Solar vs thermal pool covers
Which one actually suits a Perth pool
The short answer: if your pool isn't heated, get a solar bubble cover. If you run a heat pump or gas heater, get a thermal (insulated) cover to protect that spend. And if your pool is already too warm by January, there's a third option most people don't know about: a cover that saves water without adding heat.
| Solar bubble | ThermoTech (thermal) | 525TC Titanium Cool | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it does | Lets sunlight through to heat the water, then holds the heat in | Insulates the water to hold in heat you already have | Stops evaporation without adding heat |
| Best for | Unheated pools, most Perth backyards | Pools with a heat pump or gas heater | Pools that get too warm in summer |
| Material | Bubble, 250 to 525 micron | 4.5mm closed-cell foam | 525-micron bubble |
| Warranty | 3, 5 or 10 years pro rata by grade | 8 years pro rata | 10 years pro rata |
| Price per m² | $14.45 to $26.20 | $43.60 | $26.20 |
| 8 x 4m pool | $462.40 to $838.40 | $1,395.20 | $838.40 |
Solar bubble covers
A solar cover floats bubble-side down. Sunlight passes through and warms the water, and the cover stops that heat escaping overnight. Daisy says a solar cover can lift water temperature by up to 8°C. It also stops most evaporation, which matters in Perth: an uncovered pool loses roughly 8mm a day over summer. Grades run from the 250B to the 525 range. Thicker grades cost more but carry longer warranties; on a per-year basis the 525 is usually the cheapest.
Thermal covers (ThermoTech)
ThermoTech is a 4.5mm closed-cell foam cover. It doesn't let much sunlight through, so it isn't the best choice for warming an unheated pool. What it does well is insulate, so heat from a heat pump or gas heater stays in the water instead of going into the night air. It is thicker and stiffer than bubble, so pair it with a roller on anything but a small pool.
Non-heating covers
A pool in full sun all day can get uncomfortably warm in a Perth February. The 525TC Titanium Cool is built to stop evaporation without adding heat, so you keep the water without turning the pool into a bath.
What about leaves?
Neither solar nor thermal covers are leaf covers, though both keep a lot of debris out while they're on. If trees are the problem, look at a WinterKleen mesh cover, which lets rain through and holds leaves on top. Plenty of people run a solar cover in summer and a WinterKleen in the cooler months.
Still not sure?
See every price worked out for common pool sizes in how much a pool cover costs in Perth, or read the full pool cover buying guide.