar pool cover. Solar covers, also known as solar blankets, significantly reduce the amount of energy you use as well as reducing the amount of water that evaporates from your pool. Solar covers raise your pool’s water temperature by an average of ten degrees by absorbing sunlight during the day and keeping that heat in the pool at night. Additionally, a solar cover will reduce your water and chemical evaporation by up to 70 percent which can save many, many gallons of water each month. If you use a pool heater, the heat retained by a solar cover helps to reduce your heating costs which can mean a savings of up to 90 percent in the summertime. Other advantages of solar covers are that they help keep debris out of your pool, and you will find that you need to run your filter pump less often.

Weather can take a tremendous toll on our outdoor furnishings, which is why using protective covers for patio furniture, gas grills, and anything else you wish to preserve is so vital.  But, what happens when the cover itself becomes damaged?  I’m referring specifically to the most important cover a homeowner uses if the home includes a swimming pool in the backyard. Pool safety covers offer homeowners, especially those with children or pets, some peace of mind because the job of a safety cover is to prevent accidental submersion and drownings in the swimming pool.  Many homeowners choose to cover their pools with a safety cover for the winter season rather than a winter pool cover because safety covers offer that additional element of safety.  If a child or animal wanders onto a properly installed safety cover, it will protect that child or animal from falling into the pool. What if, though, your safety cover becomes damaged?  Safety covers can be punctured, torn, or in some other way damaged by the effects of harsh weather conditions and render the safety cover unsafe.  Tending to this situation as soon as possible is important, but complete replacement of the safety cover is not always necessary.

How can you tell if your cover can be repaired?  MightyCovers can help.  The safety cover repair program offered by MightyCovers.com works like this… Visit MightyCovers.com and complete the Safety Cover Repair/Replacement form.  Fax the form, and they will send you  a box for shipping your cover back along with a prepaid return label.  MightyCovers pays shipping both ways as a courtesy to their customers. Next, remove the hardware from your safety cover (springs and buckles),  place your cover into the provided box, tape it securely, place the prepaid UPS shipping label on the box, and take it to a local UPS shipping outlet. When MightyCovers receives your damaged cover, they will inspect it to determine if a repair can be made or if complete replacement is necessary.  Once determined, they e-mail you a quote on the repair/replacement.  If you choose to have the repairs done, you will at that time provide them with payment information. If, on the other hand, you decide that you do not want your cover repaired or replaced, MightyCovers will ship it back to you at no charge to you. MightyCovers understands the vital importance of safety covers for swimming pools, so their goal is to make the process of cover repair or replacement as easy as possible for homeowners and ensure that peace of mind can be maintained.

 

Winter pool covers are used mainly to protect a swimming pool from winter weather and to keep limbs, leaves, dirt, and other debris from falling into the pool. For an in ground pool, a winter cover is held in place with water bags placed around the edge inside sleeves which are attached to the cover. An above ground pool uses the same type of winter cover, but it is held in place by a combination winch and cable assembly that runs through grommets in the cover. Inflatable air pillows rest on the water under the winter cover to make stick and leaf removal easier, and they also help water to run off the cover. Additionally, a winter cover blocks sunlight to inhibit algae growth.

A winter cover is an important part of winterizing your pool, and it makes opening your pool in the spring much easier and less expensive.

   

Swimming pool covers are a necessary accessory for pools because they provide primarily two essential functions. First, they can reduce your pool’s maintenance cost, and second, a safety cover, in particular, can prevent pool related accidents. The four main types of pool covers are Solar Covers, Winter Covers, Leaf Nets, and Safety Covers. Understanding the basic purpose of each type should help you decide which is best for your backyard pool. Solar covers, also known as solar blankets, significantly reduce the amount of energy you use as well as reducing the amount of water that evaporates from your pool. Solar covers raise your pool’s water temperature by an average of ten degrees by absorbing sunlight during the day and keeping that heat in the pool at night. Additionally, a solar cover will reduce your water and chemical evaporation by up to 70 percent which can save many, many gallons of water each month. If you use a heater, the heat retained by a solar cover helps to reduce your heating costs which can mean a savings of up to 90 percent in the summertime. Other advantages of solar covers are that they help keep debris out of your pool, and you will find that you need to run your filter pump less often. Winter pool covers are used mainly to protect the pool from winter weather and to keep limbs, leaves, dirt, and other debris from falling into the pool. For an in ground pool, a winter cover is held in place with water bags placed around the edge inside sleeves which are attached to the cover. An above ground pool uses the same type of winter cover, but it is held in place by a combination winch and cable assembly that runs through grommets in the cover. Inflatable air pillows rest on the water under the winter cover to make stick and leaf removal easier, and they also help water to run off the cover. Additionally, a winter cover blocks sunlight to inhibit algae growth. A winter cover is an important part of winterizing your pool, and it makes opening your pool in the spring much easier and less expensive. So what does a leaf net do? Leaf nets are lightweight covers made of an open weave material that fit over your winter cover or solar cover and help you avoid accumulations of wet, heavy, saturated leaves and twigs on top. Leaf nets ensure a quicker removal of leaves and help prolong the life of your winter or solar cover. They can be used in any season and are a big help if your pool is located in an area surrounded by trees. The open weave allows water to pass through the net, but it will block twigs and trash. Leaf nets help make it easier to remove the pool cover underneath. Safety covers are the fourth type of swimming pool cover, and they are probably the most expensive. Safety covers, like the other types, are important for maintenance, but they are also the only pool covers that can prevent drowning and submersion accidents. All safety covers must meet the requirements in the ASTM standard F1346-91 (1996), which means a cover must be able to support much more than the weight of a small child or animal should they walk out onto the cover. Other types of pool covers cannot do this. A proper safety cover is securely anchored into the deck area surrounding the pool and lies flat so there are no gaps between the pool and the cover that could allow a child to get under the cover and into the water. They give the pool owner peace of mind, especially if children or pets play near the pool area. Determining which type of pool cover is right for your swimming pool depends only on your particular situation, but covering your pool with some type of pool cover is a necessary step in properly maintaining it. A covered pool will experience less freezing in the winter than an uncovered one, a covered pool will cost less to open up in the spring time, and a covered pool will be much easier to clean and maintain throughout the swimming season.

