Pool Cover Buying Guide: Types, Costs & Benefits
Key takeaways
The three main pool cover types are safety covers for drowning prevention, thermal blankets for heat retention, and solar covers for warming the water.
A cover reduces evaporation, chemical use and cleaning time, and ENERGY STAR reports covers can cut pool heating costs by 50% to 70%.
South African standard SANS 10134 requires most private pools to have both a barrier and a fitted safety net or solid cover.
Childsafe South Africa records an average of 1477 fatal drownings a year, with more than half of them among children aged 0 to 4.
A made-to-measure cover fits irregular and freeform pools that off-the-shelf sizes cannot, which matters for safety and heat retention.
The right pool cover does three jobs at once: it keeps children out, keeps heat in, and keeps water and chemicals from disappearing into the air. This guide breaks down the main pool cover types, what each one costs you to skip, and how to choose one that actually fits your pool. If you are comparing options and ready to buy, the decisions below matter more than brand names.
A pool cover is one of the few pool purchases that pays you back every week it is on the water. It reduces the pump and heating load, slows chemical loss, and cuts the time you spend skimming leaves. For inland provinces like Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo, where evaporation runs high through dry winters and hot afternoons, that saving adds up fast.
Pool Cover Types: Safety Covers, Thermal Blankets and Solar Covers
The three pool cover categories solve different problems, and many households end up needing more than one. Safety covers stop drowning. Thermal blankets hold heat. Solar covers add heat. Knowing which problem you are solving first tells you which cover to buy.
Safety covers
A safety cover is a strong solid sheet or a taut mesh net anchored across the pool so it can carry weight without a child or pet slipping through. Solid PVC safety covers also block sunlight, which suppresses algae, while mesh versions let rain through but still form a physical barrier. In South Africa, a safety cover carries legal weight. The national standard SANS 10134 requires most private pools deep enough to hold standing water to have both a barrier and a fitted safety net or solid safety cover, installed by a responsible party.
The reason the standard exists is stark. Childsafe South Africa records an average of 1477 fatal drownings per annum, an average drowning rate of 2.54 per 100,000 population, and reports that more than 50% of fatal drownings occur in the age group 0 to 4 years. A properly anchored safety cover is one layer of a defence that should also include fencing and supervision.
Thermal blankets
A thermal blanket is an insulating cover, often a foam or heavy bubble material, that floats on the water to trap heat overnight and slow evaporation. It is the workhorse for anyone who heats their pool, because most of a pool's heat escapes from the surface. Put simply, a heated pool without a blanket is a kettle with the lid off.
Solar covers
A solar cover, sometimes called a bubble cover, uses air pockets that let sunlight through to warm the water while limiting heat loss at night. It is the cheapest way to extend your swimming season by a few degrees without installing a heater. Solar and thermal covers overlap, and some products do both jobs reasonably well, but a dedicated solar cover prioritises warming while a thermal blanket prioritises retention.
How the Right Cover Saves Water, Heat and Cleaning Time
A cover works by sealing the water surface, which is where pools lose almost everything. Cut evaporation and you cut water loss, heat loss and the rate at which chemicals burn off. According to ENERGY STAR, covering a pool can reduce heating costs by as much as 50% to 70%, minimise chemical use by 35% to 60%, and conserve water by 30% to 50%.
Those percentages translate into practical wins:
Water: Less evaporation means fewer top-ups, which matters during water restrictions and in high-evaporation inland climates.
Heat: A cover keeps overnight warmth in, so a heater or solar system works less to hit the same temperature.
Chemicals: Sunlight destroys chlorine and a cover shades the water, so you dose less often.
Cleaning: A solid cover keeps out leaves, dust and insects, cutting skimming and filter runtime.
The cover you leave on the pool most of the time is the one that saves you money. That favours a cover that is easy to roll on and off, which is a practical point that often gets lost behind headline features.
Custom vs Standard Covers for South African Pools
Standard covers are cut to common rectangular sizes and are the cheaper option if your pool matches one of those sizes exactly. The trouble is that many South African pools do not. Freeform, kidney, Roman-end and L-shaped pools are common, and a rectangular cover laid over a curved pool leaves gaps at the edges.
