How to Install a Solar Pool Cover

Solar pool covers are incredibly useful pieces of kit that help maintain your water temperature and reduce heating costs – they are a must for the swimming season!

Luckily, installing and maintaining a solar cover is pretty straightforward, so you can let it do its thing while you make the most of your pool. We consider some common FAQs about sizing, fitting and installing solar bubble covers.

How to Measure For a Solar Pool Cover

To find the right size cover for your pool, use our handy solar pool cover calculator. Here, you can easily order a bespoke solar cover without any hassle. Just enter the shape, length and width of your pool, and our calculator will do the rest.

Can You Cut a Solar Pool Cover to Size?

If you have an irregularly shaped pool or want to ensure an exact fit, you may need to over-order your pool cover material and then trim the cover down to the correct size and shape.

This can be done on-site, or we can organise it to be cut at the factory as per your specific dimensions and shape (note, this will include an extra charge).

Best Way to Cut a Solar Pool Cover

If you’re cutting a solar cover yourself, lay the cover on the water and be careful to trim it closely to the pool wall, allowing some excess for shrinkage. When cutting, do so slowly to avoid pulling the cover away from the opposite side. If you’re cutting around ladders or other unique shapes, do so with a curved angle as right angles will create weak points that are more prone to tearing.

You can also use any old covers as templates when trimming your new one to size.

Does a Solar Cover Have to Cover the Whole Pool?

You need to be careful when sizing your solar cover, as they work best when they cover the entirety of your pool. This is because they help maintain the temperature of your water by reducing heat loss through evaporation. If portions of your pool remain uncovered, you expose it to more rapid heat loss.

How Should a Solar Pool Cover Fit?

A solar cover will lie flat over your pool, with the edges lining up with your pool wall exactly for a snug fit. Or, you may retain a few inches of excess material that remain folded up against the pool wall. This can be a good option if you’re especially worried about keeping debris out as there’s less chance of it entering along a small gap between the pool edge and cover.

Does a Solar Pool Cover Need to Touch the Water?

Most solar pool covers and blankets are designed to float on your pool’s surface, so will touch the water. This helps them effectively reduce evaporation and transfer heat from the sun into the water.

Do Solar Pool Covers Go Bubbles Up or Down?

It’s important that you install your solar cover bubble side down. The sun heats the air in these bubbles which is then transferred into the water, helping with temperature gains.

Using a Roller or Reel With Your Solar Pool Cover

One of the easiest ways to handle your solar cover is by using it with a roller. This way you can take it on and off your pool without having to manually move it around. This also means you can keep it in good condition for longer.

Solar covers are pretty easy to rig up to your roller. We stock a range of connectors and cover to roller attachment kits to ensure you can properly secure your cover and make rolling it in and out simple. We also have several towing kits and leading edge products to make it easier and more convenient to deploy the cover over the pool.

A pool ladder

How to Store a Solar Pool Cover

During the swimming season, whenever your pool is not in use, you should ensure the solar cover is installed on your pool. Whenever you’re actually using the pool or are adding chemicals (when the pool will need to remain uncovered), the cover can simply be rolled onto the roller. When it’s temporarily stored away like this, you may want to use a protector sheet or reel cover to ensure it’s protected against the weather.

When the season is over and it’s time to bring out your winter cover, you can roll or fold your solar cover up and keep it tucked away somewhere clean and dry. You may also choose to keep your cover rolled up on the roller and store them together under a protective cover.

Before storing any covers away for long periods, make sure they have been cleaned and dried properly so you don’t get any nasty surprises when you unroll them next summer.

To learn more about using solar pool covers and finding the perfect fit for your pool setup, please see our guide below.