Do I need a solar cover

[Poconos]

Some good info Richard, Thanks. One question....what is an 'electric safety cover'? Couldn't find anything related to pool covers that made sense by googling it.
Al

[CarlD]

I don't know much about electric safety covers other than that they are covers that deploy at the touch of a switch.

We just came home from a 5-day jaunt to Banff for a friend's wedding. (It rained most of the time). I left my solar panels turned off, but my solar cover on--today the pool was 96 degrees! That's in North-Central New Jersey, with a 20,000 gallon pool, using a cheaper blue cover. It had been in the mid-80's when we left.

Covers insulate AND prevent evaporation-based heat loss.

[steveinaz]

Though I live in southern Arizona, neglecting to put my solar cover on at night will lead to a loss of anywhere from 2-4 degress the next day. Probably a combo of extremely low humidity and cool evenings regardless of high day time temps. As an example, we've been averaging about 97 degree day time temps, but evenings/over night temps are around 68-70 degrees.

My solar cover has been on since 1 February; it took until about 15 June to get the temp to 82 in the pool. Since about 23 June, it's been 85-87 consistently everyday by 2pm. A friend of mine with a similar pool uses no cover, his water is at 78-80 right now...