Pool Covers 101: Which Type Is Right for Your Fiberglass Pool?

When most homeowners start planning their fiberglass pool, the conversation naturally centers on shape, size, and color. But there's another decision that deserves just as much thought: the pool cover. 

A good cover protects your investment, reduces maintenance, and can even save you money on heating and chemicals year-round. Some types of pool covers keep your family and pets safer as well.

Here's everything you need to know about the different types of pool covers available, along with the pros and cons of each.

What Does a Pool Cover Actually Do?

A pool cover is a protective layer placed over the surface of your pool when it's not in use. Beyond simply keeping debris like leaves and dirt out of the water, pool covers serve several important functions:

1. They reduce water evaporation, which helps conserve water and reduces how often you need to refill the pool. 

2. They help retain heat, which can lower your heating costs significantly, especially during the cooler months of spring and fall. 

3. They reduce the amount of chemicals needed to maintain water balance, since less debris and sunlight exposure means less algae growth and chlorine breakdown. 

4. And depending on the type of cover, they can also provide an important layer of safety for households with young children or pets.

Sierra Fiberglass Pools offers a full range of cover options, from simple and affordable solar covers to fully automatic safety covers. Here's how each type compares.

Solar Covers (Bubble Covers)

Solar covers, often called bubble covers because of their bubble-wrap-like texture, are the most basic and affordable type of pool cover available. They float directly on the surface of the water and are typically removed manually and rolled up for storage when the pool is in use.

Pros:
Solar covers are the most budget-friendly option on the market. They help retain heat by trapping sunlight and reducing heat loss overnight, which can meaningfully reduce heating costs. They also help slow water evaporation and reduce the amount of chemicals lost to the sun's UV rays.

Cons:
Solar covers offer no safety protection and should never be relied upon to prevent drowning, since they cannot support weight, and a person or pet could become trapped underneath. They also tend to degrade faster than other cover types due to constant sun exposure, often needing replacement every one to three years. Manually removing and storing a solar cover can be cumbersome for larger pools.

Best for: Homeowners primarily focused on reducing heating costs and water evaporation on a budget, without young children or pets who need pool-area safety protection.

Mesh Safety Covers

Mesh covers are a popular option, particularly for homeowners who want a safety-rated cover at a more accessible price point than a solid or automatic cover. These covers are made of a tightly woven mesh material and are anchored to the pool deck using straps and anchors.

Pros:
Mesh covers allow rainwater and melting snow to drain directly through the material, which means no pump is needed to remove standing water off the cover. They're typically more affordable than solid safety covers or fully automatic systems. When properly installed and rated to ASTM safety standards, a mesh cover can support significant weight, making it a safety barrier for children and pets, although it should not be relied upon as the only safety mechanism.

Cons:
Because water passes through the mesh, fine debris and silt can pass through as well, sometimes leading to a cloudier pool when the cover is removed at the start of the season. Mesh covers also allow some sunlight through, which means a small amount of algae growth is possible underneath compared to a fully solid cover.

Best for: Homeowners who want genuine safety coverage at a more moderate price point and don't want to deal with pumping water off the cover after rain or snow.

Solid Safety Covers

Solid safety covers are made from a heavier, non-porous vinyl-type material that completely blocks sunlight from reaching the pool's surface. Like mesh covers, they anchor to the surrounding deck with straps and anchor points.

Pros:
Because solid covers block 100% of sunlight, they are extremely effective at preventing algae growth, meaning the pool stays much cleaner during the off season. They also keep out fine debris and dust more effectively than mesh covers, generally resulting in clearer water when the cover comes off. Solid covers are available in a variety of material weights and colors to suit different climates and preferences.

Cons:
Because solid covers don't allow water to drain through, rain and irrigation runoff collect on top of the cover and typically require a cover pump to remove. Without regular pumping, standing water can add significant weight and strain on the cover and its anchors. Solid covers also tend to be a bit more expensive than mesh covers.

Best for: Homeowners who want the cleanest possible pool when reopening for the season and don't mind the extra step of pumping off rainwater during the off months. It's also a smarter choice for homes with young children or pets.

Automatic Pool Covers

Automatic pool covers represent the top tier of pool cover technology. These covers operate on a track system installed along the edges of the pool and can be opened or closed with the push of a button. Many automatic covers are rated to support significant weight, meaning you can safely walk across a closed cover.

Pros:
The convenience factor is unmatched — opening or closing your pool takes seconds rather than the manual effort required by solar, mesh, or solid covers. 

Automatic covers offer the highest level of safety available, since a properly installed and rated automatic cover can support the weight of a child or adult walking across it, making it an excellent barrier against accidental drowning. 

They also provide superior heat retention and evaporation control compared to other cover types, since they create a tight seal across the pool's surface. Many homeowners find that an automatic cover effectively turns their backyard into a safer, lower-maintenance space year-round.

Cons:
Automatic covers are the most expensive option of the four types, both in upfront cost and any long-term mechanical maintenance the track and motor system may need over time. They also require professional installation as part of the pool build, since the track system needs to be integrated into the pool's coping and deck.

Best for: Homeowners who want the highest level of safety, the lowest day-to-day effort, and the best long-term heat and water retention performance — particularly families with young children, multiple pets, or anyone who wants the most premium, low-maintenance ownership experience.

Is a Pool Cover Included in the Price of My Pool?

This is one of the most common questions homeowners ask, and it's an important one to understand upfront: a pool cover is not included in the base price of a fiberglass pool. Pool covers are considered an add-on feature, priced separately based on the type of cover you choose, the size and shape of your pool, and any additional equipment such as motors or anchoring hardware required for installation.

The good news is that this isn't a hidden cost or a surprise line item. When you receive your free estimate from Sierra Fiberglass Pools, every component of your project — including any pool cover you're interested in — is clearly itemized and explained. You'll know exactly what your pool shell costs, what your cover option costs, and what any other features or add-ons cost, all before you make a decision. There are no vague bundled numbers and no guessing about what's included.

How to Decide Which Cover Is Right for You

Choosing the right pool cover really comes down to a few key questions. If your top priority is safety for young children or pets, a mesh, solid, or automatic safety cover is the right category to focus on; a solar cover should never be considered a safety feature. 

If you want the cleanest possible water with the least debris, a solid cover or automatic cover will outperform a mesh cover. 

If convenience and day-to-day ease of use matter most, an automatic cover is worth the additional investment. 

And if budget is the primary concern while heat retention remains a priority, a solar cover offers meaningful benefits at the lowest price point.

There's no universally "right" answer — the best cover depends on your household, your budget, and how you plan to use your pool throughout the year. That's exactly why this conversation happens as part of your free estimate rather than being a one-size-fits-all decision.

Explore Cover Options With Sierra Fiberglass Pools

Sierra Fiberglass Pools offers the full spectrum of pool cover options, from affordable solar covers to fully automatic safety covers, giving homeowners the flexibility to choose what fits their family and their backyard. You can view a few of our cover options directly at sierrafiberglasspools.com/covers.

Whether you're just starting to plan your fiberglass pool or you're ready to talk through cover options for an upcoming project, our team will walk you through every choice and make sure your estimate clearly reflects exactly what you're getting.