Pool covers or pool blankets have been around for decades and for decades they have been underutilized. Why? Ask anyone. I can’t get it on the water easily. I can’t get it on the water straight. I can’t get it on the water by myself. I try, but it’s a pain. I try again. But I can’t keep it up. It’s too much.

Everywhere you look, pool covers or pool blankets are off the pools more than they are on the pools. And mostly, they just stay there. What a waste. The cost of the blanket. Not being used. The cost of the energy lost. Heat disappearing. The cost of evaporation. Water level going down by the hour. Chemicals? Using more and more. And all that dust and debris. And lastly, somebody’s got to vacuum it out.

Eventually the pool owner looks for a better solution to the pool cover problem and decides to explore the world of electric swimming pool covers for inground pools that cover and uncover the pool automatically. They are out there, but they are not all they are cracked up to be. The next step is to ensure the right solution is not just a more expensive problem with a different set of issues.

The idea is to cover and uncover the swimming pool without manual labor. And, simultaneously to keep the pool water clean and at a comfortable temperature.

Guide in Selecting Electric Pool Covers

Many electric pool covers are designed to fully cover the pool and in some cases even part of the pool deck as required for odd shaped pools. The roller would be positioned below deck or sitting above the deck at one end of the swimming pool.

Typical electric swimming pool covers consist of three main components or subassemblies; a reel (pool cover reel), clutch, pulleys, cables and tracks that are electrically powered to provide motion. If manual effort is required in any way with an electric system it is not automatic but a manual or partially electric pool cover, since it still requires human intervention (labor). These electric units require motor(s) to move the reel to unroll or roll the pool cover off and on the pool, combined with multiple gears, cables and pulleys for operation.

However, just rotating the reel in both directions will not cover/uncover the pool. The pool blanket will just fall off the reel and sit in a pile beside the reel. So sophisticated cable systems are used to pull the blanket in the direction of the pool. Typically two cables are required on each side of the pool and work in conjunction with the reel to slowly unroll and pull the blanket over the pool. This would be enough but pool blankets are not rigid but made from thin flexible material and require guides and tracks on each side, along with the cables. This arrangement is designed for alignment and smooth operation, but it must be set up correctly and maintained to prevent jamming.

Guide in Selecting Electric Pool Covers

Importantly, these electric motorized pool covers must be installed and assembled when the pool is being constructed.

Pros
  • Safety cover
  • Purportedly easy to use off and on the pool
  • Reduces water evaporation
  • Roller is usually installed below deck
Cons
  • These electric retractable pool cover cost can range from $12,000 to $25,000 and upwards
  • Must be installed with a new pool
  • Complicated design with many components leads to questionable reliability
  • Excess water must be removed from the top of the pool cover with a pump
  • Electric cover typically needs to be replaced after 6 to 8 years at a cost of $2000 to $4000 plus installation
  • Pool Cover Motors may need to be replaced after a few years at a cost of $1000 to $2000 plus installation
  • Cable or rope failure replacement cost $1000 plus installation
  • Maintenance cost to $750 every 3 to 4 years

Above Deck Electric Pool Covers

Deck automatic pool covers are electric driven and can be installed on the pool deck (on deck automatic pool covers) any time after the pool has been constructed.

Pros
  • Safety cover
  • Can be install after the pool has be constructed
  • Purportedly easy to use off and on the pool
  • Reduces evaporation of water
Cons
  • These electric swimming pool cover cost can $8,000 to $12,000 and up
  • Complicated design with many components leads to questionable reliability
  • Track typically installed on deck, creates tripping hazard
  • Cover reel has to sit on the deck in a box with a lid
  • Doesn’t heat the pool’s water.
  • Excess water must be removed from the top of the pool cover with a pump
  • Electric pool cover typically needs to be replaced after 6 to 8 years at a cost of $2000 to $4000 plus installation
  • Pool Cover Motors may need to be replaced after a few years at a cost of $1000 to $2000 plus installation
  • Cable or rope failure replacement cost $1000 plus installation
  • Maintenance cost to $750 every 3 to 4 years

Automatic Pool Roller

Automatic electric swimming pool covers or automatic pool rollers are not really fully automatic and require manual labor to operate. They will require effort to pull the cover over the pool or aligning the pool cover as it winds up onto the reel. However, not all automatic pool rollers are created equally.