 

Taking a dip in a frigid swimming pool is not most people’s idea of relaxing, unless you happen to be a polar bear.  Running the pool heater non-stop is not the most cost-effective or environmentally friendly idea, though, for warming up the water.  Many pool owners find that Solar Pool Covers offer the best of both worlds. A solar pool cover, sometimes referred to as a solar blanket, looks like an enormous sheet of bubble wrap.  It lies on the surface of the pool water and absorbs heat from the sun.  The solar cover transfers that heat to the pool water, increasing its temperature by as much as 10-15 degrees.  When in place during day or night, the solar cover keeps heat from escaping the pool and significantly decreases water evaporation.  This results in water that stays warmer and chemically balanced for longer periods.  Pool owners save money on water, chemicals, and energy while enjoying comfortable water temperatures well beyond the standard swimming season. Solar covers, or covers of any kind, should always be completely removed from the pool before swimmers enter the water.

Solar power is fast becoming the method of choice for powering things around the homes of the environmentally conscious. You can use solar power to provide light both inside and outside your home. Did you know that you can also use solar power to heat your swimming pool? Solar pool covers are a great way to warm you pool faster, keep it warm longer, and cut down on evaporation which leads to costly chemical loss. Solar covers float freely on the surface of your pool and do not require weights or tie downs. This makes putting on and taking off the covers a very easy task. Your water temperature can be raised by 10-15 degrees with regular use! All you need is the sun. The sun’s rays capture heat and transmit it into the pool via bubbles on the cover’s surface. It is an inexpensive and effective way to heat your pool so that you can swim earlier and longer!

Autumn is a beautiful time of year! Crisp, cool afternoons and falling leaves make for many picturesque scenes. 

However, the same falling leaves that look beautiful in the air and on the ground can make a not so beautiful mess on your winter pool cover! 

The leaves accumulate and gather moisture, becoming a wet, decaying disaster on your pool cover. 

Not only is it unappealing in a sensory way, it will also make removing your winter cover in the spring very messy and difficult. Leaf Nets offer the perfect solution! 

You simply stretch the leaf net over your existing cover and its lightweight, mesh design will catch all of the leaves that land on your pool cover.

It it easy to remove and will bring all of the leaves with it. It will make opening your pool in the spring a breeze!

Even though the temperatures are soaring right now, it will be time to close your pool before you know it.

If you already have a pool cover, you have made a wise investment that will keep your pool fresh and protected until next spring. 

There are several accessories available to help keep your cover in place and functioning properly.

Swimming Pool Cover Pumps are designed to remove water from your pool cover. They are available in manual or automatic models and will ensure that your cover does not sag and pool from rain/snow water.

Cover Clips are another important accessory to make sure your above ground pool cover stays in place for winter. They work like a clothes pin to hold your winter cover on tight. They reduce the wear and tear on your cover so that it will last years to come.

These, as well as many other cover accessories, are designed to keep your pool clean and protected all winter long. They are a wise investment for any pool owner.

With fall quickly approaching, the hot days will begin to turn cool and pools all over the country will be closing. Why not invest in something now to extend your swimming season?

Solar Pool Covers are the perfect option. Solar covers, or blankets, are like big pieces of bubble wrap that work to catch heat and transmit it to your pool water.

They also help to retain heat overnight to add extra warmth to the pool. Placement and removal are a breeze because the cover floats freely on the pool’s surface and is not tied down.

Available in round or rectangular, they can all raise your pool’s temperatures up to 15 degrees with daily use. 

Let yourself and your family enjoy your pool longer into the fall with an inexpensive and useful solar blanket.

 

While pools are fun and can be a great addition to any home, they can also be dangerous if precautions are not taken to prevent drowning. According to the CDC, drowning is the second leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 14 years old. 

Additionally, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has found that 75% of the children involved in swimming pool submersion or drowning accidents were between the ages of 1 to 3 years old. These can be scary statistics if you have a pool.

Children seem to be naturally drawn to water. While adult supervision is always the best way to prevent drowning, accidents can still occur.

In addition to installing alarms on any doors leading to the pool and in the pool itself, Swimming Pool Safety Covers are the very best method of drowning prevention. 

Safety covers are specifically designed to withstand high amounts of weight and prevent people, animals, and objects from entering the pool’s surface. In fact, covers must be able to hold a minimum of 485 pounds per five square feet in order to qualify as a “safety” covers.

Safety covers can be made to fit any size and shape pool and come in mesh and solid varieties. 

All safety covers  are anchored to a deck with straps that pull the cover taut over the pool. This tension creates a protective surface over your pool that can support hundreds of pounds more that an average person weighs!

No more stress and worrying that your children will wander into an unprotected pool.