Outdoor pools can gain a lot of heat from the sun, almost 75 to 85 percent of the solar energy striking the pool’s surface.
Bubble solar covers for pools are one of the least expensive covers made specifically for swimming pools. It's very similar to bubble-packing material except it has a thicker grade of plastic and ultraviolet protection.
Vinyl covers are made of a heavier material, which extends their use. You can also get vinyl covers with a thin layer of flexible insulation sandwiched between two layers of vinyl for better heat retention.
Transparent solar covers for swimming pools may reduce solar energy absorption by 5 to 15 percent, while an opaque cover may reduce it by 20 to 40 percent. However, this decrease in solar gain can be offset by the cover's retention of the pool's heat, which greatly depends on the air temperature and humidity. Generally, the drier and cooler the air, the greater the heating benefit from covering the pool during the daytime. Naturally, solar covers for pools should always be used at night to prevent losses when there is no solar gain.
Covers should always be installed and used according to the manufacturers' guidelines. Always consider that people could use the pool unauthorized or unsupervised. Also, make sure you select a cover that will fit your pool. Solar above ground pool covers are certainly different for circle pools as opposed to kidney shaped pools.
Also, windbreak around the pool can also reduce evaporation, and make pool "lounging" more comfortable and private. All it take is a 7 mph wind at the pool surface to increase heat loss by 300 percent. A windbreak could include a fence or vegetation. It also needs to be close and high enough to the pool so that it effectively blocks wind from moving across the pool surface, but doesn't block beneficial solar energy that your solar covers for pools work so hard to preserve.
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Also see rolling pool covers .