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You might have come across a solar pool cover or you are looking for one to install on your pool. If that sounds like you and you don’t know much about these covers, then this article is for you.

We will teach you how to install solar pool covers and give you a review of the top models on the market today.

Solar Pool Covers Bubbles Up or Down

You cannot know how to install a solar pool cover unless you know why you need it.

Why Install A Solar Pool Cover?

As your pool rests under the sun, it gets warmed by the sun energy. That’s why pools are warm during the hot days of the year.  

But this heat from the sun isn’t enough to keep your pool warm throughout the year. Thus, many people install the solar pool covers to guarantee a steady source of heat.  

A solar pool cover is able to create a barrier between the pool and the air in the atmosphere. It acts like a lid that covers your pool to prevent excess heat loss.

In addition, a solar pool cover will help to heat your swimming pool faster. This is why you should install the cover the right way.

Install Pool Cover Bubbles Up or Down

The bubbles should always face down when installing your solar pool cover. The sun heats the air inside these bubbles and the warmth is taken into your swimming pool.  

This is why the bubbles should face the water. Besides, the bubbles also help to trap the warmth inside your pool to ensure that it remains warm when the weather is cold.  

Installing Bubbles Facing Up

If the bubbles face the sun, it will take longer for the sun to heat your pool and the bubbles might get fried by the hot sun. They can easily overheat in the air if they don’t have a media where they can transfer this heat.

Solar Pool Cover Reviews – Top 8 Picks

Below are 8 solar pool covers that will keep your pool warm during the cold months.

Intex Solar Cover for 10ft Diameter

Ideal for a 10 feet diameter pool, this cover will keep your pool warm during the cold months. It is not only easy but also economical to use and will reduce evaporation by 95%.

The cover comes inside a reusable carrying bag.

Pros

• Easy to store.
• 8 holes that prevent water accumulation.

Cons

• Low quality.

Intex Aluminum Base Solar Pool Cover Reel

This model is conveniently designed to allow you to easily attach it to your pool’s metal frame. You can also adjust its size easily, making covering and uncovering the pool easy and simple.

It also has a lock feature that will prevent it from rolling unintentionally.

Pros

• Heavy duty construction.
• Very easy to install.

Cons

• Only the reel.

Sun2Solar Blue 4ft by 8ft Rectangle Solar Cover

Thanks to the thousands of its tiny bubbles, this solar cover works effectively when collecting the sun’s heat. Its blue color makes it attractive in your swimming pool and it is able to reduce evaporation by 95%.

Besides, it is able to retain your pool heat during the cold nights and months. And you can easily trim it to fit your pool to provide complete coverage.

Pros

• Easy to trim.
• Ability to trap heat.

Cons

• Slightly expensive.

Harris 12ft Round Solar Cover

If you want a cover that will provide you with amazing heat retention, then choose the Harris 12ft. One thing, it is among the most affordable solar pool covers on the market today.

It is able to raise your pool’s temperature by about 15 degrees and prevent evaporation. In addition, it is very easy to install this cover as it provides a hassle-free installation.

Pros

• Allows the rays to penetrate.
• Prevents chemical loss.

Cons

• Not quite effective.

Thermo-Tex 2831224 Solar Pool Cover

This cover will prolong your swimming season and reduce your heating costs. It is also able to reduce your water bill and chemical cost since it prevents excessive evaporation of water.

The cover is made of a high-quality, UV-resistance polymer that lasts for decades. Another feature of the cover is the lightweight design that makes it easy to install.

Pros

• Has a 3 years warranty.
• Last for decades.

Cons

• Will take time to install.

In The Swim 12ft by 20ft Rectangle Swimming Pool Solar Blanket Cover

This is a 12-mil thick cover that is made of UV-stabilized resin to ensure that it lasts long under the sun. It features hundreds of air bubbles that transfer the heat from the sun to your pool.

The cover helps to reduce evaporation and thus water and chemical loss, saving you money and time. You can easily cut it to fit oval, irregular, or kidney-shaped pools.

Pros

• Has a 7 years warranty.
• Saves on pool operation costs.

Cons

• You might a professional to trim it.

Blue Wave NS510 Solar Blanket

Blue Wave NS510 is a 14-mil pool cover that helps to increase your pool’s temperature by 15 degrees. It is able to prevent heat loss, thanks to the bubbles that allow the heat to pass into your pool and not to the air.

Perfect for in-ground pools, the solar pool cover was made to withstand the hot conditions that can be caused by UV rays. It is also able to prevent evaporation by up to 95%.

Pros

• Has a 6 years warranty.
• Prevents evaporation.

Cons

• Quite expensive.

Splash Pools Round Solar Pool Cover

Splash Pool Round Solar Pool Cover is able to reduce evaporation by 95%. This means that you don’t need to keep on adding chemicals to your pool due to water loss.

It is also able to warm your pool by about 15 degrees and is recommended for round pools. Another thing, it is very easy to install the pool cover.

Pros

• Reduces chemical cost.
• Raises the temperature by 15 degrees.

Cons

• Made of low-quality material.

Final Verdict

Always ensure that the bubbles face down when installing your solar pool cover. This way, your cover will raise the temperature of your pool and prevent the heat from escaping.

Maintaining your pool is one of the most important things you can do to improve its safety. Regular cleaning of your pool can be done using bleach.

Bleach can create hypochlorous acid and mix with water contaminants in your pool to provide you the ultimate cleaning solution. But the question is: how much bleach for 1000 gallon pool?   

