Faq

When ordering a solid safety pool cover and a rollup station for your GeoBubble pool cover,  PowerPlastics Pool Covers will conduct a final measurement.

Click here for a guide to measuring a pool for a thermal cover

We ship to all areas in South Africa and will confirm all shipping costs on placement of your order. Some of the more remote areas in South Africa may have a shipping surcharge.

If your pool has elaborate design features or is a tricky shape, the PowerPlastics Pool Covers Special Projects division will come out to take measurements and advise on the best approach and cover installation. This ensures that the cover’s safety features are not compromised. We can secure almost all pool sizes and shapes with a PowerPlastics Solid Safety Cover. Geobubble pool covers can fit any shape and size pools.

Please mail all concerns to Nadine at on****@**************co.za

GeoBubble Range

Successful payment via our online store is taken as the confirmation of your order and your acceptance of this How We Work guideline, acceptance of our Terms and Conditions and the product’s Warranty. Please read these carefully.

Installations for the thermal range

Cover only

Deliver and Cut option

Should you choose a Deliver and Cut option, this means you will measure your pool yourself and we will arrive with the correct size of material and cut this on site. This option is used when your pool has complicated curves and you need a professional to cut the cover. As such, we can’t be held liable if your measurements prove to be incorrect and the cover does not fit.

Delivery option

In this case, you are sure of your measurements and also sure that you can install your thermal cover yourself. We do not come out to measure your pool. We merely drop off the cover at the front door of your premises.

Collection option

Once again the measurements are yours, you do the installation and you collect from our Johannesburg or Cape Town branches. Covers will be kept for 3 weeks only. Please place a note with your order if you want to collect.

Deliver and installation

For this option, we come out and measure, we design the pool cover for your site, we adjust the quotation up or down depending on the final measurements that we take ourselves, and then we will come back at a later stage to install the cover. The measurements are our responsibility, as is the final look and feel of the cover.

If you are purchasing a Rollup Station, then we must handle the installation of both the thermal cover and the Rollup Station. In this case, after we receive payment and your preliminary/indicative measurements, we will contact you to arrange a site visit to confirm measurements ourselves.

Timelines:

Deliver and Cut, and Collection – orders are completed within 7 working days from date of payment.

Installation by ourselves – the turnaround time is about 10 working days, and in this time we do a site visit to take final measurements (within 3 working days of receiving your full payment), we confirm your final order; then manufacture which will take 3 working days and finally a further 3 to 4 working days to schedule and complete the installation.

The PowerPlastics Solid Safety Cover

Installations

All solid safety covers and accessories must be installed by ourselves to ensure the cover is 100% safe.

Timelines:

After we receive payment and your preliminary measurements, within 3 working days we will contact you to arrange a site visit to confirm measurements ourselves. After the site visit, your safety cover will take 3 to 4 working days to manufacture. When complete, it takes a further 3 working days to schedule and complete the installation, making it a total of about 10 working days.

To avoid any delays in the installation process, we kindly request a prompt response when we get in touch to arrange site visits. Failure to keep appointments will delay the order process due to the queuing system we use for orders and installations.

Please also be sure to use the same name, email and cellphone number throughout your dealings with us.

When thermal bubble covers first came onto the market, there was limited technology invested in the actual bubble and the material was relatively predictable in terms of how it reacted when in the pool environment, but their performance and longevity was nothing like our GeoBubble covers of today. As materials have become more durable, have greater UV stabilisation and are so much more sophisticated in their unique performance, thermal bubble materials have become susceptible to shrinkage. It is agreed in the industry that the heightened performance and longevity of “next generation” bubble covers like GeoBubble far outweigh the shrinkage issue, as the shrinkage can very easily be addressed by simply adding a small percentage to the length of the cover. Shrinkage will not always occur but certain factors increase the likelihood of this, including over-use of chemicals. As such, to accommodate the small chance of shrinkage, we strongly recommend all GeoBubble covers are ordered at 2% longer on the length measurement (width can be exact). Click here for a guide on how to do this measurement. This extra length can easily be tucked under and therefore not visible when the pool is covered. You may of course order your exact length but please check warranty terms and conditions before purchasing because if shrinkage occurs you may not be able to rectify this under your warranty terms.  It is not our policy to add material to accommodate shrinkage after it happens. This applies to EnergyGuard, Sol+Guard and Thermal GeoBubble covers only.

For good chemical balance and correct pH we recommend following the same treatments as you would without a pool cover.

A common error with pool covers is to not use the right amount of chemicals because the water is not visible due to the cover. As it warms up in summer, so you need to regularly treat your pool albeit at a lower level.

