As summer comes to a close, many pool owners have pool covers on their minds. What’s the best way to protect your inground pool from dirt, leaves, and debris? What’s the best type of leaf net pool cover? You spend a good amount of time and energy on your pool. Who wants to keep tending to a pool when it’s closed for the winter? Before you cover it, let us help you find the best pool cover option.
Solid vinyl or mesh?
Mesh pool covers typically cost $200 – $600 less than solid vinyl covers. They also last up to 15 years! They don’t need a pump on top, and they require little to no work during the off-season.
However, they don’t stop rain water from entering the pool. This is a problem because rainwater isn’t clean. Debris collected on the cover is typically dirty; that dirt gets transferred to the pool. The debris allows bacteria and algae to grow in your pool over the winter, so when you uncover it in the spring, you’ll have a lot of maintenance to contend with.
Solid vinyl leaf net pool covers only last up to 11 years, but they keep pool water clean. Water and debris cannot seep through, so you won’t have as much maintenance waiting for you in the spring.
They are more expensive than mesh covers, usually an additional $200 – $600. They are substantially heavier as well, so installation is more difficult and requires at least two people. Also, they require a pump up top.
Automatic Pool Covers
Automatic leaf net pool covers range in price from $12,000 – $22,000. The range in price is due to the many different automatic pool covers you can purchase. The biggest advantage of automatic leaf net pool covers is that they come with solar covers which offer your pool constant protection. Automatic leaf net pool covers can be used all year round.
The downside to automatic leaf net pool covers is that they typically only have a lifespan of about five years. This is because the replacement costs can range anywhere from $2,000 – $4,000.
Solar covers can also cause problems during the hot summer months. Solar covers tend to heat the water. Nobody wants to take a dip in 95-degree water! But, the biggest problem with automatic leaf net pool covers is that they can break down, causing a pool repair issue.