Automatic Pool Roller has an electric powered roller to assist you by only rotating when needed and is ready to be unrolled onto the pool with little effort. No clicking a remote off and on trying to stop and start the roller while watching the cover only to unspool to fast. Take your time with ease.

To uncover your pool the powered roller can also be adjusted to your speed, no rushing back and forth, side to side or clicking a remote off and on at the same time trying to ensure the cover winds up nicely. Just set the roller speed that is comfortable for you to wind the cover up with ease.

Pros
  • Uses any solar cover or pool blanket
  • Can be installed after the pool has be constructed
  • Reduces evaporation of water
  • No excess water gathers on top of the pool cover
  • Heats pool water when solar blanket is used
  • Powered roller only unwinds when needed with little effort
  • Plugs into a 115V or 240V GFCI standard plug
Cons
  • Not a safety cover
  • Not automatic, requires manual labor to operate

Auto Pool Reel - Motorized Pool Cover Solution

This patented fully automatic pool cover reel, without cables or tracks, is a clean, simple system that takes advantage of the basic principle of motion of the pool cover roller and pool blanket. It allows solar pool covers to be gently unrolled and positioned directly on the pool water or rolled up onto the reel electrically, automatically and is done without strings, cables, pulleys , tracks or manual assistance.

Pros
  • Uses a pool blanket or solar pool cover, even your existing one
  • Can be installed on existing pools
  • Easy to use on and off the swimming pool
  • Reduces evaporation of water
  • No excess water gathers on top of the pool cover
  • Not permanently attached to deck and can be moved out of the way
  • No tracks, strings or rope required
  • No box or lid required to hide mechanism at the end of the pool deck
  • Simple design with less components
  • Reliable repeated operation
  • Heats pool water when solar blanket is used
  • Plugs into a 115V or 240V GFCI standard plug
Cons
  • Not a safety cover

Auto Pool Reel has seen the problems. And the Auto Pool Reel (fully automatic motorized pool cover or electric pool cover roller) is the answer. Getting it on the pool? No problem. Getting it there every day? It’s easy. All by yourself? Sure, it’s electric.

Auto Pool Reel. It’s fully automatic. It’s Simple Touch deployment, the touch of a button makes it the perfect choice for your swimming pool. It’s technology. It’s the answer.

Need any help about Electric Swimming Pool Covers, contact us at info@autopoolreel.com

Auto Pool Reel. It’s electric. It's Automatic. order yours today.

Frequently Asked Questions

An Automatic Pool Cover is an automatic pool cover system that covers and uncovers a pool automatically. The Auto Pool Reel is similar to manual pool cover and reel but fully automatic. No manual effort is required just push a button.

Yes, by using the Auto Pool Reel or an Automatic Pool Roller with a pool blanket at night when it is typically cooler or when not in use will eliminate chlorine dissipation, water evaporation and heatloss. The cost of the Automatic Pool Cover and pool blanket is a small investment that pays dividends years to come. See Energy Use for energy savings.

The Auto Pool Reel or an Automatic Pool Roller can be used indoors or outdoors as required.

No, the Auto Pool Reel (APR) is fully automatic and requires no assistance so safety must be considered at all times. A flip of a switch the pool can be covered or uncovered.

The Auto Pool Reel or an Automatic Pool Roller can be used on most pools including rectangular and L-shape. As well it can also be used on straight sections of odd shape or freeform pools

No. The Auto Pool Reel is the only automatic pool cover in the world that requires no ropes or tracks or any assistance. Just push the button to cover or uncover your pool.