Will an Automatic Pool Cover Work with My Pool’s Unique Shape?
The good news for pool owners with distinctive designs: automatic pool covers can be adapted to work with most pool configurations. While these systems perform optimally on rectangular pools with undermount or under-deck installations, creative installation techniques make coverage possible for a wide range of pool styles.
The key with custom pool covers is creating a rectangular coverage area. Whether your pool features gentle curves or angular designs, skilled installers can typically accommodate your needs through three primary installation methods:
Under-deck installation positions the cover mechanism completely beneath your decking, creating a seamless aesthetic when the cover is retracted.
On-deck or deck-mount installation places the cover housing on top of your existing deck, ideal for retrofit situations or budget-conscious projects.
Deck-in-deck installation creates a stepped design where a secondary deck sits at pool level, allowing the cover to operate smoothly while maintaining visual appeal.
When Automatic Pool Covers Won’t Work
Certain pool designs present genuine challenges. Freeform pools with integrated freeform spas, elaborate tanning ledges or multiple irregular protrusions often cannot accommodate automatic covers because creating the necessary rectangular space becomes impossible. In these cases, the complex curves and angles prevent proper cover operation and sealing.
If you’re planning a new pool and want an automatic cover, discuss your design goals with your pool builder early in the process. They can help you achieve the aesthetic you desire while maintaining compatibility with automatic cover systems.
How Automatic Pool Covers Integrate with Pool Automation Systems
Modern automatic pool covers work seamlessly with today’s smart pool equipment through a component called a rotary limit switch. This ingenious device coordinates your cover operation with water features, creating a safe and efficient system.
Here’s how it works: as your automatic cover opens, the rotary limit switch signals your pool automation system to activate water features like fountains, bubblers, or waterfalls. When you close the cover, the switch automatically turns these features off, preventing damage and conserving energy.
All major pool equipment manufacturers now include dedicated circuits designed to work with rotary limit switches. This means your automatic cover can communicate directly with your existing pool automation system, whether you’re controlling everything from a wall-mounted panel or a smartphone app.
The integration provides several practical benefits beyond simple on-off control. Your system prevents water features from operating against a closed cover, which could cause equipment damage or premature wear. The automation also ensures you never forget to turn off features before covering your pool, saving water and chemicals while protecting your investment.
What Pool Cover Options Work Best for Harsh Climates?
Automatic pool covers excel in extreme weather conditions, but the approach differs dramatically between summer and winter challenges.
Summer Heat and Sun Exposure
For hot climates with intense sun exposure, automatic pool covers are exceptional throughout the swimming season. They combat evaporation, which can be extreme in desert and tropical environments, while keeping debris out and maintaining water chemistry. The cover reduces heat loss overnight and minimizes chemical consumption by protecting water from UV degradation.
In scorching climates, your automatic cover becomes more valuable, not less. The water and energy savings increase proportionally with temperature, making the return on investment faster in hot regions.
Winter Climate Considerations
Winter protection requires a different strategy. If you close your pool seasonally, industry professionals strongly recommend using a dedicated winter cover in addition to your automatic pool cover.
The proper winter protocol involves rolling your automatic cover back into its housing box, where it remains protected throughout the off-season. Then install a mesh winter cover designed specifically to handle heavy snow loads, ice accumulation, and freeze-thaw cycles.
This dual-cover approach matters because freak winter storms can deposit enough ice and snow weight to damage even the most robust automatic covers. In extreme cases, excessive weight can tear the cover’s mounting hardware from the pool deck or even damage pool walls—repairs that cost thousands of dollars and could have been prevented with a few hundred dollars’ worth of winter cover.
Why Two Pool Covers Make Sense
North of the Mason-Dixon Line, experienced pool builders typically include both an automatic cover and a winter cover as standard in their packages. The winter cover, which resembles a heavy-duty trampoline stretched across your pool with spring-loaded anchors, costs only a few thousand dollars and typically lasts twenty years with proper care.
When spring arrives, you simply remove and store the winter cover, then deploy your automatic cover for the season. Your expensive automatic cover system remains pristine, having been protected from months of harsh weather.
In southern and western regions where pools operate year-round, the automatic cover alone provides adequate protection. These climate zones rarely experience the severe ice storms and heavy snow loads that threaten covered pools in northern areas.
The bottom line: if you’re closing your pool for winter, protect your automatic cover investment with a dedicated winter cover. If you’re in a mild climate with year-round swimming, your automatic cover handles all seasons beautifully. Connect with Integra Pool Covers and get your pool protected today.
