Why electric pool covers?
Pools lose energy in a variety of ways, but evaporation is by far the largest
source of energy loss for swimming pools. When compared to evaporation, all
other losses are small.
Since evaporation is the major source of heat loss for all swimming pools, to
minimize evaporation one must cover the pool. Covering the water with a pool
cover when it is not in use is the single most effective means of reducing
heating costs. Savings of 50-70% are possible.
Increasingly popular, but relatively expensive, are automatic pool covers, which
cover and uncover your pool at the touch of a button or even by remote control.
Whether you pull the cover across yourself, or let electricity do the job for
you, there are three main types of cover. However their features are by no
means independent, many covers combining features to provide multi-purpose
blankets.
Semi-automatic covers use a motor driven reel system. They use electrical power
to roll and unroll the cover, but usually require someone to pull on the cover
when unrolling, or guide the cover onto the reel when rolling the cover up. They
can be built into the deck surrounding the pool, or can use reels on carts.
Automatic covers have permanently mounted reels that automatically cover and
uncover the pool at the push of a button. They are also the most expensive first
cost option. But you have to weigh the cost of labor for the manual and
semi-automatic covers to determine which route is best for your particular
situation.
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