South Africans are some of the most eco-conscious residents of our blue planet. 98% of South African adults wanted to take personal action to become more eco-friendly. This survey also indicates that 76% of South African adults feel reducing their carbon footprint is more important now than pre-pandemic. So how does this apply to your swimming pool? And how can a swimming pool cover help?

The Dark Waters of Swimming Pools

It is no surprise that swimming pools can be difficult to integrate into a more ecologically minded lifestyle.

The reality is that, in 2022, even the most affluent homeowner must consider the financial and environmental impact of their lifestyle.

LCA and what it means for SA

The Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a method to estimate the environmental impact of products from their manufacture to their end-of-life. This model was used to establish the ecological costs of swimming pools.

The study was published in the 2009 IEEE International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology. The startling findings were that water, energy consumption and CO² emissions were 5 to 6 times higher in cities with more swimming pools.

South Africa is sixth on the list of largest global pool markets, with nearly 800,000 residential pools and 2,000 public pools.

What Can I Do to Make My Pool Green?

There are two ways of minimising your swimming pool’s footprint.

Your first option is to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

What we mean, of course, is that you can take the drastic step of filling in your pool to eliminate the problem completely. It certainly is an option, but really just costs a lot of money and many tears when the swimming season rolls around.

There are better, more affordable ways.

Invest in a swimming pool cover

Granted – you might be thinking that this sounds like a very simplified solution to such a far-reaching concern.

What you might not be considering is how effective and affordable a pool cover can be. We’re not even talking about the aesthetic implications of having a custom, bespoke designer pool cover to complete your design story.

No matter your age – an automatic pool cover that slides seamlessly at the touch of a button will never get old.

How a pool cover can help

You will be amazed to find that each of the ecological considerations that your swimming pool can pose can be minimised or even eliminated by using a pool cover.

The benefits of a bespoke pool cover design are almost unending, but we’ll just discuss the 3 most pressing concerns.

Diving in

Evaporation is not just something you had to study in Grade 5’s water cycle. It’s a deeply concerning obstacle that pool owners must battle on a daily basis.

If you have an uncovered pool of around 5×11 meters, you risk a staggering loss of 650 litres of water a week due to evaporation! Never mind the water bill when having to make up for this loss, imagine what you could have done with 650 litres of water when the next inevitable drought sneaks up on us.

Pool covers are an excellent solution for clamping down on evaporation. Naturally, you want your pool cover to help conserve water while also looking as good as possible.

Designer Pool Covers has you covered (pun intended).

Designer Pool Covers’ PoolDeck slatted covers are custom made to your specifications. They supply a variety of polycarbonated or high-quality PVC slats that will not only merge seamlessly into your home design but will contribute to its overall effect.

Heating Up

The cost of running a pool pump is increased by two very important factors.

Year-round swimming

Firstly, when you have invested in a pool in the first place, it only makes sense to get as much use out of it as you can. This means that you should be able to use your pool throughout the year.

A heated pool is an excellent solution to South Africa’s bone-chilling winters but comes with its own financial and ecological implications.

Solar or thermal pool blankets help keep your pool swimming ready by warming the water directly below the cover. They also act as an insulator to keep all that cosy heat in the pool where it belongs.

Designer Pool Covers’ thermal blankets are available in various micron polyethylene options with UV inhibitors. The solar covers float on water, bubble side down, and can be custom made for any pool size and shape.

Check out these cosy covers:

Give the pump a break!

Secondly, a dirty pool means that your pool pump will inevitably pump up the electricity bill.

If your pool is protected from excess dirt, dust and debris you will not need to run the pump as often or for as long. The creepy just will not have as much work to do to keep the pool ecosystem running smoothly.

The PoolLock V5M Easy Glide from Designer Pool Covers is really your best bet when thinking about a suit of armour for your pool.

This convenient pool cover doesn’t just come with an easy-to-use manual retractable system but also covers your pool like a zip-lock bag. Nothing is getting past!

Cleaning up

Pool chemicals have a marked impact on the environment.

Chemical implications

If you have a chlorinated system for your pool, it’s not only the risk of green hair or burning eyes that you have to battle.

Hypochlorous acid (HClO) is a weak acid that forms when chlorine dissolves in water. When HClO reacts with urea and other nitrogenous compounds (the natural risks of having actual humans swimming in your pool) it forms chloramines.

They have been found to contribute to acid rain which damages plants and wildlife.

Furthermore, the manufacturing process of chlorine leads to mercury emissions which contribute to local ozone pollution.

When you have an expertly installed pool cover from a leading manufacturer like Designer Pool Covers, you will save on the amount of chemicals you have to use.

As stated above, less debris and dirt will enter your pool which means that the risk of algae forming is much lower. This means that you will not be forced to use shock treatments or any other drastic measures for a less-than-crystal-clear pool.

You will also be using fewer chemicals overall, just like how your pool pump will need less time to keep your pool clear.

With the lower rate of evaporation, fewer chemical fumes will be released into the air and you will also not need to top up your chlorine as often.

Safer than ever

While protecting your lungs and the environment from the effects of chemicals, your pool cover can deliver comprehensive safety.

Designer Pool Covers’ Poollock Hydraulic Automatic Safety Cover is a no-brainer if you want to ensure extra protection while keeping the manual labour down.

The Poollock Safety Cover’s automatic system is run by a hydraulic direct drive motor which opens and closes the cover at the turn of a key. The electrical is located next to the pool pump, which means that it is far enough away from the water to deliver peace of mind with its safety features.

For a manual option, consider the Pet and Safety Cover that Designer Pool Covers swears by. This will take a bit more elbow grease to place and remove but is even more eco-friendly than the automatic versions while ensuring your loved one’s safety.

How Can I Make My Pool Green Today?

Designer Pool Covers have been the industry leaders in the supply and installation of automatic and manual pool covers in South Africa since 2012.

Why would you trust anyone else with the greenification of your pool?

Contact their expertly trained and experienced team today to start your greenification journey.