Robelle 20x40 Ft Heavy Duty Green Winter Pool Cover for Inground Pools

Yes, for the right buyer. The Robelle 20x40 Ft Heavy Duty Green Winter Pool Cover for Inground Pools ranks #5 in our Best Inground Pool Covers list. Its biggest strength: 5-ft overlap sizing is measured specifically for inground decks, water bags land on solid ground instead of hanging off the coping. The main caveat: not weight-rated, still a tarp and unsafe to walk on regardless of how taut it looks.

The main trade-offs owners and reviewers point to: not weight-rated, still a tarp and unsafe to walk on regardless of how taut it looks; 20x40 size is heavy enough to typically require two people for installation; requires separately-purchased water bags or anchor hardware.

8x8 scrim-reinforced polyethylene, 10-year warranty, 20x40 ft sizing with 5-ft deck overlap and Water-tube loops around the perimeter.

Worth comparing: WaterWarden Solid Vinyl Pool Safety Cover, Fits 18x36 Ft Rectangle, GLI Secur-A-Pool 18x36 Ft Rectangular Mesh Safety Cover with Center End Step and WaterWarden Inground Pool Safety Cover 20x42 Ft Rectangle, Blue Mesh. 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.