Swimming Pool Safety Covers Quick Buyers Guide



Posted: Monday, October 19, 2009

by
InTheSwim

Safety is a primary concern for every pool owner. This holds true not only during the swimming season but also throughout the winter when most outdoor swimming pools are not in use. Accidental submersions at any time of year can lead to tragedy so it's important to take steps to ensure that your family, your neighbours and your pets will be protected. During the winter months, it's essential to cover your swimming pool in order to maintain its condition, to keep the water clean and to enhance the safety of your pool area. Fortunately, all three of these goals can be achieved through the use of swimming pool safety covers.

While pool safety covers have not been available for as long as standard winter pool covers, they have been well received by pool owners and are steadily gaining in popularity. The reason behind this is that swimming pool safety covers provide all the benefits of standard winter pool covers, such as providing protection from harsh weather and preventing debris from entering the water, with the addition of a very high level of safety. In fact, in order to qualify as a safety cover, pool covers must be able to support up to 4000 pounds and must be recognized by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) as effectively preventing accidental access to swimming pools. In other words, safety pool covers offer outstanding winter protection as well as superior peace of mind.

While it is probably easier to find in-ground safety pool covers, some pool supply retailers do sell above ground safety pool covers. However, above ground safety pool covers typically require that the pool be surrounded by decking so that the cover can be properly anchored down. Both in-ground safety pool covers and above ground safety pool covers are secured with straps which are used to pull the material taut over the pool. These straps are then attached to stainless steel springs which are anchored to the surface of the pool deck by way of recessed brackets. It is this anchoring system which makes it necessary to have at least two or three feet of decking around the pool in order to use a safety cover. Anchoring systems for in-ground safety pool covers and above ground safety pool covers are available for a wide variety of different types of decks, including concrete, brick and wood decks.

Prior to purchasing swimming pool safety covers, it's important to understand the different types that are available. Safety pool covers can be divided into two categories -- solid safety pool covers and mesh safety pool covers. Solid safety pool covers are constructed from a solid material, typically vinyl. Other than a small, sealable drainage panel, these swimming pool safety covers create a complete, impenetrable barrier. This not only results in exceptional safety, it also prevents practically all rainwater, melting snow, sunlight and debris from getting into the swimming pool. Consequently, the main advantage offered by this category of safety pool covers is that they keep swimming pools very clean and inhibit the growth of algae in the pool water.

Of course, when shopping for swimming pool safety covers, it's also important to keep in mind that solid safety pool covers also have certain disadvantages. First of all, solid safety pool covers can be quite heavy and their weight can make them difficult to handle. In addition, as solid safety pool covers prevent rainwater and melting snow from entering the pool, water collects on the surface of the cover, forming puddles. Since such puddles can cause difficulties when trying to remove the cover in the spring and because they pose a safety risk to small children and animals, they need to be removed through the use of a cover pump.

As for mesh safety pool covers, these covers are made from porous, woven material which allows rainwater and melting snow to seep through the cover and into the pool while still preventing large debris such as leaves and twigs from passing through. Accordingly, the main difference between mesh safety pool covers and solid safety pool covers is that water will not accumulate on mesh covers, eliminating the requirement for a cover pump. For many pool owners, this is a significant advantage which makes mesh safety pool covers more attractive than solid swimming pool safety covers.

Mesh swimming pool safety covers also offer additional benefits. For example, by allowing rainwater into the pool, mesh covers allow for natural maintenance and increase of the pool's water level, reducing the need for using tap water in the springtime. Also, mesh safety pool covers tend to be quite lightweight in comparison to solid safety pool covers and are thus easier to handle. However, it's also important to keep in mind that there are cons associated with this category of safety covers just as there are pros. Most notably, mesh covers allow some sunlight as well as small debris to penetrate the material. This means that mesh covers will not keep your pool as clean as solid covers, and they may not be as effective at preventing algae growth. That said, however, both solid and mesh swimming pool safety covers offer many great benefits for pool owners, not the least of which is peace of mind.

Michael Peterson is an experienced specialist in pool supplies and products. He explains how to use swimming pool safety covers for pool closing. This quick guide will help you make right choice and buy suitable safety pool cover.

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