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I Finally Found a Pool Cover That Keeps Debris Out and Heat In
60
items Spent two summers fishing leaves out of my pool every morning and watching the water temp drop ten degrees overnight. If you're tired of running the heater nonstop or skimming for an hour before anyone can swim, this is everything I use to keep my po...
Sections
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Solar Pool Covers That Actually Retain Heat Overnight
Pool Cover Reels That Make Setup Take Seconds
Leaf Net Covers to Catch What Falls Overnight
Safety Pool Covers for Families With Kids or Pets
Pool Cover Pumps to Handle Standing Water
Cover Clips and Accessories to Keep Everything Tight
Solar Pool Covers That Actually Retain Heat Overnight
My pool was losing so much heat at night that the heater ran constantly and my electric bill looked criminal. These covers changed that within the first week.
Grab this if your rectangle pool bleeds heat after sunset. Water stayed 8 degrees warmer overnight and my energy bill dropped enough that I noticed it the first month.
Customer reviews for Sun2Solar Rectangle 1200 Series
Thicker than the cheap ones I wasted money on before. Laid it out one evening and by morning the water was still bath-warm. Perfect for anyone with a mid-size backyard pool.
Blue Wave 12-mil Rectangular Solar Pool Cover, 12-ft x 24-ft
Use this on your Intex setup if you're tired of cold water every morning. Fits snug, traps heat, and I stopped burning through propane like it was free.
Intex 18 ft Round Easy Set Blue Vinyl Solar Pool Cover
Switched to this from a generic brand that kept tearing at the edges. Three months in and zero rips. Stock up on one before pool season hits full swing.
Solar Pool Cover
Keep this on overnight and your pool feels like someone left the hot tub running. For anyone who hates jumping into cold water on a Saturday morning, this fixes that.
Blue Wave 12-mil Rectangular Solar Pool Cover, 12-ft x 24-ft
Pool Cover Reels That Make Setup Take Seconds
Rolling a solar cover by hand is annoying enough that I stopped using mine. A reel changed everything because now it takes about 30 seconds to cover or uncover the pool.
Try rolling a solar cover by hand three times before you buy this. I lasted two. Now I crank it on and off in under a minute, even solo.
SunHeater Pool Solar Blanket Reel System for Rectangle
Pair this with any above-ground solar blanket. My wife set it up alone in about 20 minutes and now she actually uses the cover instead of leaving it bunched up on the deck.
Kokido Solaris Bubble Tarpaulin Reel Pool
Grab this if your cover has been sitting folded in the garage because rolling it is a pain. Sturdy aluminum tubes, no wobble, and it holds up in wind better than the plastic ones I tried first.
UBesGoo, Pool Cover Reel Set, 18 Feet
Spent a year with a reel that rusted after one season. This stainless one still looks new after two summers of daily use. Worth it if you live somewhere humid.
Sun2Solar 16-Foot Wide Stainless Steel Solar Cover
For anyone with an inground pool who keeps putting off covering it because it's a hassle. This reel sits at the end of the pool and you just roll. Done in 30 seconds flat.
Blue Wave, Solar Pool Cover, 12-mil, 12' x 20' In-Ground
Leaf Net Covers to Catch What Falls Overnight
Even with a solar cover, leaves and acorns from the neighbor's oak tree piled up on top. A leaf net over the cover solved that problem completely.
Toss this over your solar cover if you have trees anywhere near the pool. I used to spend 20 minutes clearing debris off the cover itself. Now I just peel the net off and it's clean underneath.
Blue Wave Rectangular Leaf Net In-Ground Pool Cover
Use this during fall especially. My pool sits under two maples and this net caught every single leaf. Saves the solar cover from getting gross and slimy.
Robelle Premium Leaf Net for In-Ground Winter Covers
Perfect for anyone with an above-ground oval pool surrounded by trees. Snap it on over your existing cover and forget about it until you're ready to pull it off.
NEW Swimline 15x30 Oval Above Ground Leaf Cover + 3)
Keep this handy when autumn hits. Last October I skipped it for a week and spent an entire afternoon cleaning leaf mush. Never again.
Blue Wave, Leaf Net, 15' Round
Grab this before the trees start dropping. Fine mesh catches even small stuff like seed pods and flower petals that slip through cheaper nets.
Customer reviews for Pool Mate Heavy-Duty Leaf Net
Safety Pool Covers for Families With Kids or Pets
After my neighbor's dog fell into their uncovered pool, I stopped messing around. A real safety cover gives peace of mind that a solar blanket never will.
Get this if you have kids or pets and you lose sleep worrying about the pool. Holds weight, anchors into the deck, and I walk past it every night knowing nobody's falling in.
Blue Wave 18-Year Mesh 18-ft x 36-ft Pool Safety Cover
Switched from a floating cover to this after my toddler started walking. Brass anchors, tight mesh, and it handles rain and snow weight without sagging into the water.
WaterWarden Inground Solid Pool Safety Cover for a 16' x
Use this for winter closing if you want zero stress until spring. Heavy duty, withstands snow loads, and my pool opened cleaner than any year I used a basic tarp.
