Everything about Pool Enclosures

How to choose a pool cover

 

Choosing a pool enclosure is far from easy. A shelter is a major purchase. Its price can reach that of the pool, so this is a real investment. The cover is expected to optimize the use of the pool, but it may become a constraint instead. Therefore, you should take into account the different aspects that should govern your choice in order not to be wrong and waste your money.

 1) Objectives and priorities

 

All shelters may be in accordance with the regulations and respond to the requirements of pool safety law, but not all provide the same functionality and performance. It is essential to understand your goals and prioritize them to choose your pool enclosure as you would choose between a small city car, a family sedan, a 4x4, etc. There is a broad range of types of pool enclosures and technologies: low or high, fixed or sliding, removable or telescopic, retractable or collapsible, made of aluminum or wood... The choice range is vast. Make sure you choose the cover that really suits you.

2) Pool water heating and swim time optimization

 

The rise in temperature of the water depends mainly on two parameters:
- The height of the cover, therefore the volume of air in the cover: the higher the cover and the volume of air to be heated, the higher the gains in temperature.
- Thermal insulation: The polycarbonate acts as double glazing. The blade of air contained in its cells can limit the heat exchange between the "heated" air from inside the cover and the outside air, especially during the coldest hours of the night, while the (single glazing) walls easily escape the heat collected during the day. Finally, the quality of the insulation depends directly on the thickness of the polycarbonate layer. The standard is 8 mm for low covers and 10 mm for high covers.
Yes. A low cover retains 100% more cellular heat (7-10 ° C) than a high enclosure with single-glazed walls (+5 to 8 ° C), which allows you to swim all year round if you heat the water or the air. Similarly, 100% transparent covers are very unobtrusive visually, but are ineffective thermally.

3) Convenience of the cover

 

The first quality a pool cover must have is to be easy to handle. It should allow you to optimize the use of your pool not make things more complicated! Therefore, check the different types of covers and choose the one that best suit your needs and the specifics of your pool.

First of all, a cover should be easy to open and close. Would you be able to fully retract your cover during the hottest period of the summer in order to enjoy your pool? In this case, you must choose either a removable bottom cover or a telescopic one.
Two concepts are important: the weight and the footprint when you close an in-ground pool. The higher a cover, the heavier it is. On the other hand, your pool may be wide, so sections of the roof structure will need to cover it. And of course, a heavier cover is more difficult to handle. So unless you are very brave, you should choose a high telescopic enclosure. Also remember that, unfortunately, we do not remain forever young and you will be using your cover many years from now, so it would be better to choose an easy to handle cover from the start. Then you can attach a motor to it later on if necessary.

4) Quality

 

Like on all markets, you can also find Rolls Royces and CVs at the same prices! The same goes for pool covers. So be very careful because two apparently identical shelters may have different origins and extremely disparate qualities. Take the time to learn, compare, ask around, create a pre-selected list of references and do not hesitate to make direct contact with several existing customers to check the info you have got. Avoid buying your pool cover on a state fair because contrary to the popular belief, the prices are generally no lower, but you are tempted to buy in haste. Always ask your "seller" if the manufacturer, assembler, importer or retailer can be contacted. Ask for certificates to check whether the cover complies with the safety standards.

5) Aesthetics

 

Some would tell you that practical pool covers this usually degrade the aesthetics of the pool! Of course, this is not true as there are a multitude of choices in terms of shape, height or color. Therefore, you will find a pool cover that fits your pool seamlessly into while also responding perfectly to your needs. Simply find the cover that suits you and your pool.


Good luck shopping!