Things to Know When Using Bleach

Bleach is usually present in laundry detergents since it’s mainly used to remove tough stains from clothes. Chlorine and bleach are quite similar except that bleach can be made without using elemental chlorine while chlorine is made without any other chemical.

Typical bleach also forms hypochlorous acid. Besides, liquid chlorine or most bleach is made in small concentrations. It is usually made into 6 percent solution since it’s mainly used for laundry purpose. Normal chlorine can be made with up to 12 percent concentration.  

What this means is that you will need to use twice the amount of bleach to get the same effect as chlorine. Also, avoid using scented bleach when cleaning your pool since it can add contaminants to your pool.

Read More: Choose the best robotic pool cleaner on the market

How Much Bleach to Use?

You cannot know the amount of bleach you need until you test the level of chlorine in your swimming pool. The aim is to add bleach that will provide a chlorine level of 1-3 Parts Per Million in order to keep your facility free of all contaminants.

This PPM is also just right for swimmers since they won’t be affected by irritation to the skin or eyes.

One of the commonly used bleach to clean pools is Clorox and it typically boasts of a 5.7 percent concentration. If you wish to clean a 1000 gallons pool, you will need to use about 4.2 ounces of this product to boost the chlorine level by 2 PPM. Read More: Best above ground pool

Computing Amount of Gallons in Your Pool

You need to compute the amount of water in your pool (volume) in order to ensure that you get the right measurement of bleach to use. How should you do that?

The volume of the pool = Length (Feet) x Width (Feet) x Average Depth of the Pool (Feet)

After getting the volume, then multiply the volume by:

• 7.5 – for a rectangular pool.
• 6.7 – for an oval pool.
• 5.9 – for a round pool.

The answer you will get is the number of gallons of water in your swimming pool (InGround Pool Or Above Ground Pool ). In our case, we choose a 1000 gallons pool.

Maintaining your swimming pool with bleach can involve two things: shocking your pool or raising the chlorine level.

• When shocking your 1000 gallons pool, you need to use 0.05 gallon of bleach to take the chlorine level to 5 PPM.
• If you simply want to raise the chlorine level, use 0.025 gallons of bleach to raise a 1000 gallons pool by 2.5 PPM.

In Conclusion

Many pool owners use bleach to clean their pools since it’s already well dissolved. It also doesn’t contain fillers that are often found in chlorine products. You can easily add the bleach to your pool using a liquidator or manually.

Buying Dirt: How Much Does A Cubic Yard Of Dirt Weigh?

Whenever you are gardening, landscaping or doing construction projects in your residence, there is a possibility that you will need to buy dirt. Therefore, you will need to know the answer to, “how much does a cubic yard of dirt weigh?”

Defining Cubic Yard

A cubic yard of dirt is one yard (3 feet) long, wide, and high. One cubic yard contains 27 cubic feet.

Now, before you think about measuring dirt using yardstick, remember that it will compress down if wet and fluff up if dry.

Types of Dirt

Depending on how you intend to use the dirt, you can either purchase topsoil or fill dirt.

Fill dirt is usually used for construction purpose. You can use it around foundations and structures (such as pools foundations) because it contains less organic matter and is dryer.

Topsoil contains lots of nutrients. That means that you should use it for landscaping and gardening projects.

Mostly, fill dirt is the one commonly referred to a cubic yard of dirt since people don’t buy huge quantities of topsoil.

What Factors Affect a Cubic Yard of Dirt Weight?

One cubic yard of dirt will weigh less or more from another depending on whether it’s made of topsoil or fill dirt. The two are quite different when it comes to their composition and have different moisture content.

Fill dirt is usually lighter and dryer than topsoil since it is harvested deeper into the surface.

Another factor that influences the weight of a cubic yard of dirt is the composition. Dirt made of clay is usually heavier than that made of sand.

The reason for this is that clay holds a lot of water when compared to sand. Both water content and composition of the dirt will impact its weight.

Average Weight of a Cubic Yard of Dirt

A cubic yard of dry fill dirt will weigh around 2,000 pounds. If it contains gravel, stone, and sand, the weight can rise to over 3,000 pounds.

In general, a pure cubic yard of fill dirt will weigh somewhere between 2,000 to 2,700 pounds depending on moisture content and composition.   

When it comes to a pure cubic yard of topsoil dirt, it will weigh around 1,080 pounds. However, topsoil is usually full of other material and can weigh between 2,600-3,000 pounds.

When it is wet, topsoil can weigh over 3,000 pounds per cubic yard.

Hauling a Cubic Yard of Dirt

There are different types of wheelbarrows and they often come in different sizes and shapes. With that said, a medium sized (3’) wheelbarrow will take about 9 loads to fill a cubic yard of dirt.  

You can also haul your dirt using a trailer or truck, as long as it can handle the dirt. Hence, you need to determine your car’s hauling capacity and how it behaves when it’s loaded to capacity.

If you load your car to capacity and drive on highways, keep the speed up to 45 mph.

• Full-size pickup trucks – often handle 1 cubic yard of gravel and stone, 2-3 cubic yards of mulch, or 2 cubic yards of dirt.
• Small trailers and pickups – usually handle 1.5 cubic yards of mulch or 1 cubic yard of dirt.
• Dump trucks – can handle up to 5 cubic yards of dirt or over 10 cubic yards of dirt if it’s bigger.

Conclusion

A cubic yard of dirt will weigh anything from 1,080 to 3,000 pounds, depending on the type of dirt you choose, moisture content, and composition.

Pool Maintenance: How Much Bleach for 1000 Gallon Pool?