8 Benefits of Automatic Pool Covers

When it comes to pool ownership and maintenance, swimming pool covers are incredibly useful pieces of kit. They perform several key functions that help keep your inground pool safe, clean and at the desired temperature. 

Automatic pool covers are particularly desirable as they are highly effective and convenient to use. Here are some of the key benefits you’ll want to consider if you’re thinking about investing in an automatic/electric pool cover. 

Types of swimming pool cover

1. Long Term Savings 

Due to all the benefits that come with keeping your pool covered, an automatic cover can help you save money in the long run. You won’t need to spend as much on heating or chemicals, as your easily deployed cover will help keep chemical consumption and heat loss down throughout the year.

While automatic covers can be a more expensive investment when compared with more basic pool covers, they can encourage significant savings in the long run. 

2. Convenience & Ease of Use

One of the main advantages that sets automatic pool covers apart from other kinds of swimming pool covers is their ease of use. Other covers can be cumbersome and tricky to manoeuvre. 

Automatic covers can be released and retracted in an instant, removing the need for any manual handling. This makes uncovering your pool for the day hassle-free, ensuring you can make the most of it and get swimming as soon as possible. Generally, all you’ll have to do to cover or uncover your pool is press a switch! 

3. Provides a Sleek Look 

Slatted automatic covers may also be preferable because they give a sleeker, more luxurious look. If you want your pool area to give that impressive holiday or spa feel, an automatic cover is more likely to help you achieve this. 

Automatic pool covers tend to be fitted snugly to the side of your pool, with the roller housed out of sight beneath the coping stones or within a bench. This offers a seamless, serene look, ideal for keeping your garden and pool space looking pristine. 

How to maintain a swimming pool cover

4. Prevents Evaporation & Reduces Heat Loss

Swimming pool covers act as vapour barriers and provide a useful layer of insulation that traps heat. This helps prevent evaporation, which will not only help you conserve water but will also reduce heat loss as evaporation has a cooling effect and is a key cause of heat loss in swimming pools, especially for pools with large surface areas. 

This, in turn, will help you save money on heating as well as boost your environmentally-conscious efforts due to the reduced energy usage. 

5. Application With Solar Technology 

Because of the slatted design and material these covers are made from, many automatic covers can also come with the capability to harness solar power. Solar slats provide a simple and effective way to heat your water up by several degrees.

Again, this can contribute to reduced reliance on traditional heating methods, providing a cheaper and more eco-friendly option.

6. Reduces Chemical Consumption

After investing in a slatted cover, you may also find that you have to spend less time, money and energy when dealing with the chemicals in your pool. As there is less chance of the elements damaging the delicate balance of your water’s chemistry, you won’t have to top up your swimming pool chemicals as often as you would if your pool was left uncovered. 

Someone dipping their hand in clean pool water

7. Increased Safety

While not necessarily guaranteed to provide the same level of security as specifically designated safety pool covers, slatted pool covers do offer a robust barrier layer that makes it less likely that pets, children and anyone else will fall in. This can take away some of the stress when thinking about potential dangers an at-home swimming pool can pose – you want your pool to symbolise relaxation and fun while still remaining mindful of hazards. 

Bear in mind, though, that these covers are not designed to take the full weight of an adult, so you shouldn’t purposely walk across these. 

8. Protection From the Elements

As well as keeping people safe, an automatic pool cover can also keep the pool itself safe and secure, giving you peace of mind that your equipment will remain in great shape. Automatic covers offer a convenient method of keeping leaves and debris out of your water, meaning you can clean your pool less frequently. 

Are Automatic Pool Covers Good For Winter?

Automatic slatted covers are pretty durable, but depending on the one you go for, they might not be specifically designed for use in winter, especially if you live somewhere that experiences particularly harsh weather. 

If you want to use your automatic cover throughout the winter, you’ll need to do a bit of maintenance work to ensure it doesn’t get damaged. This will include things like ensuring the water is at a suitable level and using a cover pump to remove any accumulated water. 

During the on-season, you won’t have to perform too much maintenance, and your automatic cover should hold up well in a range of weather conditions. They tend to be more durable than standard pool covers and can be easily stored away when not in use. 

Ultimately, an automatic pool cover can be an incredibly worthwhile investment. It provides a range of long-term benefits that’ll end up keeping your pool in the best shape. We offer several automatic swimming pool covers, including top and pit mount options. Each of our slatted automatic covers is a bespoke item – browse the various designs below to kit your pool out with the ideal cover.

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