Covering your swimming pool

This blog post is part of the Town & Country Pools Blog Archive. The information found in this blog post is more than three years old. Information found in this post may not be correct or an accurate representation of Town & Country Pools.

Town & Country Pools, serving DC, Maryland & Virginia discuss pool covers

If you consider a swimming pool cover a mere accessory rather than a must-have for your swimming pool you should spend some time with the pool contractors from Town & Country Pools. They can explain the benefits and advantages of a pool cover in terms of money-saving, water-saving, pool structure care and safety.

What should you be looking for when considering a swimming pool cover? Here are a few styles and information onswimming pool cover covers:

  • Safety Covers:  Many covers can offer a layer of protection, but safety covers are specifically designed to hold a particular amount of weight — at least 450 pounds and cannot have any spaces that would be large enough for a child to slip through. A safety cover can also be a tie down or a track style model. If you’re looking for a safety cover, make certain you tell your DC, Maryland or Virginia swimming pool contractor to assure you’re getting the style you need. The cost for a safety cover ranges from $1,000 up to close to 10,000 depending on the style and the size of your swimming pool.
  • Solar Covers: A solar cover is a commonly used style especially in the sunnier climates of the country. These covers can be used on above ground or in ground pools and are sometimes referred to as solar blankets. They help prevent loss of heat and also help not prevent loss of chemicals and water through evaporation. They may increase the overall temperature of the water by 10 degrees.  Solar covers are relatively inexpensive, but don’t provide the best “seal” when it comes to keeping dirt and debris from the water. They range in price from $50 up to a couple hundred dollars.  These are NOT safety covers.
  • Tie-Down Cover These covers are stretched across the entire pool and tied down with anchors. They do require that your swimming pool has at least two feet of decking (the anchors are embedded there). A pool cover manufacturer can design a custom cover that can fit over your spa, water features or other accessories your pool boasts. A tie down cover, like many of the others can be made of solid vinyl or mesh (the mesh allows water to flow through). Plan on spending at least $500 and upwards of $2,000 for a die down pool cover — again this depends on whether you want is custom-fit and the size of the pool.
  • Track Cover This is style that is one of the easiest in regards to getting the cover on and off the pool when you want to use it. As the name implies, the cover is installed on a closed track system above the pool. It can be operated manually or electronically.  Plan on spending anywhere from $300 to $15,000 depending on whether you want a fully automatic cover and the size of your pool.

Regardless of the style you choose, it’s crucial to the health and safety of your pool and those in the household who use it to be diligent in the use of one.