Pros and Cons of an Automatic Pool Cover

Automatic inground pool covers are an increasingly popular way to make your pool area safer. Upgrading your swimming area with an automatic retractable pool cover can come with significant benefits, but you also need to understand the limitations of your cover and considerations installing an automatic cover might entail. When it comes to creating a safer pool area, you have options. Understanding those options will help you make the best possible decision for the enjoyment and safety of your family, friends, and pets.

Pool Safety Cover 101

Pool safety covers are not the same as dust and dirt covers. Intended to help prevent the 3400 accidental drownings each year, safety covers are stronger and meant to prevent accidental water entry by someone who is incapacitated or otherwise should not have unsupervised access to the pool. They are a physical barrier between a potential drowning victim and tragedy. Automated inground pool covers use a mechanism to open the cover when you’re ready to use the pool and to close the cover when you’re finished, creating a safer pool area while you’re away.

The Pros Of Automatic Retractable Pool Covers

These are the top reasons customers choose an automated cover option for their pool.

• Ease Of Use – Safety covers are made of strong vinyl and affixed to your pool edge by rails. While manual safety covers are designed to be used easily, automated inground pool covers are even easier, simply requiring a switch to activate the mechanism.
• Looks Great – A safety pool cover sliding smoothly over the water’s surface as your pool opens or closes is a sight to see. This gives your pool area a sharp look that not only impresses guests but may be a selling point for future buyers.
• Cleaner Water – An easier-to-use cover means a more often used cover, keeping dirt and debris out of your pool. A manual safety cover will keep out detritus just as well when closed, but after a vigorous set of laps, some swimmers take a break before closing their pool, leaving it exposed longer.
• Warmer Water – The heavy vinyl cover not only traps heat in the water, as a large surface area for the sun to hit, it actually helps keep your water warmer. This can be more than just comfortable, it can be economical. A pool that is naturally warmer needs less heating, reducing your cost of ownership.

Cons of Automatic Pool Covers

While most owners would agree their automatic inground pool covers are the perfect choice for safety and appearance, there are a few factors to consider.

• Price Tag – Compared to a manual pool safety cover, an automatic retractable pool cover comes with a higher price tag. You have the additional expense of purchasing and installing the motorized unit and controls, and the regular upkeep they may need to stay in good working order. 
• Malfunctions Can Be Inconvenient – More functional components mean there are more parts that will experience wear over time and may need maintenance, repair, or replacement. While most automatic inground pool covers have a manual override that can be used in the case of motor failure, it is often still not as easy as a manual pool cover to operate.
• Rails May Get In The Way – If your pool is rectangular, the cover’s rails can be tucked neatly under the edge of the pool and out of the way in many cases. Otherwise, rails are affixed to your deck area. While they are low profile, they can easily stub toes or cause someone not being cautious to trip and fall.
• May Keep Your Pool Too Enclosed – Safety pool covers can help keep heat in, but sometimes they can do their job a little too well. Likewise, chlorine does not escape under the heavy vinyl of a pool cover as it does in an open pool. Both of these situations can be remedied by planning to open up your pool a bit earlier than normal for your swim time, but they may factor into the decisions of cover owners.

Other Pool Safety Options

While automatic retractable pool covers can be a great safety addition to your pool area, they aren’t your only choice. 

Manual Pool Safety Covers – Manual pool covers give you the same coverage of the water, but you open and close them yourself. In most cases, a hand crank serves to withdraw the cover while it is simply pulled across the water and secured to close your pool.

Swimming Pool Safety Fences – Removable swimming pool safety fences are designed to prevent entry into the area around your pool, resist climbing, and stand up to the elements. There are even fences available for pet owners that resist damage from small claws and sharp teeth of curious family pets.

Swimming Pool Safety Nets – Similar to a safety cover, the safety net covers the pool surface to prevent accidental immersion, but it uses an open mesh that doesn’t retain heat or prevent chlorine from escaping. Unfortunately, this doesn’t prevent dirt and debris from entering the water.

Get Your Customized Pool Safety Solution

Every pool is different, but there is a solution that gives you a safer pool for your friends, family, and pets while maintaining the eye appeal of the pool area you’ve worked hard for. Contact us today to set an appointment for a consultation with a pool safety expert who can design a safety solution to meet your pool area’s needs. Keep your swimmers safer with All-Safe Pool today.