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Home & Garden Articles
Pool Covers - They'll Save Lives, Energy and Money
Thu 31 Jan 2008 - 10:48
Pool Covers - They'll Save Lives, Energy and Money
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Anne_Clarke]Anne Clarke
Pool covers have four main functions: to prevent accidents, conserve energy in a heated pool, minimize evaporation, and to keep out leaves and debris. There are several different types of cover made from a variety of materials, but they are all designed with these jobs in mind. Some covers are made specifically for one of those jobs, but the best pool covers will do it all. These can be manually rolled out onto the pool surface, or you can buy automatic cover reels that do all the work.
The benefits to covering your pool are many:
- Safety - A covered pool is a safer pool. It will prevent children or small animals from falling in when no one is watching. This feature, combined with alarms and secure anchors are priceless if for families with kids.
- Saves money - A covered pool retains heat and energy costs associated with heating the water. It also keeps water evaporation at a minimum and chemical mixture stable longer, which means adding chemicals less frequently.
- Keeps debris and critters out - Whether it's leaves, pine cones, or curious dogs or raccoons, if your pool is covered, none of that can get in.
The main categories of pool covers (available for both above ground and in ground pools) are:
- Safety covers
- Winter covers
- Leaf nets
- Solar pool covers
Safety covers are only as effective as their anchoring systems and construction. These low-profile covers are usually made of netted or braided mesh and are anchored to in ground pools through a series of hooks or springs. Dedicated and solid decking is needed to make this safety feature optimal. Mesh is an ideal cover material because it lets water drain off the top, while keeping leaves out and preventing accidental falls into the water.
Winter covers are vital for the off-season maintenance of a pool. Pool owners commonly use a safety cover during the swim season and a winter cover to protect their investment through the winter. Winter covers are usually made of polypropylene material and threads that won't rot when exposed to the elements. Winter lids often utilize multiple stitching and sealants to stay durable and functional winter after winter.
Leaf nets are self-explanatory. These mesh nets are usually placed on top of a winter cover. The mesh catches all the leaves and debris that end up on top of the cover. But when swimming season rolls around again, you are able to scoop all the debris up and dispose of it at once.
Solar pool covers are made of a plastic material that resembles big bubble wrap. Solar pool covers aren't usually designed with safety in mind, but are mainly for energy conservation purposes. Solar covers still keep leaves and debris out and prevent evaporation, but they also help the water retain any heat you've paid for to keep the water warm and pleasant. Solar covers also use the sun's rays to generate about 15 additional degrees of "free" heat that is redistributed to the water.
After examining your cover needs (Do you have kids or dogs? Do you have a pool heater? Does your pool have a lot of features that will require a custom cover?, etc.) you should have no problem purchasing and implementing one of these safe, money-saving, labor-saving covers.
Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for Web sites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and landscaping/outdoor decorating. Her background also includes teaching, gardening, and fashion. For more of her useful articles on pools and pool supplies, please visit [http://www.coolpooldeals.com/]CoolPoolDeals, supplier of high quality swimming pool supplies and accessories.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anne_Clarke http://EzineArticles.com/?Pool-Covers---Theyll-Save-Lives,-Energy-and-Money&id=957674
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