Pool Covers

Solar Pool Covers

Pool covers are becoming increasingly popular throughout Australia, thanks to the ever-rising costs of pool heating, increasing concern about water evaporation and the opportunity for pool owners to reduce general maintenance.

Using a pool cover, however, requires a greater level of care when it comes to operating the pool’s sanitizing system, as the chlorine demand for a covered pool is much lower than an uncovered one.

Whilst a pool cover is fantastic at stopping evaporation and chemical loss, it also needs to be removed regularly to let the pool “breathe” and to check its water chemistry.

This simply comes back to pool maintenance.  Think of it like buying a car and never getting it serviced.  Then, when the engine struggles or fails, you may blame the air filter.  However, it is not the fault of the air filter but rather the lack of maintenance of the car.  This is the same as a swimming pool, regular maintenance is essential to avoid any adverse effects of the water being out of balance.

During summer, this is not normally an issue, however, during the colder season when we are not swimming in our pool, a lot of us rarely enter our pool and forget about looking after the pool and checking the water chemistry.

What should I do? Schedule a day at each month (eg: first Saturday of the month) to remove your pool cover for the entire day and take a water sample down to your local pool shop for accurate testing. (A SPASA member is recommended).    Make sure you use a clean bottle.  Insert it into the pool elbow deep and turn it right side up to collect a sample.  A sample must not be taken from a return or skimmer box opening.  Take this to your local pool shop without delay or leaving the sample in your car, as lengthy time delays and heat can indicate false readings.

So Remember…

1. Remove your pool cover and let your pool breathe on a regular basis.
2. Take a water sample to your local pool shop to avoid over-chlorination.
3. Adjust from summer settings of your chlorinator if blanket on the pool at lengths during Winter.
4. Do not leave your blanket rolled up on the roller in the sun uncovered.
5. Avoid debris on your blanket to avoid staining.
6. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions on care and maintenance of your blanket to keep your warranty valid.