1. For example, most pool chemicals – HTH chlorine types or even the salt water chlorinators – are sanitizing the pool water from debris and dust. With a pool cover this is no longer the case as most dust does not enter the pool and there are a limited number of leaves and debris which do enter the water. This reduces the work of the filtration system and chemical input is greatly reduced due to the leaves, dust and debris not entering the pool in the first place.
2. Chlorine is a gas. As you add it to water, so it dissipates in the form of a gas. With a cover on the pool so the chlorine stays solvent in the water and does not turn into a gas and leave the water. So, because you are keeping it in the pool, you need less chlorine. This is easily seen with salt water chlorinators where the chlorinator must be turned down quite considerably with a pool cover in use.
3. With an increase in temperature in summer, one needs more chlorine to stop algae growth. The water temperature under a GeoBubble cover will be up to 8 degrees higher depending on the cover type, so more chlorine is required to combat algae.

However, if you take the overall effect of the cover with points 1 and 2 reducing the need for chlorine, and point 3 increasing the need for chlorine, the net effect of a pool cover is that overall it will reduce the need for chlorine. This has been shown in test conditions by pool cover manufacturers and is scientifically proven.

Data has been gathered on this topic and academic papers written by the University of Brighton and the London Metropolitan University. All testing was carried out using strict scientific methods to ensure that the findings are accurate. Base academic documents on the findings are available. An EnergyGuard case study written in 2013 gives a breakdown of these test conditions and findings however the GeoBubble material has been upgraded and advanced significantly since the case study was written. Click here to read the case study https://www.powerplastics.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/energyguard_case_study.pdf.

In summary, the best way to get your chemical balance and pH right is to start from your normal uncovered pool levels and then, with the pool cover on, adjust the chemical levels slowly until you get the right balance. Every pool is different, and chemical input can also be impacted by the amount of pool traffic / frequency of swimming as that also adds impurities (eg skin cells, oils and hair) to the water that then need to be sanitized. You will also need to adjust chemical input slightly according to the season.

Questions? Or have you any great tips to share on this topic? Drop us a line on in**@**************co.za

Correct care and storage is important for the longevity of your thermal pool cover. Click here to download a guide on how to care for your cover and extend its lifespan. Please also see our Covers for Covers range of tailored covers for different products.

Handling of thermal pool covers

Always handle thermal pool covers with care and avoid scraping the bubble surface on or over any obstacles.

Safety

Please note that the thermal cover is designed as an insulating cover and not as a child or pet safety cover. It must be completely removed from the pool before swimming and under no circumstances should anyone stand, sit or jump on the cover. Never swim with a thermal cover on the pool or when the pool is partially covered.

Rollup Stations

Deploying the thermal cover: when pulling the cover over the water, ensure that the Rollup Station is secure, otherwise it may be pulled into the pool. If you have a Rollup Station, protect the handle and do not pick up the station by the handle but rather use the neck area when carrying. Do not allow adults and children to sit on the Rollup Station.

Leading Edge

Focus on protecting the light blue reinforcing as it is in this area that covers take the biggest abuse! Check that the C-clamps are in place and secured tightly by the fitted white nylon bolts and washers. Check regularly and tighten when necessary. Replace lost or missing components immediately, as the cover will wear faster without them. The guide rope on the leading edge should be long enough to enable the user to walk around the pool and once opposite the cover, pull the cover closed. Ensure that there is sufficient length. Use the rope to secure the cover when not in use by winding the rope around the cover. Secure neatly. Never let the reinforcing on the leading edge hang on the ground.

Attachment Kit

The cover is secured to the Rollup Station with an attachment kit. Check that all blue toggles are in place and on the cover. Replace when required. Check attachment kits regularly. Ensure that there are no sharp objects affecting the cover. Roll up in a clockwise direction. This will enable the cover to lie flat on the Rollup Station.

Sunlight

Always cover the thermal blanket with the UV protection sheet provided when not on the pool. This will ensure a longer life span for the thermal cover.

Wind

While wind protection devices can be added to a cover, the cover must be removed from the water when the winds rise above 65km/h.

Chemicals

Ensure that the pool salt levels and pH etc. are all within recommended limits. In the event of a harsh chemical treatment, remove the thermal cover from the pool for a couple of days. Chlorine, when added to pool water, automatically reverts back to its gaseous state (a gas) and dissipates into the atmosphere though evaporation. When a cover is on the pool, evaporation is dramatically reduced which can lead to a chlorine build up. To avoid a higher concentration of chlorine, the level and input of chlorine must be reduced.