Solar covers

[bjaeram]

Do they make a big difference? I have 27 foot pool and it seems like it would be a huge pain to put in on and take it off all the time. If it helps a lot I would consider it but if it's just a degree or two then I don't think it would be worth the hassle.

[Watermom]

You are right. That huge piece of vinyl is hard to handle, but it makes a big difference in the water temperature. Not so much from heat gained by its use, but from heat that is not lost at night when the cover is on the pool. If you combine it with solar panels, it will really make a difference. I also have a 27ft AG and I use the solar panels and the solar cover both and when I was in my pool a few days ago, the water temp was 86 degrees. We have had cool weather the past couple of days so I'm sure I've lost a couple of degrees but without it, I would have lost a lot of heat.

You may want to read a thread I started a few weeks back about my pool. Until your registration is complete, you'll have to log out to be able to see the other parts of the forum. So, copy the following link, log out and then paste the link into your URL line of your browser. There is info there about ways to manage a solar cover and also some pictures of my deck of my old pool. ( I see that you have another question in a different thread about decks.) The picture of my deck is a few years old and I have recently had a new deck put on but just haven't yet put any new pics. I keep meaning to do that, but can't find time away from answering so many posts to do so!

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthr...Pool-Adventure

Hope this helps. Welcome to the Pool Forum!

[AnnaK]

Our pool is a 15 x 30 above ground and yes, putting the cover on or taking it off and storing it out of the way was a big hassle. We cut ours into five sections which made handling it much easier.

We hardly use it anymore though. We run the pump at night because the electricity is 50% less. With the water circulating against the pool walls at night we have more heat loss that what we gain from covering the water surface with the solar cover. Given the high humidity we don't have much evaporation so the cover just isn't serving a purpose for us.
If only there were a way of insulating the walls . . .

Photos of the cover are in the links in my signature.