Robelle 15-Year Supreme Plus Rectangular Winter Pool
For anyone who wants to see through the cover to check water level. Mesh lets rain through so you don't get puddles on top, but blocks all debris.
Blue Wave 30' x 50' Rectangular Rugged Mesh In Ground
Toss this on when you close for the season. Solid material means nothing gets in, period. I opened my pool in April and the water was still mostly clear.
Pool Mate 8 Year Classic In-Ground Winter Pool Cover
Pool Cover Pumps to Handle Standing Water
Rain pooled on top of my winter cover and almost collapsed it into the pool. A small pump sitting on top fixed that overnight.
Plug this in when rain is coming and forget about it. Auto sensor turns it on when water accumulates. Saved my cover from collapsing during a three-day storm last spring.
Wayne 57729-WYNP WAPC250 Pool Cover Pump
Grab this if you've ever come outside to find a small lake sitting on your pool cover. Pumps it off fast and shuts itself down when it's done. Set and forget.
Little Giant, Pool Cover Drain Pump, 1/3 HP, 1745 GPH
Works on pool covers and also anywhere else water collects. I've used mine on the pool cover, the basement, and once in the garage after a pipe burst. Earns its keep.
Superior Pump
Keep this plugged in under your cover all winter. Quiet, reliable, and it cleared standing water before it froze and turned my cover into a skating rink. Learned that one the hard way.
Blue Wave NW2300 Dredger Jr. 350 GPH Above Ground
For anyone tired of manually sweeping water off covers with a broom. Drop this on top, plug it in, and go inside. Handles up to 2500 gallons per hour.
Black+Decker 350 GPH Submersible Pool Cover Pump
Cover Clips and Accessories to Keep Everything Tight
Wind kept blowing my solar cover half off the pool. A few clips and weights later, it stays put even on gusty nights.
Snap these along the edges and your cover stops blowing off every time the wind picks up. Cost almost nothing and saved me from chasing my cover across the yard at midnight.
24 Pcs Pool Solar Cover Reel Attachment Kit
Wrap this around the edge of your above-ground pool cover for a tight seal. No more gaps where leaves sneak in. Wish I'd bought it two seasons ago.
Blue Wave 12' UV Resistant Round Blue Winter Pool
Use these if your cover keeps sliding. They grip the pool rail and hold tight. My cover survived a 40 mph wind night without budging an inch.
Set of 6 Black HydroTools Above Ground Swimming Pool
Lay these around the perimeter of your inground cover. Heavy enough to hold it down but easy to move when you want to uncover. Way better than random bricks that scratch the deck.
KFFKFF Set of 6 Pool Cover Water Bags and 4 Corner
Drape these over the wall under your cover edge. They freeze in winter and act like anchors. Keeps the cover drum-tight so debris rolls right off.
Blue Wave Wall Bags for Above Ground Pool - 4 Pack
Pool Skimmers and Cleaners for What Gets Through
No cover is 100 percent perfect. A good skimmer handles whatever sneaks past the edges so the pool is swim-ready in minutes.
Pair this with your filter system and it catches floating debris before it sinks. I used to find stuff at the bottom every morning. Now the skimmer grabs it first.
Intex Deluxe Wall Mount Surface Skimmer - Walmart.ca
Keep this by the pool door. Even with a cover, the occasional bug or petal gets in when you pull it off. Two scoops and the water is clear.
Poolmaster Easy Skim Swimming Pool Leaf Skimmer
Deep bag on this one catches way more per scoop than flat skimmers. Perfect for the spring uncovering when three months of whatever slipped past the cover is floating around.
Professional Heavy Duty Deep-Bag Pool Rake
Lightweight enough that my 12-year-old does morning skimming without complaining. Attaches to any standard pole and the mesh is fine enough to catch pollen.
Swimline, Swimming Pool Leaf Skimmer
Grab this for the stuff that sinks to the bottom. Quick passes along the floor before anyone swims. No hoses, no hookups, just dunk and vacuum.
Intex Handheld Vacuum - Walmart.ca
Pool Thermometers to Track Heat Retention
Couldn't tell if my cover was actually working until I started measuring. Turns out it was saving me 6 to 10 degrees every single night.
Drop this in before you cover at night and check it in the morning. Seeing actual numbers convinced me the solar cover was worth every penny. Hard data beats guessing.
Poolmaster Mr. Penguin Floating Swimming Pool and Spa
Check your pool temp from inside the house. I look at the display with my coffee and decide if it's a swim day. No walking out in pajamas to check.
Ambient Weather WS-25 Wireless 8 Channel Pool
Use this if you want precision. Reads to the decimal and helped me figure out which cover held heat better when I was testing two side by side.
Customer reviews for HYDROTOOLS BY SWIMLINE Solar
Floats right on the surface and the display is big enough to read from the deck chair. For anyone who likes numbers and wants to see if their cover is actually doing something.
Customer reviews for Bluescape Wireless Digital Pool
Toss this in for the kids. They check the temp every morning like it's a science experiment. Accurate, fun, and it survived my son throwing it across the pool about fifty times.
