Blue Wave NS420 16x32 Ft Rectangle Solar Pool Cover 12-Mil Blue

Yes, for the right buyer. The Blue Wave NS420 16x32 Ft Rectangle Solar Pool Cover 12-Mil Blue ranks #3 in our Best Pool Covers list. Its biggest strength: 12-mil thickness is the sweet spot between an 8-mil cover that tears too easily and a 16-mil cover that costs much more. The main caveat: still a wear item, expect noticeable bubble degradation by year 4-5 even with the 5-year warranty.

The main trade-offs owners and reviewers point to: still a wear item, expect noticeable bubble degradation by year 4-5 even with the 5-year warranty; needs a reel to handle without wrinkling or tearing at this size; adds zero structural weight rating, cannot substitute for a safety cover.

12-mil UV-stabilized polyethylene bubbles, 5-year seam warranty, 16x32 ft rectangle fit, Raises water temperature 10-15°F and Cuts evaporation by up to 95%.

Worth comparing: WaterWarden Premium Pool Safety Cover for 12x20 Ft In-Ground Pool, GLI Secur-A-Pool 20x40 Ft Rectangular Mesh Safety Cover with Center End Step and Pool Mate 18x33 Ft Blue/Silver Deluxe Oval Solar Cover 8-Mil. Each ranks near it in our research for a slightly different buyer.

It's sold on Amazon. Prices and stock change often, so check the current listing before you buy, our link takes you straight to it.

Above-ground pool covers hook to the top rail of the pool wall using an elastic cable or winch-and-cable system, so the cover only needs to match the pool diameter plus a few inches of overlap. Inground pool covers anchor to the surrounding deck, which sits at ground level, so the cover has to extend well past the water's edge onto the coping and deck itself. Standard inground winter covers add a 4 to 5-foot overlap on every side (a 20x40 pool needs roughly a 25x45 cover), and safety covers are measured to the exact deck anchor points, which is why safety covers are far more often custom-fit than stock-sized. Buying an above-ground-style cover for an inground pool will leave gaps at the edges regardless of how it is anchored.

That depends entirely on who has access to the pool. If small children, pets, or anyone unable to swim can reach the pool area unsupervised, a winter tarp is not adequate protection, it is not weight-rated and can fail catastrophically under a person's weight, especially once pooled rainwater or snowmelt sits on top of it. Local and state codes in many areas require a compliant barrier (fence, cover, or both) around residential pools; an ASTM F1346-rated safety cover satisfies the cover portion of that requirement in jurisdictions that allow it. If the pool area is already fully fenced with a self-latching gate and unsupervised access isn't a realistic risk, a winter tarp is a reasonable and much cheaper choice for keeping debris and sun out during the off season.