Why should I cover my pool?

Climate change is becoming an increasing concern for pool owners looking to reduce their energy and resource consumption. The industry has responded with heat pumps to heat the pools more efficiently and salt water chlorinators to reduce chemical consumption. A pool owner can even insulate the walls and floor of the pool. But many pool owners underestimate something as simple as the benefits of a quality pool cover and its positive impact on resource consumption. Studies from the US Department of Energy have shown evaporation is responsible for 70% of the heat loss from an outdoor pool.

Water resources are precious and their preservation is becoming of increasing global concern with the UN describing water at the heart of adaption to climate change.

Water is an essential but strained resource globally, and is something many of us take for granted. Owning and running a swimming pool will naturally increase a household’s water usage significantly due to things like back-washing, and water splashing out of the pool. A substantial percentage of your pool’s water consumption will also be due to evaporation.

There are many do’s and don’ts when it comes to owning a swimming pool but perhaps one of the most important things to remember, for an energy and resource efficient pool is that it should always be covered whenever it is not in use. During a pool season in the UK the average uncovered pool will lose approximately 21,780 litres* of water to evaporation – equivalent to 270 baths, or over 87 thousand cups of tea.

* Based on an 8x4m pool (41,600 litres) in the pool season (182 days a year) in the UK.

Our GeoBubble™ covers provide a barrier over the pool eliminating 98% of evaporation, and preserving this vital resource. Without a cover, the potential energy wasted due to evaporation is huge.

For example, it would take 583 kCal to evaporate 1kg of water at 26°C equating to 12.7 million kCals for your average swimming pool over the season. This is a staggering 14750 kWhs, enough energy to power your TV 475 hours or 5 hours a day for 95 days (that’s a lot of Netflix!).

With a solar heating pool cover you stop the energy from the Sun evaporating water and instead harness this energy to help heat your pool. So, by covering your pool with a GeoBubble™ cover, your pool heater doesn’t have to work as hard, ultimately saving you money on your energy bill.

All GeoBubble™ covers will provide this essential Evaporation Control, as well as Heat Retention, Debris Control and Temperature Control for your pool, and GeoBubble’s unique bubble design means that the expected lifespan of your pool cover is increased by 25%. 

The water saved by covering your pool and preventing evaporation for one season is enough for 270 baths or over 87 thousand cups of tea. The energy saved in the same period is enough to power your TV for 5 hours a day for 95 days, or enough to power 112 15-watt light bulbs for a year 24 hours a day.

For further savings for your particular needs, take a look at our high-performance Guard materials.

High Performance product range

Our high performance 500 microns Guard materials are scientifically designed to yield maximum savings in respect of heating or cooling and chemical consumption when covering a swimming pool.

Our Guard materials have a 8 year+ expected lifespan on a correctly balanced pool*, with a 8 years pro rata manufacturer’s warranty. The Guard products are formulated with a unique additive package to ensure this lifespan is met. Based on in-field research in collaboration with two British universities, a Guard pool cover will have paid for itself in only one year, given the savings achieved on the pool’s maintenance costs / overheads.

* Always keep the pool water within the recommended Industry standards range to ensure the cover’s lifespan and warranty is not compromised. Please see The GeoBlog for more information.