GAME Derby Duck Swimming Pool and Spa Thermometer
Liquid Solar Covers for Extra Insulation
Found out you can add a liquid layer that sits on the water surface and reduces evaporation even more. Use it with a physical cover for maximum heat retention.
Pour a capful in weekly and it creates an invisible barrier on the water. Combined with my solar blanket, the pool barely lost any heat. My heater basically became decorative.
Natural Chemistry COVER FREE Liquid Solar Blanket
Drop one of these fish-shaped pills in the skimmer basket. It dissolves slowly over a month and reduces evaporation. For anyone who forgets to put the cover on some nights.
Customer reviews for AquaPill Solar Pill Liquid
Use this when you uncover in spring and the water looks questionable. Clears things up fast so you're not staring at green soup for a week.
Natural Chemistry, Pool First Aid, 67.6 oz, Organic Clarifier
Keep this as backup for nights when you're too lazy to pull the cover over. Squirt some in and it helps even without the physical cover. Better than nothing by a long shot.
HTH Liquid Solar Blanket, Pool Chemical
Toss this in before you close for winter. Works under the cover all season to keep the water from turning into a science experiment. Spring opening was the easiest I've ever had.
AquaPill WinterPill Pool Winterizer Pill, Large
Pool Heaters That Pair Well With Covers
A cover keeps heat in, but you still need something to generate it. These heaters work twice as efficiently when you're not losing heat to the open air all night.
Lay this in the sun and run your pool water through it. Free heat from the sun, then cover the pool at night to trap it. My gas bill went down noticeably.
Intex, Solar Mat Above Ground Swimming Pool Water
Connect a couple of these in series for bigger pools. Water runs through the black mat, heats up, and returns to the pool warmer. Simple, no electricity, no fuel.
Flowclear 43" x 67" Solar Pool Heater for Above Ground
Splurged on this after years of cheap heaters dying. Paired with a solar cover, it barely runs because the cover holds the heat so well. Pays for itself in saved energy.
Hayward HeatPro Heat Pumps For Inground Swimming
Perfect for anyone with roof space near the pool. Water circulates up to the roof panels and comes back warm. Cover the pool at night and you lose almost nothing.
SmartPool S220P 2 x 20 ft. SunHeater Solar Pool Heating
Compact, sits on the ground, and adds a few degrees per pass. Stack two or three of these and combine with a cover. My pool hit 88 degrees in May without turning on the gas heater.
GAME SolarPRO Curve Pool Heater For Above Ground
Pool Chemical Kits to Maintain Covered Water
Covered pools hold chemicals differently since there's less evaporation and UV exposure. Learned the hard way that my old routine needed adjusting once I started covering regularly.
Test before and after you start covering regularly. My chlorine levels ran higher than expected because the cover blocks UV that normally burns it off. Quick dip tells you exactly where you stand.
Clorox Pool&Spa Salt Pool Test Strips, 25 Six-Way & 10
Shock weekly even with a cover. Covered water stays warmer, which means bacteria grow faster if you slack. One bag, dump it in at night, cover up, and swim clean the next day.
HTH Super Shock Pool Shock Treatment, 1 lb Granule
Toss a couple in the floater under the cover. Slow-dissolving, consistent chlorine, and the cover keeps them from degrading in sunlight so they last longer.
Customer reviews for Clorox Pool&Spa XtraBlue 3
Use this if your pH starts drifting. Covered pools sometimes get weird alkalinity swings since rain and air contact are reduced. A scoop every couple weeks keeps things balanced.
HTH Pool Care Alkalinity up — Granules (Form), 5 lb
Pour some in before covering for the season. Warm, dark, covered water is algae's dream environment. This stops it cold. Learned that lesson after opening to a green pool two years ago.
Aqua Chem Swimming Pool Algae Eliminator
Storage and Organization for Pool Cover Gear
All these covers, reels, clips, and pumps need somewhere to go. Spent a summer tripping over pool stuff before I got organized.
Stash your cover clips, thermometer, chemicals, and skimmer net in one spot. Waterproof, sits right on the deck, and I stopped losing small accessories in the garage.
Suncast Backyard Oasis 195 Gal Vertical Deck Box
Big enough for the folded leaf net, water bags, and pump. Doubles as extra seating. For anyone whose pool area looks like a storage unit every weekend.
Keter, Resin Outdoor Deck Box, 150 Gallon, Brown, 61"x28.5"x25.3"
Keep one of these in the shed for off-season cover accessories. Label it, stack it, done. Beats the ziplock bag system I was using before.
Customer reviews for Rubbermaid Roughneck 31 Gallon
Went with this when the deck box overflowed. Holds the reel during winter, the pump, chemicals, everything. Five-minute walk from the pool and all my gear is in one place.
Suncast Metal and Resin Storage Shed, Vanilla, 8ft x 7ft
Put this inside your shed or garage for pool gear. Beats piling everything on the floor where you can't find anything. Each shelf gets a category and mornings got way simpler.
Honey-Can-Do 5-Tier Heavy Duty Adjustable Storage