Getting consumers on board
The market for pools and backyard living has changed, and consumers want to maximize their investment. They want to enjoy their pool more and spend less time maintaining it. The convenience of automatic covers extends to pool water chemistry by enabling the use of fewer chemicals and preventing less debris from accumulating in the pool, resulting in consumer savings. It can also decrease the overall costs of maintaining the pool. Automatic covers help to retain heat when the pool is not in use and keep chemicals and water from evaporating, reducing the operational cost of running the pool.
According to studies conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), homeowners who have gas-heated pools and use a cover can save up to $2,000 annually, depending on the climate. Studies also show automatic covers save approximately 30,283.2 L (8,000 gal) of water evaporation annually.1 According to the Pool & Hot Tub Council of Canada’s (PHTCC’s) “Energy Conservation Opportunities for Pools, Spas, and Water Features,” nearly half of a pool’s heat loss occurs due to surface evaporation. The council’s guidelines suggest implementing a cover can significantly reduce heating, filtration, and chemical sanitization costs by up to 50 per cent.2
Best of all, the costs are minimal over the course of the year/season to operate an automatic safety cover. With the ability to close their pool in less than a minute, homeowners can save thousands of dollars in unnecessary utility bills. Heated pools lose up to 90 per cent of their heat through the top surface of the water, no matter how much insulation is put under the pool. Putting an automatic cover on a client’s pool can reduce this heat loss—savings they will immediately see on their heating bills.3
Safe and secure pools, happy homeowners, and meaningful work
Selling and installing automatic covers makes pools safer and more convenient and provides true relaxation and peace of mind for pool owners. The installation of automatic pool covers is invaluable to parents and grandparents as auto-cover installers will never know who or what they might have saved because of their work. It is important to keep in mind the work of an automatic pool cover installer, or an installer of any safety equipment around pools, is important because these safety measures help keep children safe. This makes the work of installing an auto cover a rewarding job. Offering these types of covers gives professionals the satisfaction of knowing they are engaged in meaningful work that helps save lives.
Notes
1 For more information, visit www.energy.gov/energysaver/swimming-pool-covers.
2 Review the recommended guidelines by visiting www.poolcouncil.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/ 11/Energy-Conservation-Opportunities-for-Pools-Spas-and-Water-Features-G-0310.pdf.
3 See note 1.
Author
Eric Kietsock is an authorized automatic pool cover professional technician for Cover Care, LLC, a national, full-service company that partners with pool builders to provide installation, replacement, and service of automatic pool covers. He has been installing automatic pool covers for more than 25 years in New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, and southern Connecticut. Cover Care, LLC techs partner with pool professionals to provide industry expertise to ensure automatic pool cover installations and maintenance keep pools safe and provide peace of mind to pool owners.
