Most pool owners in the Largo, FL area don’t close their pools in the winter season. But just because you don’t close your swimming pool up like a drum doesn’t mean you don’t have to worry about maintaining it.
Even though the weather is mostly incredible here in FL, when it gets bad it gets really bad – from torrential downpours to flat-out hurricanes. Because of that, keeping your pool protected and covered is always something that’s on your mind.
There are several kinds of pool covers – but one of the most popular choices is of the automatic variety. Today, we’re going to discuss some of the pros and cons to owning an automatic pool cover and what you should consider when buying one. Let’s jump right in!
Less grunt work
One of the biggest pros is certainly the amount of maintenance you’ll have to do. These covers fit tightly up against your pool and keep a variety of debris and harmful substances from getting into your pool’s water. Its also helps keep more water INSIDE the pool – meaning you won’t have to use quite as much chlorine as you would normally. This means less fiddling with chemicals and less time spent skimming and vacuuming the pool.
How does it heat?
On the whole, an automatic cover will raise the overall temperature of your pool by about 10 to 15 degrees. It also helps save you money because of it. The higher the temperature, the less heat is escaping due to evaporation. At least during normal temperature periods.
You do need to consider however, whether or not you should cover your pool when the temperatures crawl into the 90s and 100s. In this case, you’ll want to leave the cover off so it can heat itself. Leaving the cover on can actually lead to worse evaporation than leaving it off in normal temperatures.
Does it keep people out?
To an extent – yes. We recommend you use a fence anyway, but automatic pool covers will give you an added layer of protection if the loved ones in your lives get a little bit too curious. That being said, a cover and a fence is no replacement for being diligent about pool safety, abiding by coding regulations and having discussions with your family and guests about what flies and doesn’t when they’re in and around the pool. No singular, one thing will keep everyone safe.
The cost
Pools cover costs vary widely depending on what you’re out there looking for. Automatic covers DO cost more, but like most expensive things – they tend to last longer and can take more of a beating. The level of investment up front can be a non-starter for some folks though, so be mindful.
If you have questions about the best option for your pool, give us a call today and we’ll be happy to provide you with a free consultation. Until then – good luck!
