A solar cover is essential to the running of your swimming pool in the UK. Not only will it generate free heat from the sun but it will also slow down heat loss and help to reduce evaporation. As the sun's rays pass through the cover, the heat generated is trapped by the bubbles on the underside of the cover which in some cases can result in as much as 8°C+ temperature rise - a sunny day will of course help to achieve this! However, as most of us are running the pool with a heater, whether that's a heat pump, electric, gas or oil boiler, the aim is the same - keep the heat in the water. Some people find that a solar pool cover raises the water temperature of their pool up to 10 degrees, but it’s important to remember that the key function of a solar pool cover is to retain the heat in your pool. Meece says that, depending on your pool size, “it’s likely a solar cover will only heat the top 6 inches of water and will not raise the water temperature of your entire pool.” Air bubbles in your pool liner can signify rising groundwater that seeps under the vinyl that pushes up the liner to cause air bubbles. Other causes could be an improper installation of the liner, damage from vacuuming the liner, or any other reason that would cause the liner to shift. UV Resistance When shopping for a solar pool cover, make sure you have accurate dimensions for your pool available. “You should measure the longest and widest points of your pool to ensure that the solar pool cover completely covers your pool area,” says Meece, adding, “If the cover does not completely enclose the water surface, heat will escape.” We use chlorine in our pools to destroy algae, bacteria and germs. Chlorine is expensive. The sun is an excellent heat source, but also produces UV radiation. UV radiation breaks down chlorine to an unusable state.

Liquid solar covers can be used to raise the pool's temperature without the hassle of installing and removing a conventional blanket or disc. A downside is that the water is exposed to debris like leaves and twigs. For a solar pool cover that is effective, easy to maneuver, and will minimize UV rays entering your pool water, consider the Robelle Heavy-Duty Blue Solar Pool Cover. The light blue color of this cover allows solar energy to heat your pool water without excessive degradation of your pool chemicals from strong UV exposure. We love that it's available in various sizes and shapes to fit round, rectangular, and oval pools and has a three-year warranty policy.If having a large solar cover that always needs putting on a taking off the pool isn’t your thing, In the Swim has a unique set of items called Alternative solar covers. Liquid Solar Covers and Solar Sun Rings work to retain your pool’s heat without the need of having a large blanket on your pool that you always have to manage and move. Natural Chemistry’s COVERfree liquid solar cover is a popular and very effective item that also decreases water evaporation. The innovative Solar Sun rings hold insulating air to trap heat and use magnets to connect to each other to cover your pool for easy use. These floating rings are an excellent way to heat up your pool water and are easier to handle for a single person as each Solar Sun Ring is 5 ft. in diameter. The manufacturer recommends a minimum of 60% pool coverage or one Solar Sun Ring for every 50 square feet of surface area for optimal performance. A solar cover saves you money and extends your swimming season. By absorbing and trapping the energy of the sun, a solar cover can heat your pool’s water by up to 15 degrees without using a gas heater or propane pool heater, thus saving you on heating costs by 50%-70%. This is the same on in-ground pools and above ground pools. Jimmie Meece, Brand President of America’s Swimming Pool Company. He provided insight on the most common materials for solar pool covers and how to size a pool cover appropriately for maximum effectiveness. We offer a range of high performance ‘Guard’ swimming pool cover materials; Sol+Guard™, EnergyGuard™ and CoolGuard™. GeoBubble technology combined with these bubble cover materials will give you a longer lasting* swimming pool cover with the highest energy and chemical saving efficiencies. If your pool is used often, or every day, you’ll want a cover that is flexible and easy to remove and reinstall (and if not, it’s a good idea to identify a pool installation company who can also help with pool covers). Polyethylene provides this flexibility but sacrifices some durability. Which means it will have to be replaced more often than vinyl. The more durable product is vinyl, which will last longer out in the elements, but takes a bit more effort to put on and take off. It’s great for use on pools that are only used a few times a month. Pool Base Material

Solar pool covers save energy costs. The climate you live in determines how much. In some areas, it can be as much as 70% savings over not using a cover. Most savings are the result of not having to run the pool heater as often by way of using the sun’s energy as free heat, and then insulating against losing that heat to the atmosphere. Save Money on Chemicals In general, clear solar covers are best at heating water, while solid colors do better at keeping heat trapped in the water. Up to 15 degrees Fahrenheit of free heating can be obtained on a moderately sunny day with a clear or translucent cover. An opaque cover will allow the pool heater to run less during a cool night by maintaining water temperature. Pool Usage To mimic the effect of a typical pool cover, the Coverfree solution works by creating a barrier on the surface of your pool water. It’s pH-neutral, invisible, and entirely safe for swimmers. The most significant advantage of using this liquid solar pool cover is that it saves you the time and hassle associated with removing and replacing bulky physical pool covers. However, it is worth keeping in mind that this solution will not protect your pool from UV rays or debris that may blow into the pool. Therefore, you will need a pool cleaner to keep your ground free of leaves and twigs. This round solar pool cover includes grommets that allow water to pass through the cover in several locations. While the cover doesn’t arrive with grommets attached, they are self-punching and relatively easy to install after you receive the pool cover. You don’t have to attach the grommets, but doing so makes it easier to drain water from the top of the cover when you’re pulling the cover out of the pool. The grommets allow a small amount of water to seep on top of the cover, which can keep your pool cover in place under light wind. That may be especially helpful for above-ground round pools, where the cover can blow off the pool and into your yard.

Delamination and deterioration caused by exposure to the elements are not, under normal circumstances, considered a defect in manufacturing. These situations develop from normal pool cover use. Why Do They Not Last Long? There are some things you can do to slow the rate of deterioration and prolong the lifespan of your solar cover. They don’t stop the breakdown from happening, but can delay the process.

If you don’t want to deal with putting and removing a big solar pool cover at all times, solar pool discs are an alternative that can also help you reduce evaporation and increase the temperature of your pool water. These inflatable solar pool covers from Solar Sun Rings feature a UV-resistant center that collects the sun's energy and heats the water underneath. While it may not cover as much surface area as a conventional solar pool cover (one five-foot ring is recommended per 50 square feet of water), it can still be an attractive option for small pools. If you plan on using solar discs in a larger pool, consider getting at least two or three sets.Air bubbles are frequently found on solar pool covers. The “purpose of air bubbles is to trap heat while simultaneously insulating the heat at night when the sun goes down,” says Meece.

Just like the dust cover on grandma’s couch, a cover over the pool keeps debris from getting into it, which means less pool maintenance. With any pool cover in place, you’ll find yourself removing less debris and vacuuming less often. A solar pool cover provides this along with all of its other benefits. This is not only convenient, but could save money on filters and prematurely worn-out water pumps as well. Conserve Water Light blue or deep blue is definitively the “it” color for a pool liner. Not only does it make your pool more picturesque, but a blue color also absorbs sunlight to help make the pool feel a little warmer. Air Bubbles Once the UV protection’s useful life has passed, it is just a matter of time before the material starts to become rigid. At this point, it becomes vulnerable to damage by wind, rain and falling debris. The most common type of solar cover is a solar blanket. Made with tiny thermal bubbles, they are excellent at retaining heat and water in pools.The “bubble side” of the cover is where the thinnest, most vulnerable material is. If it’s not possible to avoid sunlight, at least keep the bubble side protected. Either roll up or fold the cover so that the bubbles face inward. A solar disc can provide the same benefits as a solar blanket with much less bulk. Instead of covering the entire pool, the discs float on the pool’s surface and have a bubble lining to raise the water’s temperature. Although effective for warming up smaller pools, a larger pool will require more discs to warm up.