What You Should Know About Swimming Pool Safety Covers

There are various types of pool covers such as the winter covers, solar covers, and safety covers. Winter and solar covers cannot be used for safety purposes, thus, one must be careful to ask for a safety cover only.

The webbing has a minimum break-strength of 2,200 pounds. Mesh covers are able to withstand over 250 lb per square foot and serves as a safety device, by preventing the children from coming in contact with the water. The strong strands of polypropylene fabric are capable of resisting heavy rain and snow.

These covers require very little maintenance and are lightweight, thereby easy to carry, remove, and put on. Mesh covers are perfect while closing the pool for the winter. These covers prevent debris, leaves, and other pollutants from entering into the water.

Since, it is a mesh, a little dirt may seep into the water, however, most of the debris gets blown off its surface. Rain and snow drain away into the water through the mesh, thereby preventing any collection of water on the cover.

Mesh covers are not only available in various shapes and sizes, but are also available in different colors. Available in brown, black, blue, green, etc., these covers camouflage with the tree color, tiles, water, etc. Most of the mesh covers come with a 12-year warranty.

These covers are not as beneficial as mesh covers and have several drawbacks. They are prone to sagging after a heavy rain, because the rainwater collected on the cover does not get drained. The retained water causes the cover to sag down into the pool's water. Rainwater, dust, leaves, and other debris also get collected on it, giving it an unsightly look.

Moreover, the formation of shallow water can be dangerous to children and small pets. Solid covers with built-in automatic cover pumps drain the collected water off the cover. Separate cover pumps are also available, which when placed in the center of the cover, and connected to a garden hose can pump off the collected rainwater.

There is the dome cover, which is a transparent dome-shaped structure built around the pool. However, this is quite bulky and cumbersome to store in the summer months. Solid types are not preferred for long-term purposes.

These covers are usually built into the pool, but can be retrofitted into existing pools. They are typically used all-year-round, for safety purposes. They require a cover pump in order to drain the rainwater and snow off the cover surface.

Besides safety, these covers also help retain heat in the pool and also prevent pool water from evaporating, thereby keeping the pool chemicals in the water.
Automatic pool covers fit into a track on the pool sides. There is a basin with a long tube at one end of the pool, which rolls up the cover as it opens.

The advantage of this type over the other manual types, is that the pool is ready to use at the flip of a switch. It eliminates the wrestling over the cover to remove as well as put it on. These covers increase convenience and last for about 10 years. They can be renovated for less than half the cost of a new installation.

Installing a safety cover will solve the tension of children accidentally falling into the swimming pool. One can opt for pool fencing to ensure protection, however, getting a fence installed is quite expensive. Unlike fences, covers can be removed whenever required and don't come in the way. Swimming pool cover is not an accessory, it's a necessity!