Solar Pool Covers

Heat your pool with the energy of the sun!

The ideal temperature for leisure swimming is around 25-26°C, and this is very rarely achieved naturally. For most of the swimming season the normal water temperature would be around 18-20°C. Most of the temperature gained during the day is lost overnight, leaving the pool cold again in the morning.

A solar cover (also known as a 'solar blanket') will substantially increase the usability of your pool. They are by far, the most economical way of heating and keeping your pool comfortable - they should be considered the first line of defense in the battle against cold pool water.

Our solar covers...

Our solar covers very effectively retain the heat in a pool, AND actually INCREASE THE TEMPERATURE of your pool water.

We have carefully selected the covers for the following reasons:

• They represent the best 'heat gain' to 'durability' ratio.
• They come with a 5 year warranty.
• They are made by POLYAIR the world's largest pool cover manufacturer - long established, industry-leader.
• They are made with superior materials and technology.

An independent temperature assessment study has been done in NZ on these covers
32kb PDF (click here to view)

Excerpt from PDF:
"...Sun
· In sunny, calm conditions with no cover, our pool will gain 0.5 – 1.0°C during daylight hours.
· In sunny conditions with the cover on all day, it will gain 2.5 - 5°C.
Cloud
· In calm light overcast conditions with no cover, our pool will generally lose around 0.5 – 1°C
during daylight hours. Wind will increase this loss.
· With the cover on all day, it will gain 0.5 - 1°C almost independent of wind.
Night
· With the cover off, temperature loss during night hours varies greatly between 1.5 and 4°C,
depending on cloud cover, air temperature, humidity and wind.
· With cover on, the nightly loss is much more predictable, being between 0.5 and 1.2°C.
It is obvious that using a pool cover of this type has a marked effect on the temperature in the pool,
increasing heat capture even on cloudy days, and greatly reducing heat loss at night. Before putting in our
pool, I was wondering whether we should eventually install solar heating to extend the swimming season.
With the experience we have had with this cover, I doubt I will think of it again – it’s unnecessary..."

How do our solar covers work?

Our solar covers are made from a film with thousands of bubbles – similar to bubble packaging, but of a thicker grade of plastic and with UV inhibitors – which work together to collect and retain heat in your pool; a bit like a greenhouse, just under water. The cover floats on top of the water (bubbles facing down).

They allow the solar energy (short wavelength) to pass through easily, then trap it as retained heat in the water, which radiates at longer wavelengths. This heat is restricted from readily dissipating into the atmosphere due to the insulating properties of the cover.

Our covers use a prism-shaped bubble that provide a nearly 100% insulating factor (Same principle as double-grazed windows).

Our covers minimise the cooling of the pool by stopping evaporation and convection heat loss. This occurs mainly during the night when the ambient air temperature drops below the temperature of the water in the pool. By creating a barrier between water surface and the outside air, these losses are virtually eliminated.

By keeping evaporation to a minimum, you not only save water, but you also save on the cost of chemicals as you don't have to rebalance your pool after topping up. It also reduces the amount of chlorine lost to the sun's UV rays. A solar cover reduces evaporation by 95%. Over 12 months, without a cover your pool will evaporate the equivalent of 2/3rd of the pool water!

Will a cover reduce pool heating costs?

Reduces pool heating costs by up to 75%. Even the cost of running pumps for solar panels is saved by reducing the amount of heat loss from the pool. Effectively 90% of heat loss is from the surface of the pool. By using a cover in conjunction with gas, electric or solar heating systems, significant energy cost savings can be made. People often install expensive heaters only to find that they still need a solar cover. We recommend trying a solar cover first before investing large amounts of money in a heating system.

Even without other forms of heating on the pool, the addition of a pool cover can result in a temperature increase of 4-6°C in a pool that has a sunny aspect.

How do I fit the solar cover?

The cover is simply cut to size with a pair of household scissors.

The first step is to ensure that the water level is correct. Before trimming your pool blanket it
is necessary to float the blanket on your pool for a few hours, allowing any packing creases
to settle. It may take longer when the weather is overcast, sunny days are best for this procedure. The solar blanket should be placed on the surface of your pool with the bubbled
side facing downward. When your blanket has settled it is ready to be cut, a pair of sharp household scissors can be used for this job.

Do I have to cover the whole pool?

For heating purposes, you don't necessarily need to cover the whole pool surface.

As long as the vast majority of your pool surface is covered, any gap with have virtually NO affect on heat heat gain /loss.

Can the wind blow my solar cover off the water?

Provided that the cover is fitted properly, it won't. With the bubbled side placed downward on the surface of your pool, it will float in position through both heavy winds and rain.

The effect of the bubbles facing downwards into the water creates a bigger surface area in contact with the water than the square of the pool, so that the surface tension is quite high. Furthermore, the blow of the wind actually creates a downward pressure, which in effect pushes the cover onto the water. However, if the edges of the cover are raising above the rim of the pool, the wind can get underneath it and will most certainly lift it off and blow it away. Reasons for the edges rising above the rim can be either that the solar blanket is too big or that the water level has risen due to rainfall.

