Swimming pool cover
A swimming pool cover is a cover that is placed over a swimming pool to cover it. Swimming pool heating costs can be significantly reduced by using a pool cover. The use of a pool cover can also help reduce the amount of chemicals (chlorine, etc.) required by the pool. Outdoor pools gain heat from the sun, absorbing 75–85% of the solar energy striking the pool surface. Though a cover decreases the total amount of solar heat absorbed by the pool, the cover eliminates heat loss due to evaporation and reduces heat loss at night through its insulating properties. Most swimming pool heat loss is through evaporation.[1]
The heating effectiveness of a cover depends on type. A transparent bubble cover is the most effective, as it allows the largest amount of solar flux into the pool itself. Thermal bubble covers are lightweight UV-stabilized floating covers designed to minimize heat loss on heated swimming pools. Typically, they are only fitted in spring and fall (autumn) when the temperature difference between pool water and air temperature is greatest. When used consistently they can raise average pool temperatures of an outdoor pool by around 18 °F (11 °C) when combined with a well sized solar pool heating system, or about 11 °Fahrenheit (6 °Celsius) without a solar heater but with full sun exposure.[2][better source needed] Bubble covers are typically applied and removed by being rolled up on a device fitted to one side of the pool (see illustration). Covers fall apart after four or five years due to sun exposure, overheating in the sun while off the pool, and chlorine attacking the plastic. Bubble covers should be removed during superchlorination.
A vinyl cover absorbs more sunlight directly, allowing the temperature to rise faster, but ultimately prevents the pool from reaching as high a temperature as a clear cover.[3] Vinyl covers consist of a heavier material and have a longer life expectancy than bubble covers. Insulated vinyl covers are also available with a thin layer of flexible insulation sandwiched between two layers of vinyl.[3] These covers are mandatory[citation needed] to be fitted to all pools in areas of Australia that have experienced drought since 2006. This is an effort to conserve water, as much water evaporates and transpires.
An alternative to a continuous sheet of pool covering is multiple floating disks which are deployed and removed disk by disk. They cover most of the surface of the pool and offer evaporation reduction similar to continuous covers. Various types are available, for example opaque (for UV resistance and possible reduced algal growth), transparent (for esthetics), heavy and solid (for wind resistance), light and inflatable (for ease of handling).
Types of covers
Liquid covers
Liquid covers are also an option. They use a microscopically thin layer of liquid (such as cetyl alcohol) that sits on the water surface and reduces evaporation, which is one of the major sources of heat loss as well as water loss. Unlike other covers, the pool can be used while the liquid cover is in place, and the nontoxic material is safe for people as well as pumping/filtering systems. The liquid must be replenished regularly (monthly or more) and may not be effective in windy areas (since the wind will disperse the thin layer).
Safety covers
These covers are typically attached all winter, by hooked bungee cords or hooked springs connected to the pool deck and are usually made in a variety of materials including coated or laminated vinyl or polypropylene mesh. They are custom designed to stop leaf debris from entering the pool but more importantly they also provide safety for animals and small children when designed and installed properly. The custom safety cover was invented in 1957 by Fred Meyer Jr. of Meyco Pool Covers when he found a dead animal in his pool.[citation needed] Today[when?] covers are made to meet ASTM International safety barrier standards and have kept animals, people and even large vehicles out of the pool. They are not popular in warmer climates, due to the five to ten minutes it takes to fit/remove them, making them inconvenient for repeated application and removal.
Pool cover automation
A pool cover can be either manually, semi-automatically, or automatically operated. Manual covers can be folded and stored in an off-site location. Pool cover reels can also be used to help manually roll up the pool cover. The reel, usually on wheels, can be rolled in or out of place.
Semi-automatic covers use a motor-driven reel system. They use electrical power to roll and unroll the cover, but usually require someone to pull on the cover when unrolling or guide the cover onto the reel when rolling up the cover. Semi-automatic covers can be built into the pool deck surrounding the pool or can use reels on carts.
Automatic covers have permanently mounted reels that automatically cover and uncover the pool at the push of a button. They are the most expensive option but are also the most convenient. These reels can be run from either an external motor requiring a pit to be dug beside the pool or using an internal motor that spins the reel.
Some pool covers fit into tracks along the sides of the pool. This prevents anything or anybody from getting into the pool. They even support the weight of several people. They can be run manually, semi-automatically, or automatically. Safety covers may be required by inspectors for public pools.[3]
References
- ↑ "Department of Energy: Conserving Energy and Heating your Swimming Pool with Solar Energy (PDF)" (PDF).
- ↑ "Solar Pool Bubble Blankets – Will They Warm My Pool". Archived from the original on 3 February 2019. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "EERE Consumer's Guide: Swimming Pool Covers". Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Archived from the original on 1 December 2005. Retrieved 20 October 2007. Unknown parameter
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