Conflicted about pool cover here in So Cal

9 years ago

I've seen some pretty amazing pool builds on this forum and am about to embark on my own pool journey. I would love to do a lagoon type pool, and the style of architecture and setting of my 1931 Laurel Canyon house almost dictates I do a pool in this style. BUT I AM CONFLICTED! And here's why. I am so alarmed by this drought, and global warming, that I feel completely GUILTY about installing a pool in this day and age that doesn't have an automatic pool cover to prevent water evaporation. And yet, to use an automatic pool cover I would have to completely do away with a lagoon style pool and go with an ordinary rectangular type pool.

Those of you who have pool covers, do you REALLY use them all the time? Do you feel their practical value is so tremendous that you would forego design features in order to utilize one? Those of you who don't have one, do you wish you did? Do you wish you could conveniently cover your pool in arid Southern California to avoid water evaporation? Or, do you feel you don't lose enough water to justify the added expense or trouble of installing one? And would NEVER change design features just to have an automated pool cover?

I contacted one pool cover company in the area today and asked them what was the #1 reason for people installing covers. They said pool safety. My pool is in a location that is easily fenced without being able to see the fence (it's an odd yard). So I've got safety handled without needing to go to the additional expense of having to install a cover.

I would really love to put aesthetics over practicality because I have this vision in my mind of how I want the pool to look. And a pool cover won't fit. Yet I feel guilty!!!

Please Gardenweb members, what would you do if you were me?

Featured Answer

PRO

Aqua-Link Pools and Spas

9 years ago

Don't let political correctness sway your decision on a pool. This states water problems are not just due to a lack of rain. The state has always been dry. It's the lack of policy on water storage that is causing the issue. A pool will always use less water than grass or your run of the mill plants. If your only worried about evaporation and not safety than you can still keep your pool shape by using a slatted cover from Aquamatic pool covers. They aren't inexpensive but they will keep water and heat in. Proper pool hydraulics and chemical feeders will help keep the pool energy efficient and will cut down on having to drain your pool in the future to correct imbalances in the water.

Hope this helps.

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Comments (8)

lilsophie
9 years ago
I live in So Cal too. We just had our pool remodeled. Years ago we had one of those bubble pool covers that just lay on top of the water. We hated it. It was always dirty on top of the cover, and that's what we had to look at everyday. Got rid of it. We just love sitting out back or looking from our windows and seeing the water in the pool. It's just so pretty. I would never have any kind of pool cover. The pool is such a pretty site, and hate covering it up.
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Fori
9 years ago
Get a pool and get some kinda cover. Then the energy and water usage is pretty reasonable. No guilt.

I'm the SF bay area with a blobby shaped pool. We have a cover on a reel this year and have saved a huge amount of water (and heating, and chemicals, and maintenance) over previous years. Plan your pool for a cover. It doesn't have to be automatic. Any cover. And yes, a fence.

If you can, go with an automatic cover. But even something you hand crank is tolerable if it's planned right.

(We don't keep much debris out of the pool with the cover though--when we roll it up, the leaves and fruit have to go somewhere....)

Hmmm...those Aquamatics might work
julieleek
9 years ago
I'm in SoCal too and in this circumstance, I don't think I'd be too worried about a cover. While I admire your concern very much, I think I'd make it up to the environment in other ways. And as Pools94 pointed out, you'll be saving lots of water by replacing a lawn with a pool.

I'm actually concerned our local government will prevent us from building our pool when we're ready due to the drought. We will see what happens when the time comes.

Please be sure to post pics of your build through the process, if you would. It's so interesting and useful for those of us who have this experience to look forward to. Best of luck!
zagyzebra
Original Author
9 years ago
So everyone, I REALLY APPRECIATE your weighing in. Lagoon it is! I will do my best to post pix. Would it be that the pool were the only thing I'm working on. I have an ENTIRE HOME under restoration, top to bottom, every room, inside and out. So you can imagine, I'm just a little busy.
Rack Etear
9 years ago
There must be a glitch in the matrix.
Darrell DuMond
9 years ago
Laurel Canyon is pretty shaded. I wouldn't bother with a pool cover, you're not going to lose an incredible amount of water to evaporation..
PRO
User
8 years ago
Heat + wind = massive evaporation... Thus saying the area where the pool is "shaded" and thus you won't have much evaporation isn't correct. I'm sure this pool can easily evaporate a couple hundred of gallons a day. Amortize that over a year....well, you get the idea