Due to their high cost, automatic pool covers are popular in states like California, Arizona, Florida, and Texas, where a large percentage of the pools are high-end. Other than the ordinary state law that permits the installation of pool covers, many factors explain the reason for the widespread use of automatic pool covers. Michael says that although all states do not have any mandatory guidelines for installing automatic pool covers, most pool areas require fencing to ensure human safety. Indiana initiated pool fencing from as early as the late 1980s. “My dad ventured into the industry in 1979, and it was incredible to see a majority of homeowners opting to use automatic pool covers instead of fencing,” Michael says. Automatic pool covers ensured more safety in comparison to fencing, among many other benefits.

Approximately 90% of pools are furnished with automatic pool covers.

CEO of Automatic Pool Covers in Indiana, Michael Shebek

Shebek’s company witnessed its last variance application in 1995. Afterwards, the state permitted both automatic pool covers and fences; and it was for pool owners to make a choice. The rule was to meet the ASTM 1346, which primarily commands the use of an automatic pool cover or a powered pool cover. Automatic pool covers promote an increase in annual sales since water becomes purified and much warmer hence attracting more people. With an automatic pool cover, pool owners optimize their profits by extending peak season periods; one month is added before the peak season, and another is added after the peak season.

Automatic pool covers will not only cleanse the water, but will also minimize water usage, energy, and time used. He also says that the law on permitting pool covers has undoubtedly created a large market in the automatic pool cover businesses. In the early 1980s, Indiana fostered the development of pool cover companies in other states. Today, many factors, including weather, contribute to the increased demand for pool covers. Among all the benefits of pool covers, the major one remains to be prevention from drowning. “Yes, a fence serves as a good guard for everyone passing by near the pool; however, it does not prevent anyone from entering the pool premises.” Quite the contrary, a pool cover protects everyone, either those outside or inside the premises.

In the pool industry, automatic covers are effective

director of operations for Poolsafe, Tom Callahan

Warmer climates

In various regions, fences and automatic pool covers are not necessary. Therefore, automatic pool covers are not sought-after in these areas, and very few pools have them; this mostly happens in warm climatic regions. For instance, in states such as Texas and Arizona, where the temperature is already warm, there is no need for heating or cooling water in the pools. Therefore, in these markets, pool owners mostly buy pool covers to ascertain safety, Michael says.

Callahan concurs and states that in these areas, if one has children, purchasing a pool cover will thus make sense, and one might also save energy by using a pool cover. Furthermore, Callahan thinks that pool builders in warmer areas focus on designing what may be referred to as “resort-style pools.” Resort-style pools have specific attributes such as rock formations and waterfalls to make them more attractive. Consequently, such pools can’t have pool auto covers due to their complicated structure. Nevertheless, these distinctive layouts, say perimeter overflows and vanishing edges, can still be improvised to function with an automatic pool cover. Homeowners and designers only have to liaise with their respective builders when organizing the construction of the pool.

The big push

Overtime automatic pool cover companies have profited from legislative laws on pool covers across various states. The Pool and Hot Tub Alliance also seek to support the industry on a national level. “Often, these laws and requirements are established on the state level before they are enforced and implemented countrywide,” Jennifer Hatfield says. “Indiana was absolutely a leader on innovating automatic pool covers as an option to fencing, and we have seen how many states followed after that.” Jennifer Hartfield, director of government affairs for PHTA, supports associations of pool cover producers.

These are the Aquamatic Cover Systems, Cover Pools, Latham, and Automatic Pool Covers to facilitate the implementation of the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code. The ISPSC is implemented in 13 states as compulsory and in 19 countries and 311 local jurisdictions as an alternative. Through this, Jennifer Hartfield forecasts that there are high chances of the code being mandated countrywide in the long run. However, this relies on the type of state and their application of the law.An example is New Jersey, which implemented the code, but they altered it so that pool owners can still use fences. Additionally, Hartfield states that regulators are open to the idea of embracing automatic pool covers. “Occasionally, they lack information on APCs and do not even know what it means; therefore, the first step is to inform them of the advantages of using pool covers.” All in all, the main objective of implementing pool covers should benefit the end-user, Hartfield says.