Pool Solar Covers

[clj1410]

I was think of getting a Solar Cover for our above ground pool. I wondered if anyone has any suggestions of any online pool companies that you have used and that are budget friendly.

Also any suggestions on what MIL to get would be helpful
TIA

 

[windycitymom]

I get most of my pool supplies from "In the Swim" and "Leslie's Pool Supply".
The solar cover really does help. I don't remember how thick it is though.

 

[Mickey527]

I used to buy my solar cover from Leslie's until I saw them in Ocean State Job Lots. They are about 1/2 the cost and work just as well.
I never got 2 years otu of mine. I tried to keep them over the winter but when I unrolled them after being stored in the garage over the winter the plastic just didn't hold up and they wound up falling apart in the pool. Not totally, but some of the bubbles would pop and the plastic circles were always floating around.
So I just wound up tossing them at the end of the year and getting a new one the following summer.
I have full sun on my pool all day and with the solar cover my pool was up in the high 80's and low 90's within a few days. I won't go without one though because I love the water to be nice and warm.

 

[Justsyd2]

I always bought mine at Walmart. They worked just fine!

 

[Dizneydaz]

We bought our last one (last year) from Walmart (online-delivered to store) We get 2 years from ours before the little circles start coming off.

Before that we bought it from a pool supply store. WM was cheaper.

 

[bentos]

thanks for the tip

 

[Robmom]

I have to get one of these. I always hate stepping into my freezing pool.

 

[keishashadow]

our local pool place is the cheapest on everything but chlorine (where SAMs is the place to go in pittsburgh area)

we don't bother with solar cover...if the water's warmer than 62 im there

 

[MELSMICE]

our local pool place is the cheapest on everything but chlorine (where SAMs is the place to go in pittsburgh area)

we don't bother with solar cover...if the water's warmer than 62 im there

Oh my word.......................change that 6 to a 9 & then you'll catch my butt in the pool.

Seriously................even 80 degree water is chilly for me!

 

[akenneson]

We bought our solar cover for our above ground 2 years ago from a local pool/spa shop. It is great quality and only cost around $100.

 

[keishashadow]

Oh my word.......................change that 6 to a 9 & then you'll catch my butt in the pool.

Seriously................even 80 degree water is chilly for me!

ive convinced myself cold water burns caloriesonce u go numb it's okay

 

[MELSMICE]

ive convinced myself cold water burns caloriesonce u go numb it's okay

Hmmm.......then maybe I'll try it. On 2nd thought - no way!!!!

 

[kellia]

We got ours from www.solarcovers.com. We got a really good one for less than I could get a cheapie around here!

62?? Geez, it was 90 outside here yesterday, and I still wasn't thrilled with being in our pool with the kids and the water was 78 degrees.

 

[clj1410]

We got ours from www.solarcovers.com. We got a really good one for less than I could get a cheapie around here!

62?? Geez, it was 90 outside here yesterday, and I still wasn't thrilled with being in our pool with the kids and the water was 78 degrees.

I think i looked at this website. What MIL did you get?

I can't stand water colder than 80 degrees! My kids were begging me to come in today, but it was only 75!

Our pool gets sun about 50% of the day, and one bad weather day, the pool temp drops. So i was thinking the solar cover might help maintain the temp!

 

[disneymarie]

We bought our at Walmart, it is third year of use.....but the top few inches heat up, this is our Solar Heater and don't laugh,

We bought 2 50 ft heavy duty black hoses from Sam's. a pump, and white pvc tubing to suck the water into the pump. first thing in the morning I would put the pump on.....the hoses were on top of the motor home in the sun. The water stayed sooooo warm during the cool nights in the mountains.

This year I am considering the solar panels for $200 on SAM's instead of the pump.....

 

[kellia]

I think i looked at this website. What MIL did you get?

I can't stand water colder than 80 degrees! My kids were begging me to come in today, but it was only 75!

Our pool gets sun about 50% of the day, and one bad weather day, the pool temp drops. So i was thinking the solar cover might help maintain the temp!

We got the 16 MIL clear one. We have the solar panels on our garage roof that helps warm it up when it's sunny out, but the solar cover really helps keep the heat in. On Memorial Day the water was 85, but it's been rainy and in the 70's since then so the water still being 78 is pretty good.

 

[dumbodame]

We bought ours from In The Swim. They are a great company to deal with, and the prices are good.

disneymarie....I laughed at your reference to the black pipe. Not because it's a silly idea, but because we have been heating up our pool like that for several years now.

We live out in the country and have a metal roof. My DH snaked 200' of black sprinkler system pipe on the roof. The water runs from the pool through the filter, up to the roof , through the black pipe and back into the pool.

The water in our pool goes from 54 degrees to 84 degrees in 3 days.

The best part is that it's free heat....except for the black pipe. If I remember correctly, it came to $20.00

 

[DreadpiratK]

I think we bought our last one from Ocean State Job Lots as well, good deal and good quality, but we have always found a solar cover to be a real pain in the you know what, dragging it off, and back on, usually covered in grass, which goes into the water.... anyway without a reel, it's a pain on an above ground pool so last year we tried the 'liquid solar cover'. I didn't hold out much hope, but it really worked well. As my son says, I won't go in unless it's 'warm enough to cook a chicken' and I loved it last year, the water stayed at or above 80 degrees unless it rained real hard. In fact in August it was getting almost too warm to be refreshing for few days, so we dumped some water and put in fresh cold water to cool it off. Liquid solar cover is a thin layer of some kind of clear oil that floats on the water, and traps heat just like a vinyl cover, also cuts down on evaporation and chlorine use, or so it claims. My DD said she could feel the oil on her skin, but no one else could, so I think she was imagining things. It's not real easy to find, I got ours last year at Lowes, and I know it's available on Ebay if nowhere else. I loved not having to drag a cover off and back on every time my DD's wanted to jump in the pool, which is usually 2 or 3 times a day in the summer! Pools are enough work as it is.

 

[bouldertcr]

Thank you for posting this question! Our solar cover is falling apart exactly how a lot of you described. I just checked solarcover.com and they have a sale going on right now and also free shipping.

Thanks again!!

 

[disneymarie]

disneymarie....I laughed at your reference to the black pipe. Not because it's a silly idea, but because we have been heating up our pool like that for several years now.

We live out in the country and have a metal roof. My DH snaked 200' of black sprinkler system pipe on the roof. The water runs from the pool through the filter, up to the roof , through the black pipe and back into the pool.

The water in our pool goes from 54 degrees to 84 degrees in 3 days.

The best part is that it's free heat....except for the black pipe. If I remember correctly, it came to $20.00

Yep, free heat and always so warm to get in, A PP stated that 80* is the limit, I hate the cold because of my fybromyagia. It may look like a hillbilly way to have a steady 85* pool. We are rual in the Pocono's so it is a short pool season for us.
It is so no brainer. A pump and black hose, or pipe.

I am going to look at that SAM's solar panel though. This pool is an Intex, liner with the supports, 15 by 4 ft. We take it down Labor Day or so. It was about $250 with the ladder and everything from SAMS, three seasons ago.

The little filter, clean sparkling water, affordable Walmart cartriges and we have such inexpensive summer fun. I only have my youngest 14 at home and the grandson 5, we have an adult or two in with them and no problems.
I do like the solar cover, it keeps the bugs and leaves out of the pool.

At our age I cannot see investing in a grand pool and the upkeep, winterizing and all. I have a hot tub though.
UMMMMmmmmm, I wonder if I can do a two-fer....heat the hot tub to 103* and then run the hose to fill the pool? THen refill the hot tub?