Solar Safe Pool Covers is a family-owned, licensed Arizona contractor (ROC #316530) that has custom-manufactured and installed PowerLock Solar Safety Covers and HeatSaver Thermal Covers for over 22 years across Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, and pool owners across Arizona. Below are direct answers to the questions we hear most — pricing, safety standards, installation, monsoon protection, and pool hibernation.
Last updated: July 2, 2026
A custom PowerLock Solar Safety Cover typically costs $3,500 to $7,500 installed (about $50–$80/month with financing). A HeatSaver Thermal Cover typically costs $3,000 to $6,000 (about $37–$63/month), depending on the size, shape, and sections needed for ease of use.
Every cover is custom made to fit its pool perfectly, so the exact price depends on your pool's size, shape, features, deck, boulders, and steps — for the PowerLock we account for all of these to make sure your pool area is safe and secure from any accidents. With your monthly savings in maintenance, water, and electricity, the PowerLock pays for itself within 2–3 years. The HeatSaver is a must-have if you heat your pool: it retains 90% of the heat in your pool water, saving hundreds if not thousands on heating costs every year. Multiple financing options are available.
Yes. We provide free on-site estimates throughout the Phoenix Metro and Tucson areas.
We serve the Phoenix Metro and Tucson areas, plus other Arizona cities including Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, Glendale, Gilbert, Tempe, Peoria, Surprise, Goodyear, Avondale, Buckeye, and San Tan Valley.
Our installation schedule is normally booked 3–4 weeks out, depending on the time of year. If you'd like your install done quickly, don't hesitate to call in and secure your spot.
The PowerLock is a durable, flexible vinyl material with a polyester mesh core that is designed to float on the surface of the pool water. The solid vinyl blocks UV rays, which protects your pool chemistry and prevents algae growth.
The cover weighs 9 pounds per 100 square feet of fabric. Most residential pools are between 400–900 square feet, so the cover weighs 40–90 pounds. However, the cover is designed to float across the surface of the pool, which greatly reduces the effective weight. For ease of use we also provide straps, clips, and grommets, and an optional heavy-duty roller is available.
PowerLock Solar Safety Cover — 3 primary colors: Pool Blue, Desert Tan, and Charcoal Gray. Premium colors (Solar Green, Royal Blue, Navy Blue, and many more) are available for an additional charge.
HeatSaver Thermal Cover — 2 options: Blue webbing or Black webbing.
The PowerLock Solar Safety Cover has an 8-year prorated warranty on our vinyl material. The HeatSaver Thermal Cover has a 5-year warranty.
ASTM F1346-91, the standard published by ASTM International (formerly the American Society for Testing and Materials), classifies a pool cover as a safety barrier when it can support at least 485 pounds. The PowerLock Solar Safety Cover greatly exceeds this requirement — the PowerLock anchoring system combined with the strength and flexibility of our vinyl material gives it the ability to support the weight of an entire family.
The PowerLock is a true safety cover because it's secured with our PowerLock Anchoring System. Brass anchors are drilled flush into the pool decking roughly 30 inches apart. The female portion of each anchor stays flush in the decking (preventing tripping hazards) and the male portion is secured on the cover. The anchors combined with the strength and flexibility of the vinyl give the cover the ability to support the weight of an entire family, greatly exceeding the ASTM F1346-91 standard for a safety cover.
Yes — it is possible to drown in as little as an inch of water. Any standing water on the pool cover should be treated as a safety hazard and removed. Adult supervision is highly recommended until the water is completely removed. A cover pump is provided with the purchase of every PowerLock Solar Safety Cover; see our monsoon cleanup instructions below for how to remove water from your cover.
When the pool is filled to the appropriate level and the cover is properly secured, the PowerLock Solar Safety Cover is strong enough to support the weight of an entire family. That said, while we strongly believe in the integrity of our product, the cover is not meant to be stood on, used as a waterbed, or treated as a play toy.
One of our highly trained estimators provides a free on-site consultation to help you design your Solar Safe Pool Cover. Before installation day, our warehouse technicians cut and heat-seal the material to the dimensions in your design plan. On the day of installation, the pre-prepared custom material is sewn on-site to fit your pool exactly.
Most pool covers are completed in 1 day. Commercial installations and large or complex installations may take longer — your estimator will give you the approximate time for your specific installation.
About 5 to 15 minutes for a normal residential pool, depending on the size, shape, and complexity of your pool.
Yes — most people are capable of removing the cover alone, though it also depends on your personal mobility. It's easiest with two people, and heavy-duty rollers are available for purchase for additional ease of use.
Unlatch every anchor and flip/fold the edge of the cover with the anchors onto the pool cover. If you have an irregular-shaped pool, fold the edges to create a rectangular shape first — once the material is rectangular, it's easiest to accordion-fold the fabric at the side of the pool. Heavy-duty rollers are also available for purchase.
