Does a Pool Cover Keep Water Warm?
Does a Pool Warm Up Faster with the Cover On or Off?
Many pool owners wonder whether or not pool covers really heat water. In fact, there are plenty of pol blanket manufacturers claiming that their pool covers can heat your pool water by up to 8 degrees Celsius. So, does a pool cover keep water warm?

In this post, we’ll discuss a pool cover’s ability to heat pool water. We’ll also point out how they work as well as the factors that affect how much heat your pool water will gain as a result of using a swimming pool cover.
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So, Do Pool Covers Warm Water?
The short answer is YES. Many pool owners say that their pools are warmer after installing a solar pool cover. However, it’s important to learn how they are designed so you can get a better idea of how they can warm your pool.
Only Solar Pool Covers Heat the Water
First things first, you have to bear in mind that only solar pool covers heat water. Other pool covers such as rigid and thermal covers will only retain the heat in your pool water but won’t actually warm the water. Here’s how automatic pool covers keep water warm.
Reduced Evaporation
According to research findings, a majority of the heat losses in water bodies occur due to evaporation. The loss of heat occurs much like the way our bodies cool down when hot. Sweat will form on your body, and when it evaporates, the body cools down.
More or less the same thing happens with your swimming pool. When the water in your pool evaporates, it carries with it the heat, consequently cooling down your pool. So, if you can prevent evaporation, then you can significantly reduce the amount of heat loss. As such, covering your pool will help to warm the water up.
Allowing Sunlight to Heat the Water
Solar pool covers generally allow light to pass through them (translucent). As a result, the sun’s rays can naturally warm the water.
Thermal pool covers, on the other hand, are opaque (don’t allow light to pass through), and therefore don’t capture the energy of the sun.
Insulating the Pool Water from Heat Loss
One other way pool covers keep your pool water warm is by insulating the warmed water. Air bubbles in the pool cover act as an insulator in a similar way that your thermos would keep water warm. A pool cover will, therefore, keep your pool water warmer for longer.
Bottom Line
The big question is: does a pool cover keep water warm? Yes, it really does. However, the extra warmth resulting from covering your pool will depend on several factors such as the size of the pool, how hot and cold the weather gets, how windy the area you live in is, if the pool is fully or partially hit by the sun, how often you use your pool cover and whether or not you have heating. Whether you need some pool cleaning tips, swimming pool depth recommendations, or more information about pool covers, our pool experts here at Regal Pools can answer your questions.

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Regal Pool Design
9930 Boudreaux Rd
Tomball, TX 77375
Phone: (281) 251-0044
Email: info@regalpooldesign.com