How to protect your Solar Pool Cover:

Folded or rolled, your solar pool blanket should be protected from high temperatures and
direct sunlight. All plastic materials will naturally deteriorate when exposed to sunlight,
through the addition of UV Stabilizers this deterioration is slowed. Your swimming area is
one of the harshest environments for any plastic product, sunlight, chlorine and heat will all
take their toll on the UV stabilizing system in your pool cover. Excessive exposure to these
elements will accelerate the usage of the UV Stabilizer reducing the life span of your solar
blanket and possibly voiding your warranty. For this purpose the over-cover that is provided
with your solar blanket must be in place at all times when your solar blanket is not in use.
The same solar heating properties that are incorporated into your blanket for its heating
purposes may cause damage to your blanket if it is not stored below the recommended
temperature. If your blanket is not stored below 45 degrees Celsius, damage done to the
material may be irreparable. High temperatures may cause layers of the blanket to fuse
together when it is stored.

Warning:
Any damage caused by improper use of the solar blanket and/or exposure to inappropriate
conditions will result in voiding your warranty

EXCESSIVE Chlorine:

The level of chlorine should be monitored to make sure it does not rise above 3 parts per million(PPM). If you must raise the chlorine level to more than 3 PPM, then remove your cover from the pool to extend the useful life of the cover.

Damage caused by excessive chlorine exposure is EXCLUDED from this warranty.

It is especially important to watch automatic dispensers - even when monitored by 'pool specialists'. Generally pool specialists in NZ monitor chlorine levels fortnighly or monthly - this is NOT enough. In the U.S. pools are checked weekly (or more often). This is why pool covers in NZ do not last as long as in USA !!

Cleaning and storing your Solar Blanket:

A clean cover is more efficient than a dirty one and will allow more of the sun’s rays to pass through the cover to heat your pool water. Dirt will land on your cover and may then be blown off by the next gust of wind (without a cover the dirt gets wet and sinks). Any time you plan to store your blanket it is important to make sure that you hose it.

You can easily hose it off with clean cold wateras you roll it up. Or use water and a soft brush to clean your cover. Alternatively you can switch on your pump and hose it all into the direction of your skimmer basket to let your filter take care of it.

Cleaning will prevent any chlorine build up, which is potentially damaging to the life span of your cover. Mildew or algae build up can be easily removed by lightly scrubbing your cover. However, these substances are not damaging to the solar pool blanket. If you are planning to store your blanket for a long period of time (e.g. over winter), allow it to dry first to prevent the growth of mould and mildew.

Cover should NOT be left on your pool over the winter.

Removing and replacing your Solar Blanket:

Removing and replacing your solar blanket should be a simple procedure, especially with the aid of your reel. Modern rollers are designed to be compact, portable and easy to use, one person can manually reel the blanket off your pool and move it to a suitable storage space with little difficulty. A special UV resistant cover is also provided with the blanket to provide extra protection for your blanket from the sun's damaging rays. You must ensure that whenever your blanket is not in use that this over-cover is used, even if it is only being removed for a short period of time.

Replacing your blanket is just as simple as removing it, one person can unreel the blanket and guide it off the roller back into place on the pool with ease. If you do not own a reel it is best to fold your solar pool blanket in a concertina fashion. You should have one person on either side and spread the blanket on the ground. Then simply fold the sides to the middle. One-meter lengths are best for easy storage, preferably in the shade. Don't forget the over-cover!

How many microns are your covers?

The Great Micron Debate! There are a lot of misconceptions and misinformation about this subject.

What this refers to is the thickness of the cover. Because there is no industry-standard way to measure covers, and because we are only talking the difference between a few millimetres here (1000microns = 1mm) , we believe it is important to give you the following advice...

A thicker cover will last better in terms of more wear and tear. BUT being thicker has the disadvantage of allowing less heat to penetrate (and thus actually not heating your pool so well) and is harder to handle!

These covers has been chosen by my boss (who has 30+ years experience in the pool business).

He carefully selected these covers and only sells one thickness – 400mu - for the following reasons:

• Optimum balance of 'heat gain' to 'durability' ratio.
• 5 year warranty.
• Made by a long established, industry-leader in pool cover manufacture, in the US.
• Made with superior materials and technology.
• Ease of use – we have found the 500mu to be more cumbersome.

Will a solar pool cover keep my pool cleaner?

Covers keep the pool cleaner - about 80% to 90% of debris is kept out of the pool. This reduces the work load of your pool cleaner.

...And no sorry we do not stock 'leaf covers' at present.

What is the life expectancy of these covers?

The life span of your solar cover depends on the toughness of the material, the chemical balance of your pool and how well you take care of it. Depending on the quality of the material, the life expectancy can be anything between 3 - 10 years. It's a question of keeping the balance between durability and transparency.

