Once considered a luxury accessory for pool owners, safety covers are now considered a must-have item for today’s safety-conscious consumers. The increase in demand has prompted manufacturers to up their game in terms of aesthetics, design and efficiency, and there are now more competitively-priced options available on the market. “Safety covers are now seen as essential items for pool owners – more so than ever before,” comments Michael Witney, Sales Executive at Ocea. “The safety aspects of a material cover have certainly become more apparent when choosing a pool cover.
I am aware of pool builders insisting on safety material covers if the pool owner has children,” he reveals. Safety covers are available in a choice of styles and designs, from a simple safety net, which is tensioned over the pool when not in use, to a fully automated system which will completely cover the pool in a matter of minutes, by simply pressing a remote control switch. Jo Catterall, Certikin’s H&V Auto Covers Sales Manager adds: “Ultimately, a safety cover creates a safe pool environment for families and pets. However, a safety cover will also help retain heat and chemicals in the pool, thus saving the client on energy bills and chemical consumption.
Furthermore, a safety cover will keep out debris such as leaves and dirt.” Certikin have a dedicated automatic covers department with four technical sales staff on hand to advise customers. They also have teams of cover fitters who not only offer installation, but also servicing, repair and warranty work.
ACCURATE MEASUREMENTS:  One of Certikin’s most popular safety covers is the Coverstar. Unlike other safety cover suppliers who use an industry standard vinyl, Coverstar use a far superior vinyl composite in a range of colours. Furthermore, the company has invented and patented the heat sealed process, which prolongs the life of the cover and improves the overall operation. Says Jo: “Coverstar offer ten colour options, all of which are popular. Currently, charcoal grey is the most popular and looks stunning.” She continues: “In terms of pitfalls to avoid, accurate measurements are essential when it comes to ordering a safety cover, plus the pit dimensions must also be as per the manufacturer’s specification.
Lack of maintenance will potentially lead to operational problems and premature failure of parts. We always advise Coverstars should be serviced at least annually to help avoid this.” But the Coverstars are not just for pools. In fact, Falcon Pools opted for a Coverstar when working on a swim spa project for a well-known television broadcaster. “With a brief to install a cover for the swim spa that is robust enough to withstand boisterous children and pets, my thoughts turned to one cover – the Coverstar,” says Falcon Pools’ Terry Woodhams. “We have installed numerous Coverstars in the past so have the greatest confidence in them as a safety cover. The product is second to none in terms of quality. Their installation is straight-forward and we know that we can always rely on Certikin for advice and guidance should any be required.” Lee Campbell, of Hampshire-based pool dealership Neptune Pools, also specified a Coverstar system for a large, luxurious inground tiled pool that would be cost effective to operate. “After careful consideration, a Coverstar safety cover was commissioned with an in-wall track system, housed in a pit at the back of one end, covered with heavy duty lid trays, and extended brackets so the floor tiles could continue across the cover pit,” explains Lee. “The Certikin engineers were even able to reverse the boom, so it was set lower across the pool and therefore hidden when the cover was off the pool. Once the pool was filled, the Coverstar was installed and the system commissioned.”
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COMPANY CONTACTS:
CERTIKIN Tel. 01993 778855 www.certikin.co.uk
FALCON POOLS Tel. 01932 353040 www.falconpools.co.uk
GOLDEN COAST Tel. 01271 378100 www.goldenc.com
NEPTUNE SWIMMING POOLS Tel. 023 8090 0106 www.neptuneswimmingpools.co.uk
OCEA UK Tel. 01993 707910 www.ocea.be
PLASTICA Tel. 01424 857857 www.plasticapools.net
