Pool Covers are an ever growing trend in pool accessories. This is in part due to safety issues and also the trend of going “green”. There are four different types of swimming pools covers that are used today on Atlanta Swimming Pools:

Mesh Covers: Covers made from a mesh fabric that are typically anchored to the pool deck. They come in standard sizes or they can be custom made for a custom pool shape. If a swimming pool does not have a deck, stakes and pipes are inserted into the ground to allow for anchoring of the cover. Some mesh covers are safety covers, whereas others aren’t. To determine if a mesh cover is a safety cover, refer to the manufacturers label to insure it meets the ASTM F-1346-91 requirements

Solid Fabric Covers: Covers that are made of synthetic fabric, such as polyethylene or vinyl, and held down by water tubes, sandbags, or rope and anchors are non safety covers. Solid fabric covers come in standard sizes or can be custom made, as with mesh covers. There purpose in to keep debris out of the swimming pool and maintain heat.

Solar Covers: A solar cover is merely used to maintain the heat in the swimming pool. It floats on the top of the pools surface, like a blanket. These are obviously not safety covers.

Automatic and Manual Safety Covers: These covers are specifically designed to meet or exceed ASTM safety standard. These covers are secured on a track that is installed at the sides of a swimming pool. They can either be installed with an automatic operating sytem or be manually removed. The manual cover often requires two people to remove the cover. When installed properly, they can support the weight of several people at one time. They can have a recessed track under the deck or a surface mounted track. In addition to being the most costly type of the pool covers, these covers also tend to be the most aesthetically pleasing.

Swimming pool covers serve a myriad of purposes. The first being an added layer of protection against accidental drownings, especially with safety covers. They can also lessen the cost of chemicals and the amount of heat loss. As a matter of fact, a pool covered with an automatic or manual safety cover can be up to 10 degrees warmer than a pool that is uncovered. When thinking about buying a pool cover, you need to consider “why” you want the cover. If it is to add an extra layer of safety in addition to adult supervision, then you would want to choose a mesh safety cover or an automatic or manual safety cover that meets ASTM safety standards. If you merely would like it to keep debris out of the pool during the fall and winter months, you may want to choose a mesh cover or a Fabric cover.