Why use a pool cover?

In the past few years, pool covers have come into their own, due largely to the industry’s educational campaigns and heightened awareness around
the need to be more sustainable in our daily habits and choices. However, with such a wide variety of pool covers now available, it can be difficult to
know exactly what material is right for your pool maintenance needs and swimming habits. It is important to understand that each type of material
performs differently and varies in terms of UV stability, thicknesses, durability and lifespan. This document is designed to guide you through the
different pool cover material types and show you how to match the material to the specific need.

So what is the best material to put on your pool? It all depends on what you want the material to do!

All pool covers have common benefits, listed below however, the correct material will provide extra savings in terms of reducing running costs of the
pool. Depending on which material is selected, you can reduce your heating costs, reduce your chemical consumption by 70%, reduce filtration
times by 50% to save electricity, or keep pool water cooler in extremely hot climates.

General benefits of covering your pool

The following list details the benefits achieved with standard pool cover material. Performance may differ according to the material’s opacity but you can generally expect a temperature increase of 3-4 degrees C.

Cover lifespan will also vary with thickness or UV stabilisation but a quality base level material can be expected to last for two to three years.

•Increase pool’s temperature
•Eliminate water evaporation by 98% +
•Available with GeoBubble™ technology
•Save money
•Reduce chemical consumption
•Reduce the carbon footprint of your pool
•Reduce debris contamination
•Reduce energy consumption

Selecting the right material for you?

What is the difference between foam and bubble covers?
A bubble cover, often referred to as a solar blanket, enables free sustainable energy to be transferred to the water via the cover, resulting in a rise in water temperature.
Heating and running costs are lowered as a result. A foam cover works as a insulating lid.

The material is manufactured using foaming agents or by radiating the material to create small air bubbles within he material.

This helps to retain the heat that is added to the pool via the heating system however no additional energy will be transferred to the water other than that

generated by the heat pump.

The difference in performance between the two depends largely on the foam thickness.

Looking only at the heat retention properties, a 5mm foam will provide a 60% saving in heating costs, whereas a bubble cover will provide a 50% saving.

This is because both a bubble cover and a foam cover prevent evaporation which is the greatest cause of heat loss in the swimming pool and both use air to insulate the swimming pool surface. So both provide a similar heat saving.

Why choose a bubble cover?

A bubble cover is lighter and easier to remove from the pool.
A bubble cover is generally cheaper than a foam cover. With high performance Guard covers, the return on investment or payback period is one year.
Foam covers also insulate the pool from potential heat gains from solar energy.

Thickness / Material design:

Our swimming pool covers are made from LDPE (low density polyethylene). LDPE is used for its
material properties, the material has a density of less then one, allowing it to float on the water, has a
good chemical resistance to a large number of common chemicals and a good degree of clarity and
tensile strength. The expected lifespan of the material is determined by two factors: the amount of
UV (ultra violet) additives mixed with the material to prevent the degradation due to solar radiation
exposure on the polymers, and the thickness to withstand the oxidising properties of the pool
sanitizers.

The material’s design is an important implication on the cover’s lifespan and performance. The main
purpose of the bubbles is to create a insulating air gap between the water and the cover, helping to
retain heat within the pool, so because of this a large tall bubble is preferable. However there are
other considerations when designing the bubble structure – sharp edges produce stress points and
thinning on the material. This was the objective when designing GeoBubble™ – to eliminate these
weaker areas to achieve a longer lasting bubble.

It is widely agreed throughout the industry that for a good cover that will last two to three years, the
thickness should be a minimum of 400micron. For a longer lifespan, thicker grades are required to
allow for enough UV protection and material to delay the oxidising effects of the chemicals within the
swimming pool. We have found that 500micron offers a good thickness and is still light enough to be
conveniently taken on or off the pool. This is why this thickness has been selected for our high
performance products.

For the high performance covers, the 500micron has a specialised UV stabilisation package tailored to
provide a expected lifespan of over five to six years. These materials are designed to pay back their
investment within the first year of use and are developed to provide the optimum savings available
for its specific application.