Yes. During a short-term hibernation (days to weeks), you may run your pool pump for an hour a day — or a few hours once a week if you plan to swim the day you return. During a long-term hibernation there is no need to run the pump until you're ready to swim again. Pools coming out of long-term hibernation should be filtered for 24–48 hours before swimming.
Most pools lose only 1 degree of heat per night with the HeatSaver; the average range is 1–3 degrees.
Yes — the PowerLock acts as a blanket that seals in some heat. However, the HeatSaver Thermal Cover is far superior when it comes to heat retention.
We recommend cleaning and conditioning your cover every 6 months. The vinyl cleaner and conditioner can be purchased through Solar Safe Pool Covers or online. You can perform the cleaning and conditioning yourself, or we offer services to do it for you.
Secure every one of the PowerLock anchors on your pool cover. Connect the cover pump that was provided at installation to a hose and place the pump on the pool cover — the pump will move water to the designated location at the end of the hose. Plug in the pump when the storm begins, or wait until after it passes.
Always pump off the standing water from the top of the pool cover first. If a severe monsoon left dirt and debris:
Before you leave, secure your PowerLock on your pool and follow the instructions for short- or long-term hibernation. The key to monsoon-proofing a hibernated pool is a level water line. If you have an auto-leveler, there's nothing to worry about. If you fill manually, confirm the pool has enough water before you leave — wrinkles in the cover fabric are an easy sign the water is too low. With too little water under it, a severe rainstorm can put enough stress on the cover to rip it.
If the water is level and a severe monsoon hits while you're away, don't worry: the weight of the storm water is fully supported when the pool underneath has adequate water. In Arizona, leftover storm water generally evaporates within a day or two. If standing water remains when you arrive home, clean the cover as described in "How do I clean my pool cover after a monsoon storm?" above.
No. Algae grows from sunlight, not warm water, and our solid vinyl material prevents UV rays from penetrating the water. The PowerLock stops the sun from feeding algae and destroying pool chemicals. As long as the cover is installed and the chemicals were properly balanced beforehand, algae will not grow.
No. Algae grows from sunlight in pools with imbalanced water chemistry. The PowerLock's solid vinyl blocks UV rays and protects the water chemistry, so neither the environment nor the food source algae needs is present. Algae is not a concern for pools hibernated properly, with water and chemicals balanced before shutdown. Note: warm water does not cause algae.
Yes — and keeping water in your pool is the easiest and most beneficial option. The water protects the pool's interior and provides structural support that maintains the pool's integrity.
The PowerLock lets you long-term hibernate your pool: level the water, balance the chemicals, secure the cover, and shut off the pump completely. While hibernating, there's no need to add chemicals or circulate the water for years at a time. Most pools have an auto-leveler; a manually filled pool needs a top-off 2–3 times a year. Hibernating with water in the pool saves the interior, protects the pool's structure, saves money on maintenance and future repairs, increases home value, and nearly eliminates upkeep.
Filling in a pool is a costly process, and you're required to disclose the buried pool when you sell your home — which decreases property value. Installing a Solar Safe Pool Cover and hibernating instead increases your property value, and hibernating is quick and simple.
About 20% of child drowning incidents each year happen in pools that have a fence installed — meaning fences are only about 80% effective. Once a fence is bypassed, no further barrier prevents access to the water, and to a child a fence can even be an enticing toy to climb. A properly secured PowerLock Solar Safety Cover makes it impossible for a child or pet to access the pool water.
Beyond safety, the PowerLock also:
A fence changes the look, feel, and functionality of your backyard — and does none of the above.
Pool netting can stop young children from reaching the water, but children over about age 5 (or above a certain weight) are not guaranteed to be kept out. Nets are installed under tension and can be challenging to latch on and off. Dirt, debris, sunlight, and critters still reach the water, evaporation continues, the pool can never be shut down, and a net never pays for itself.
The PowerLock creates an unsurpassable barrier for adults, children, pets, and critters; blocks dirt, debris, and UV; stops over 90% of evaporation; adds 10–15 degrees through passive solar gain; allows complete pool shutdown; and prolongs chemical life by over 80% — savings that let many of our clients forgo their pool service entirely, saving hundreds to thousands of dollars per year.
Mesh covers keep out leaves and larger organic material, but still let dirt, small debris, and dirty water into the pool. UV rays penetrate mesh, which burns off chemicals, increases evaporation, and encourages algae growth — so pools with mesh covers still need regular cleanings, with the cover removed each time. The strongest mesh products are often combined with a pool net to act as a safety cover, and even that combination doesn't match the PowerLock's benefits: an unsurpassable safety barrier, UV and debris blocking, over 90% evaporation savings, 10–15 degrees of passive solar heat gain, complete pool shutdown capability, and 80%+ chemical savings.
Still have a question? Call us in Phoenix at (623) 869-6015 or Tucson at (520) 232-2434, or request a free on-site estimate. Licensed, bonded & insured — CR-6 ROC #316530.
