Lets talk pools!

[Vinny]

OK, today I closed my pool so winter must be coming ...

... but as we were closing it my wife suggested that we get a solar cover for next year and if we bought it now we may catch a sale.

So where do you buy your pool supplies on line? I use 2 places - in the swim and pool products.

And what type of solar cover do you have - clear, blue or aluminized?

It's a 24' round pool.

Thanks!

[In Canada eh]

Vinny,

  Now if we get a early winter I know its your fault  Our pool is still open although I know we are living on borrowed time, who knows, we were in it last year on thanksgiving (Canadian version)

  I buy our solar blankets from our dealer (same place we bought pool and tub).  Our cover is just the plain blue style although not the super cheap thin one.  I buy a 27' round cover for about $90 and trim it to fit our octagonal shaped pool.  It works out very well as it covers almost every inch of the water surface.  I have asked about the "higher quality" covers on the market and have been told they really don't justify the added expense.  Meaning, my $90 cover will last about 4 or 5 years and the $200 cover will last about 5 or 6 years. Keep in mind that the chemicals in the pool do more damage to the cover then the sunshine and other elements, if you shock your pool with chlorine or MPS you have to leave the cover off for the night.

  Also, a solar blanket will not heat your pool it will only keep the heat in.

  I would imagine you could get a good deal on a cover at any local pool supply place at this time of the year

[Vinny]

It's been hot here in Jersey but the kids are in school and any water temp under 85 is COLD! Also, the leaves have been coming down which I think means  either we didn't get enough rain or winter is coming quickly.

I think I posted around this time last year about my pool closing and I remember that you leave your pool open longer than I do. I am cheap so $90 is a great price, no way would I pay a lot for it.

So are you saying that I would need to keep the cover off the pool during the day and put it on at night? I thought the idea was to have the blanket on and let it heat up the water by absorbing the sun's heat and then the bubbles insulate the water along with the evaporation not happening to keep the heat in. I was planning on keeping that on until it became time to go in and or chlorine time. Speaking of chlorine I would imagine since the water is not being hit with all that sunlight that the chlorine lasts longer - the blanket's effect is like super dose of CYA!

Thanks for the info!

[Bonibelle]

My pool is also still open..so to say, although no one has been in for 2 weeks. I wish I closed it before all the leaves started coming down.

If you put the cover bubbles side down in the pool, the cover will heat that top layer of water. What I tyically do is put on my solar cover and let the sun warm the water then I circulate it down..again and again and I have been able to raise the pool temp several degrees in a day. The solar cover does  insulate the pool surface on cold nights.
And it prevents evaportation and chemical loss. I always use a solar cover..but unless you have an effective method for removing the cover, it is a pain. There are rollers and such, but the set up of my pool prohibits using a roller so I lug the cover off and pile it up on my deck (we actually built a spot on the deck for the cover).

The solar cover will prevent leaves from blowing into the water, but then you have to figure out how to deal with the accumulation on the top of the cover.  If you don't get them off pretty fast, you end up with algae growing on the top of the cover. and eventually it will end up in your pool when you remove the cover. :-/

My pool is round, so when it is time to put the cover on, I feed it onto  the pool and let the filter circulation pull it around. So that part is pretty easy.

I would just say to think about the off and on aspect before you spend the money, Vinny. I am willing to deal with it because I have this strange obsession with solar heat   and my pool was usable this August when my neighbor's pool (with no solar cover) was in the 70's.

I invested this year in the 16 mil. clear cover. I have tried the silver backed ones and the dark ones. It is heavy and thick but I am sure it will last a long time. Durability will also be a factor when you decide how you are going to take it off and put it on. I am sure using a roller is much easier on a cover than dragging it on to a deck like I do.

As far as who to buy from, you will find that like many internet businesses, one company sells under many different names. So one if you have had good luck with a particular one..stick with it.

[In Canada eh]

Vinny,

  No you can leave the cover on all the time, although you will want to pull it off if its on for more then 4 or 5 days to let the pool air out or else the water can go a little cloudy.  It clears up in no time from just letting the air and sunshine at it.  I leave our cover off on nights that I shock the pool so that the MPS doesn't attack all the little bubbles.  My dealer gave me this advice and our covers are lasting a lot longer.  Solar covers are great for keeping leaves and stuff out of the pool but like Boni said they do just accumulate on top off the cover,  I normally will hose them off just before I take the cover off and then use the skimmer pole to clean them out.  The chlorine lasted a lot longer with the cover on as you said.  We have a roller that assists with taking it on and off and I have seen people attach their rollers to the side of above ground pools.  I think your pool is a above ground if I remember right.  Given the cost of shipping a large bulky cover I think you would do better price wise at a local pool supply place.

  Well its about 80 degrees and humid here so we will be in the pool today and them the hot tub tonight when it cools down

[Vanguard]

In the Swim is a good company to deal with.  I have met a number of their people at their facility.  They are good people and don't try to undercut the entire marketplace.

[Bonibelle]

I have purchased from them too Vanguard. Actually the other day (Wednesday) I ordered a pool net to go over my water garden. It was delivered yesterday..so I definately give them two thumbs up!

[Vinny]

I have found them to be very good. Every so often they send you emails for free shipping and handling, I wait for that and then order.

I have purchased from them too Vanguard. Actually the other day (Wednesday) I ordered a pool net to go over my water garden. It was delivered yesterday..so I definately give them two thumbs up!

[Bonibelle]

My memory is really bad, but I believe that you are the one who told me about them, Vinny...