A cover also helps you keep the pool clean and extend the life of the chemicals in your pool. At a cost of 20 to 60 cents per square foot, a pool cover may pay for itself in 1 year. Be aware, however, that UV radiation deteriorates the cover, requiring that you replace it every 3 to 5 years. Before you buy one, make sure the cover comes with at least a 2-year warranty. Also find out how easily you can place the cover over the pool, how to remove it, and how to store it.
Systems are available that move the cover off and on the pool with a motor or hand crank.
Covers should always be installed and used according to the manufacturers guidelines. Always consider that people could use the pool unauthorized or unsupervised. A 7-mph wind at the pool surface can increase heat loss by 300 percent. A windbreak could include a fence or vegetation. It needs to be high and close enough to the pool so that it effectively blocks wind from moving across the pool surface, but doesn t block beneficial solar energy.