Why you need a Pool Cover!
To cover or not to cover? That is the question
Education’ is a commonly used word in the pool industry, and there’s no doubt that without educated professionals, the industry won’t advance. This is certainly true when it comes to pool covers — but the industry, in turn, needs to educate the general public on the benefits of using a pool cover. The good news is that once a consumer experiences these benefits first-hand, they’re likely to be a pool cover user for life.
Because you have to
We suspect that some pool and spa builders underplay the value of a cover during their pitch to potential customers. When the inclusion of a cover is mandatory, such as under NSW BASIX, then the temptation is to go with the cheapest option. That often means that the supplied cover is of lower quality as well as being hard to use. And if you end up with a cover that is hard to use, then guess what? It is hardly used. There’s obviously a lot of cheap versions on the market, but people that are sitting there and doing the research and want the quality product, they’re the ones coming to us. Given that the use of pool and spa covers is mandatory in certain situations such as new pool builds and with heated pools, you’d think that they’d be more widely used. However, adherence to these regulations is often lax at best.
However, not many people know that that piece of legislation exists. And it’s certainly not enforced.
Since pool covers unequivocally reduce heat loss in heated pools and minimise evaporation, surely it’s a no-brainer to use them. But again, pool cover uptake comes down to cost and ease of use. While it’s tempting to put your head in the sand and pretend that pool covers are optional, eventually everyone in the industry will need to dip their toe in. And why wouldn’t you when the benefits are so obvious?
Because you’re worth it
As with most things in life, there’s no doubt that with a pool cover, you get what you pay for. And while for pool builders and consumers alike, it’s very tempting to skimp on a pool cover in favour of spending more on another part of the pool, you’ll almost invariably find that opting for a reputable brand — even though it might cost more — will pay for itself in a short time.
We’ve seen plenty of customers who’ve learnt this the hard way. “You hear people say, ‘Oh, I got a Bunnings cover last time and it started flaking off in six months.’ We hear that often and then they’re swayed to come to us!
When we speak to them and tell them we’ve got a 12 month warranty, it often works out cheaper for them to make that little bit more of an investment to begin with.
Because it’s just better to have one
There is no doubt that once people use a cover, they suddenly realise how valuable they are. If you’re trying to heat a pool or stop water evaporation, it all happens on the surface of the water. 90% of the heat goes straight out of the top of the swimming pool. It’s not the filter; it’s not the pumps; it’s not this; it’s not that. It’s just exposed water and if you put a cover over that, you basically stop it dead.
We often see, particularly in really hot parts of the country, that people are really desperate for a pool cover because they can pretty much see the water evaporating. So I think it still is a really relevant reason to have a cover. Water costs money and it’s not cheap. It’s definitely a big factor.
While most consumers won’t fully appreciate the benefits of a pool cover until they’ve experienced them for themselves, a recommendation from a trusted professional is the next best thing. The key to increasing pool cover use is to educate on the benefits of pool covers: reduced energy use for heating; less debris in the pool; and massive reductions in evaporation.
If you have any further questions on our Spa and Pool covers, don’t hesitate to reach out to us!