Those gaps undo the benefits. On a safety cover, an edge gap is a place a child or pet can slip through. On a thermal or solar cover, exposed water keeps evaporating and losing heat, so you pay for a cover that only half works. A made-to-measure cover is fabricated to the exact outline of your pool, including steps and tanning ledges, so it seals the whole surface.
Custom covers cost more upfront than a standard sheet, but for anything other than a plain rectangular pool they are usually the only option that delivers full safety and full heat retention. This is where a local manufacturer matters. Moderntarps fabricates custom pool covers to size in heavy-duty PVC and delivers and installs them across Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo, so the cover matches the pool rather than the pool having to match the cover.
Anchoring Systems and Installation Basics
Anchoring is what turns a sheet of material into a safety cover, because a cover that is not held down firmly is neither safe nor effective. The most common residential system uses brass anchors set flush into the surrounding paving or deck, with springs and straps that pull the cover drum-tight across the pool. When the cover comes off, the anchors screw down flush so no one trips on them.
The basics worth knowing before you buy:
Deck surface: Brass deck anchors need a solid surround such as concrete, paving or coping. Soft or narrow edges may need a different anchoring approach.
Tension: A safety cover must be tensioned enough to support weight and shed rainwater without pooling in the middle.
Rollers: Thermal and solar covers are far more likely to be used if they sit on a roller, so factor a reel into your plan.
Professional fitting: SANS 10134 expects a safety net or solid cover to be fitted by a responsible party, and correct anchor spacing and tension are hard to get right without the right tools.
The NSRI stresses that pool safety works best as a layered approach that combines barriers, certified devices, swimming lessons and adult supervision, so treat a safety cover as one part of the system rather than the whole answer.
Getting a Made-to-Measure Pool Cover Quote
An accurate quote starts with three pieces of information: the pool's shape, its longest length and width, and the surface around it. With those, a manufacturer can tell you which cover types suit the pool and what anchoring will work. Here is a simple way to prepare:
Sketch the shape. Note whether it is rectangular, freeform, kidney, Roman-end or L-shaped, and mark steps, ledges or a spa.
Measure the extremes. Record the longest length and widest width in metres, plus any awkward projections.
Check the surround. Note the deck material and how much flat space you have on each side for anchors and a roller.
State your priority. Decide whether safety, heat retention or season extension comes first, since that guides the cover type.
Request the quote. Send the shape, measurements and priority to a manufacturer that fabricates to size.
Because a custom cover is made for one pool, the quote reflects your exact dimensions rather than a shelf price. Moderntarps offers made-to-measure pool covers with door-to-door delivery and installation across its service provinces, which removes the guesswork of fitting and anchoring.
The most useful next step is to measure your pool today and request a made-to-measure quote while the details are fresh. A cover that fits the whole surface is the one that keeps children safer, holds heat overnight and cuts your water and chemical bills every week it is on the water.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best type of pool cover for a South African home?
It depends on your priority. Choose a solid safety cover if you have young children, a thermal blanket to keep an already-warm pool warm, or a solar cover to raise the water temperature during the swimming season.
Does a pool cover really save water?
Yes. A cover sits on or over the water surface and cuts evaporation, which is the largest source of pool water loss. ENERGY STAR reports covers can conserve water by 30% to 50%.
Do I legally need a pool cover in South Africa?
SANS 10134, the national standard for private pool safety, requires most private pools to have both a barrier and a fitted safety net or solid safety cover. Local municipal rules can be stricter.
Why choose a custom pool cover instead of a standard size?
Standard covers only fit standard rectangular pools. A made-to-measure cover matches freeform, kidney and Roman-end shapes exactly, which removes gaps that let heat escape and create safety risks.
How do I get a made-to-measure pool cover quote?
Measure your pool's longest length and width, note the shape and any steps or features, then request a quote from a manufacturer that fabricates to size. Moderntarps quotes and installs custom covers across Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo.
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