Can liquid pool covers be better than traditional pool covers?
The traditional solution to heat loss and evaporation has been to use a solid pool cover, which significantly decreases energy consumption and heat loss through evaporation. According to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), solid covers can prevent water loss due to evaporation as well as reduce a pool’s energy consumption by 30 to 50 per cent.
Traditionally, solar bubble blankets are sold to new pool owners as they are especially great at the beginning of the season to help heat the water more quickly. There are, however, some downfalls to using a solar blanket that some pool owners may not realize until they are wrestling with it, trying to remove it to use their pool or put it back on when they are finished swimming. They can be bulky and tough to move, not to mention the additional dirt and debris that may be inadvertently introduced into the pool as a homeowner drags the cover across their yard.
“When a client returns home from work and looks out at a 5.5- x 11-m (18- x 36-ft) solar blanket, the thought of grappling with it to try to remove the cover so they can go swimming can be daunting—especially if they are alone,” says Kathi Belcourt of Aqua-Tech Pools, Spas & Bath in Winnipeg. “We’ve had customers call to thank us for selling them a liquid pool cover simply because the product has allowed them to get so much more swimming and enjoyment out of their pool.
“I gave an elderly customer a free bottle of liquid solar cover because her husband had injured himself and I knew she wouldn’t be able to remove the cover by herself which would prevent her from inviting the grandchildren over to swim,” says Belcourt. “She called back two weeks later thanking me for helping her spend more time around the pool with her family. The client was so grateful she emailed me photos of her grandchildren in the pool.”
For irregularly shaped pools, covers need to be cut or modified to fit properly for effectiveness, which can also add to the frustration when attempting to put it back in place. Some consumers also unintentionally find they damage a portion of their lawn or surrounding garden when a solar blanket is accidentally placed in a garden or simply left on top of the grass for extended periods of time.
Further, if a bubble solar blanket is left on the pool for too long on hot days, it could even overheat the pool and lead to cover damage, as well as create a chemical imbalance in the water. Using a liquid solar cover can help avoid these issues.
