Whereas it may look a ton like bubble wrap, the merchandise used to cover a swimming pool plus probably heat the water is actually a solar pool cover. It looks very like bubble wrap, because it contains air bubbles, though the fabric is much thicker, sometimes as much as 12mm in thickness. The bubble wrap material is usually black in color plus is the side that sits on the water whereas the smooth side is the side which is generally visible. These solar pool covers are a good, cheap method to heat a swimming pool while not having to pay high gas or electricity bills. Costing around $40, these solar pool covers may be bought in sheets which you can then cut to fit the dimensions of your pool. They work to heat your pool in two ways, by using absorbing heat from the sun’s rays plus by preventing heat loss.  

The clear solar pool cover, as the name suggests, works by absorbing the sun’s rays. The pool water then becomes heated through an exchange of heat. When the “bubble wrap” pool cover absorbs the suns rays it gradually heats the water in the pool whereas the cool pool water keeps the solar cover cool. The pool cover will usually heat the pool water up by one degree per day. After many days in full sun a pool cover can raise the pool temperature by approximately 10 to 15 degrees.  

However, the pool has to be below full sun for this to occur. If a swimming pool does not get full sun, it’s unlikely [that the] pool owner will experience the heating effects of a solar pool cover. A good amount of pool covers are either blue or clear. Several pool suppliers sell black pool covers claiming which it absorbs extra heat. However, whereas it’s true that darker colors absorb extra heat, they even trap in additional heat so the warmth doesn’t transfer to the pool water. Additionally, for the reason that the black covers trap additional heat inside additionally prone to break than the clear covers.  

The solar pool cover works in another way by preventing heat loss. At night, because the water cools, it loses radiant heat plus even evaporates. But, a solar pool cover works similar to a blanket, keeping the warmth in and preventing it from escaping. This is often due to both the bubbles and the overall thickness of the solar cover that helps to insulate against radiant heat loss and provides a physical barrier against evaporation, that means that not only will a solar pool cover stay a pool nice and warm but can even help to avoid wasting on water bills.