CHART - Saving from using a Cover if heating your pool

The links below are for nice charts from the U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: A Consumer's Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

The tables estimate annual costs by location, by water temperature, and with or without using a pool cover. Assumptions are made on the size of pool, heater efficiency, and pool size, and energy cost of course. Given the constant variables, it's the ratio between the cost of cover and no cover that is eye-popping.

Natural Gas
http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/.../mytopic=13180

Heat Pump
http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/.../mytopic=13220


There is also a good blurb on pool covers t http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/.../mytopic=13140

Since a cover reduces evaporation, this statement about a pool cover makes sense: "Conserve water by reducing the amount of make-up water needed by 30%–50%:

Excellent link, Spensar! I operated with no pool cover for the first half of last year, then with a cover for the rest of last year and all of this year, and the resulting increase in temperature and decrease in evaporation is astounding. I also think that having the cover on helps me keep the output of my SWG lower than if I didn't, but I am not sure since I haven't used the SWG without a pool cover.

If you need justification to buy a more expensive solar cover reel -- one that makes using a cover less of a challenge -- the payback is really short!

agree with all..i am really amazed at how much less evaporation occurs thanks to my solar cover...i also note that given my pool heater is out of commish and the pool isn't swimmable, i've simply left the cover on a lot more. i suspect that the cooler pool temp has helped, but even with it on days at a time in 25 to 29C weather, i've had little to no algae..

now, if only i could get my new pool heater going!:)

THAT would explain my low chlorine usage!!!
Thanks for those links!