4 Types of Pool Covers: What’s the Difference?

At Parrot Bay Pools of North Carolina, we get asked all of the time about swimming pool covers. So we’re providing a breakdown of the different types of pool covers available with your new pool installation!

Please keep in mind that we don’t sell pool covers separately. We’ll discuss what type of pool cover you want us to install with your new inground pool installation. That said, here are the different types of pool covers and what each of them can provide to you.

6 Practical Benefits of Pool Covers

Are you installing a new inground pool? You’ll want to make sure you select the best pool cover that suits your needs. Pool covers offer a range of significant benefits for pool owners and are a worthy investment in your pool project.

1. Provides Pool Safety: They provide safety by acting as a barrier, preventing accidental falls into the water—particularly essential for families with young children or pets.
2. Increases Savings: They also contribute to energy efficiency by minimizing heat loss and reducing water evaporation, resulting in lower heating costs and a more environmentally friendly pool.
3. Keeps the Pool Cleaner: Their protective barrier also keeps out debris, leaves, and insects, promoting cleaner water and reducing the need for extensive maintenance. By inhibiting algae growth, pool covers aid in preserving the chemical balance of the water, leading to a more stable and consistent water chemistry.
4. Extends the Swim Season: Pool covers extend the swimming season by retaining heat, allowing owners to enjoy their pool for a more extended period each year.
5. Protects Pool Equipment: Investing in a pool cover can lead to long-term cost savings by reducing maintenance requirements and extending the lifespan of pool equipment.
6. Adheres to Local Regulations: Compliance with safety regulations is another advantage, as pool covers are often mandated in certain regions, ensuring not only a safe pool environment but also adherence to the North Carolina pool barrier requirements & local laws.

Types of Pool Covers

There are four different pool covers for you to choose from depending on the type of coverage you would like to have for your pool.

1. Solar Pool Covers

A solar cover will help heat your pool to a certain degree and will help extend your summer season of swimming. Placing this cover daily on your pool will also help with keeping your pool cleaner by blocking debris and dirt from entering the pool and help keep costs down on your chemical purchases since there will be less water evaporation.

2. Winter Pool Covers

This cover will be used mostly during the off season to keep leaves and debris out of the pool along with lowering the loss of water through evaporation. This cover uses water bags to keep the cover situated over the pool to keep the cover from coming off or blowing away.

3. Safety Pool Covers

People who purchase this cover do so to keep their pets and children safe during the winter months from falling in the pool. A safety cover can hold the weight of a baby elephant so you know that you will not fall through the cover. The safety cover is the exact shape of your pool and bolted down all the way around your pool into the concrete. This cover will be used if you are closing your pool for the winter and you are not going to be opening it again until the next swimming season.

4. Auto Pool Covers

If one purchases this cover it is mainly for pure convenience and ease. These covers are for those who do not want to have the hassle of pulling out their cover and manually trying to get it over the pool. These are the most costly cover of the four types of pool covers. However, they are the most convenient, as your pool cover is controlled at the click of a button! If you want a no worries option that’s easy to use, then this is the cover for you.

Final Word: Types of Pool Covers with Your Pool Installation