WaterWarden Inground Pool Safety Cover 20x42 Ft Rectangle, Blue Mesh

Yes, for the right buyer. The WaterWarden Inground Pool Safety Cover 20x42 Ft Rectangle, Blue Mesh ranks #4 in our Best Inground Pool Covers list. Its biggest strength: 20x42 sizing extends a couple feet beyond the standard 20x40 span, useful for pools with an irregular deck overhang. The main caveat: lower rating count (96) than the standard 20x40 WaterWarden mesh cover.

The main trade-offs owners and reviewers point to: lower rating count (96) than the standard 20x40 WaterWarden mesh cover; non-standard sizing may mean a longer lead time to manufacture than a stock size; larger surface area means more anchor points requiring correct tensioning for full rated support.

ASTM F1346-certified polypropylene mesh, 20x42 ft extended rectangular sizing, Full perimeter brass anchor system, Self-draining mesh weave and Blue mesh finish.

Worth comparing: WaterWarden Premium Pool Safety Cover for 12x20 Ft In-Ground Pool, WaterWarden Solid Vinyl Pool Safety Cover, Fits 18x36 Ft Rectangle and GLI Secur-A-Pool 18x36 Ft Rectangular Mesh Safety Cover with Center End Step. 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.