We have chosen a product that comes with a 5 year warranty, so (if used in accordance with the 'care instructions' supplied) we would expect it to last at least that long...and longer!

Are these covers easy to handle?

A cover without a roller is a fairly large piece of material and is much easier to handle with 2 people....though it can be done.

However, if you use a roller, one person can easily take it off the pool and back on without much effort. We strongly recommend to buy a roller together with your cover. Not only does it make the proper use of the cover easier and therefore protects it, it also provides easy storage when the cover is off the pool.

How should I protect the solar cover when it is off the pool?

If you have a roller, you simply put an over-cover on.

If you don't use a roller, the solar cover should be folded concertina style - best done with 2 people. Place the cover in the shade while it's not in use. This is very important! Never, ever leave the folded or rolled up blanket uncovered in the sun, as the heat-generating effect of the blanket would be magnified which could seriously damage your blanket and void its warranty.

Is a black, silver or transparent pool cover best?

The more transparent a solar cover is, the better!

Our covers are made of blue transparent material - with no silver backing.

Most people think the darker it is, the better it should be, but the idea is to let the sun's rays pass THROUGH the cover and then keep their energy inside. A dark (dark blue or even black) cover will not allow the solar energy to pass through, but will absorb it, leaving the pool water cold. Likewise a silver aluminium cover will reflect the rays and they cannot pass through to heat your water.
(see illustration)

Can these covers be used on indoor pools?

Thee solar covers are also ideal as a thermal cover for heated indoor pools.

How do these solar covers compare to traditional foam pool covers?

Foam covers should only really be used on indoor pools. They do NOT allow the sun's energy to penetrate and therefore only retain the heat rather than adding to it. Also they are greatly affected by both the elements (UV and wind) and the chemicals or other additives you might use in your pools.

Do I need a reel / roller?

Whilst not essential, we strongly recommend you consider getting one.

Reels make life a lot easier! Allowing one person to remove and replace the solar blanket in seconds. A reel provides convenient storage for your blanket while it's not on the pool and increases the life span of the blanket considerably by preventing damage due to creasing, tugging, dragging or folding. No solar blanket should be without one!

The reel /rollers we sell:

• Odyssey EMX IN-GROUND Reel System - The No.1 selling reel in the US, pool capital of the world. Movable / on castors. ** OUT OF STOCK until end Nov 09 **
• Odyssey M800 ABOVE-GROUND Reel System. **OUT OF STOCK until end Nov 09**
• Rocky's PERMANENTLY MOUNTED / FIXED Reel System.

How do I attach pool cover to my existing reel/roller?

If you want to attach one of our covers to your existing pool reel/roller we will have an 'IN-GROUND SOLAR COVER REEL ATTACHMENT KIT' available soon.
Includes:
All the straps, clamps, and Velcro needed to easily attach your solar blanket to your reel. Comes with heavy-duty strapping & easy-to-adjust buckles. Far more professional, long lasting, and user-friendly than ropes & screws.

IMPORTANT SAFETY WARNING:

A SOLAR POOL COVER IS NOT A SAFETY COVER AND IS NOT DESIGNED TO SUPPORT A PERSON. DO NOT ENTER THE SWIMMING AREA WHILE YOUR COVER IS IN PLACE!

WARRANTY

(Full details will be sent with your purchase)

5 years - first 2 years FULL and following 3 years LIMITED.

For the first 2 years of ownership of the pool cover the DISTRIBUTOR fully warrants to the original purchaser of the pool cover that the company, at its option, WILL REPAIR FREE OF CHARGE OR REPLACE the pool cover THAT PROVES TO BE DEFECTIVE EITHER IN WORKMANSHIP OR MATERIAL.

From 2 years to 5 years of ownership, upon prepaid return of the cover by the owner, the DISTRIBUTOR will, at its option, either repair the cover at a nominal charge or replace with a new cover as per the pro-rated provisions shown below. All repaired or replaced covers will be returned at the homeowner’s expense.

The prorata basis for cover replacement is as follows:
After 2 years of ownership the claimant shall pay the list price at the date of the claim, less one one-sixtieth (1/60) of the price for each full month remaining in the warranty period.

Terms & Condtions:

• The solar blanket is manufactured to rigid quality specifications and will withstand NORMAL wear and tear. The blanket should not be subjected to conditions that can damage, cut or tear the blanket
• Any damage caused by improper use of the solar cover and/or exposure to inappropriate conditions will result in voiding your warranty.

Important usage instructions:

• Operate filter during the hottest part of the day, this will keep the water moving, making sure that not only the top layer is being heated.
• Folded or rolled, your solar pool cover should be protected from high temperatures and direct sunlight. The over-cover provided with your solar cover must be in place at all times when your solar cover is not in use. Never leave blanket in direct sunlight when not on the pool.
• Don't leave your blanket on the lawn, it will kill the grass in a surprisingly short period of time.
• Correct chlorine levels are maintained in your pool - excessive chlorination will seriously damage your cover.
• Remove cover when super chlorinating.
• The cover must NOT be left on over winter.