Owning a swimming pool comes with many responsibilities that you should be aware of. One of these is knowing when to replace your swimming pool cover. 

A swimming pool cover is an essential part of a swimming pool, designed to protect the pool from dirt, debris, and even insects. With this in mind, your pool cover won’t last forever, which is why it will eventually need to be replaced.

It is important that you check the condition of your swimming pool cover periodically, to help ensure the health and safety of your family and friends whenever they use the pool. 

Here are the essentials of how to know when your swimming pool cover needs replacing:

The cover is peeling apart

A bubble pool cover effectively consists of two layers – a flat top sheet and a bottom sheet, with these covers’ bubble profiles being created by vacuum forming. Once the mould forms the bubble, these two layers are laminated together, to create a permanent bond between them.  

If you have such a swimming pool cover, and you notice that one layer is peeling apart from the other, this – thankfully rare – effect is called delamination. It can occur due to the pool cover overheating during its time stored away from the pool. 

You might understandably ask: “why would my bubble pool cover be especially likely to overheat in this specific situation?” Well, the cover being left folded or uncovered on a reel system – and thereby exposed to the broader environment – can make the material susceptible to overheating in a short space of time. 

This, in turn, can cause the air within the bubbles to expand. In extremely rare instances, this might even have the effect of forcing apart the layers of material. 

Holes, and ‘wear and tear’

A swimming pool cover is likely to go through a fair amount of “wear and tear” throughout its use, but you should certainly keep an eye out for any holes or tears through the cover. 

Punctured holes from bird pecks are actually more common than you might think, and chemicals, varying temperatures, and ultraviolet (UV) rays could also have adverse effects on your swimming pool cover over time.

The pool cover feels brittle

When you are handling your cover, does it feel brittle to the touch? If so, this might be a sign that you need to replace it. 

Usually, swimming pool covers are malleable, but if your cover feels brittle, this could mean it has worn down over time and may not be fit to protect your swimming pool any longer. This can be a result of the long-term pressures of pool chemicals and UV rays, among other factors. 

The cover is showing signs of shrinkage 

Your swimming pool cover shrinking is something that you need to look out for, as this could mean you may not be able to fully cover your swimming pool. High temperatures can cause the cover to shrink, and if it is no longer big enough to cover the entirety of your pool, you might need a new one. 

From swimming pool covers to inflatable pools, here at Pool Warehouse, we provide a wide range of affordable and high-quality pool products. Contact us today for any enquiries or for more information about our products, so that you can extract greater enjoyment from your swimming pool with the help of the best-priced essentials.