Ratchet-Lock is new breed of safety pool cover complete with features not found on any other brand. The tarp itself is a

hybrid design which combines both solid and mesh fabrics for the ultimate pool protection. It is reinforced with seat belt

style webbing that secures the cover to our innovative ratchet tensioning system. The solid fabric blocks out all light

preventing algae growth and the center drain panel allows rain water to flow into the pool for a maintenance free

winter.

Comparing a Ratchet-Lock safety pool cover to other brands will be difficult as we have completely reengineered the

tarp’s construction, drainage system, and attachment hardware to create what we believe is the strongest, most

durable, and easiest to operate safety pool cover available for purchase today. The paragraphs and images below

explain the differences in our product and provide some insight into why it will be the best choice for your pool.

Solid Fabric vs Mesh Fabric

The mesh fabric found on many safety covers has two advantages. 1) it’s less than

half the weight of a solid fabric & 2) water can pass through it. It also has one major

disadvantage that has most buyers considering alternative options. Light will pass

through a mesh fabric which, in most cases, will turn the water green long before the

pool is opened. In addition to this huge defect, the mesh fabric can only be assembled

using sewn seams which are the weakest link on most pool covers.

Solid fabric is substantially stronger, in most conditions will outlast mesh, has more

abrasion resistance so holes are less likely, and can easily be patched if damaged. A

solid fabric will block out UV rays to prevent algae growth so less chemicals will be

needed to close the pool. The combination of less chemicals and less light will extend

the life of a pool liner.

In the past, the purchase of a solid tarp required a pump to remove standing water

from the cover. Our hybrid tarp design combines the long life, superior construction,

and outstanding performance of a solid fabric with the maintenance free features of a

mesh fabric. A Ratchet-Lock safety pool cover will weigh more than a mesh cover but

outside of that is superior in every way.

Welded seams vs Sewn seams

The top image shows two pieces of mesh that have been sewn together using an

overlapping seam. This is the most common type of seam found on safety pool covers and

webbing is typically used on both the top and bottom to hide the fabric’s raw edges. As

many shoppers have learned, threads are the weakest link on a tarp and this type of seam is

only held together by its threads. In addition, tarps assembled using this technic are

normally a grid of 5’ x 5’ fabric panels that are overlapped and sewn on all four sides. This

results in four potential failure points for every five square feet of tarp.

The bottom image shows two pieces of our 13oz vinyl laminated solid fabric that have been

seamed together by a machine that uses heat to permanently fuse pieces of fabric together.

As you can see, the seam is barely noticeable creating a clean finished look. This type of

seam is substantially stronger than a sewn seam virtually eliminating the most common

failure point of safety pool covers. Additionally, it allows the tarp to be assembled using full

length panels of fabric drastically reducing the number of seams per tarp.

Bottom webbing vs Top webbing

Webbing is the back bone of a safety pool cover and needs to be installed on the bottom to support

any weight being applied to the top of the fabric. Tarps that are constructed using an overlapped

sewn seam will also have webbing on the top to hide the raw edge of the two overlapped fabric

pieces. This is not necessary on a Ratchet-Lock cover since it has heat sealed seams for a clean

finished look.

Avoid purchasing any cover that only has webbing installed to the top side. Any weight applied to

the fabric will be pulling against the threads that hold the tarp together. Tarps constructed without

webbing on the bottom will have a drastically reduced life expectancy.

Ratchets vs Springs

Safety pool covers have been available for over three decades but until recently have been limited to one attachment

option. We developed our Ratchet-Lock cover with a wider 2” webbing similar to a seat belt which provides multiple

advantages. The biggest advantage is attachment options other than a spring. Springs extend well above the pool deck,

are loosely hooked over an untightened bolt, are difficult to attach, and make adjusting the tension extremely time

consuming. They are also ridiculously expensive.

Ratchets are substantially stronger than springs, cost less, are much easier to operate, and one ratchet will adjust the

tension for two anchor points so half as many are needed. A ratchet will extend up about the same height as a spring

but will only be used on two sides of the pool allowing a nearly flush mounted anchor plate to be used on the sides of

the pool which have the most traffic.

The anchors for springs are typically mounted 30” out from the edge of the pool making the cover’s footprint about 5’

larger than the actual pool. We recommend our anchors be installed 20” out from the pool but that can be reduced to as

little as 15” when necessary. This 50% space savings allows a Ratchet-Lock cover to be installed on many applications

where springs simply fail to fit.

Expanding anchors vs Drop In anchors

Since the creation of safety pool covers ¾” brass drop in concrete anchors have been the

industry standard. Much like springs, they are ridiculously expensive and don’t perform all that

well. A small collar around the top is all that holds them in place and, in our experience, 1 out

every 5 anchors installed will chip the concrete around this collar creating an unattractive hole

with an unsecured anchor. In addition to 20% not being secured at all, the springs are simply

looped over an untightened bolt.

Expanding anchors widen to fill the hole as the bolt is tightened locking them in place.

“Tightened” is the key word here because with this style anchor the bolt will securely attach

the hardware to the deck. The double expanding anchors included with a Ratchet-Lock kit are

½” round so a smaller hole is required making them quicker and easier to install. Despite being

smaller in size they have been tested to withstand over 600lbs of vertical lift unlike the larger

brass anchors, which often lift out by accident. Expanding anchors are made of a die-cast zinc

alloy commonly known as Zamak. Like brass, Zamak does not rust making it a perfect choice

for use around a pool. Just like the brass version, these will be mounted flush with the

concrete so nothing will protrude above the deck once the cover is removed.

Snow load limits

Most brands of safety pool covers recommend that a snow load not

exceed 4,000 pounds. This sounds like an impressive number but snow

weighs about 15 pounds per cubic foot so for the average 18’ x 36’ pool

4,000 pounds is only 4 to 5 inches of snow. For a pool this size one foot of

snow will weigh approximately 9,720 pounds, which for most brands is

over double the recommend snow load meaning any damage would not

be covered under warranty.

The reality is pool owners have little to no control over how much snow is

received. We designed our Ratchet-Lock pool cover with a feature that in

the event of an overload will help prevent damage to the cover, pool, and

deck. Our cover to fit an 18’ x 36’ pool has 15 support straps and somewhere around 600 pounds per strap (9,000lbs

total) will experience what we call slip lock failure. This rarely happens. However, in the event of an overload, the slip

locks, which secure the webbing sewn on the cover to the anchor plates mounted around the pool, will break free. This

allows two sides of the cover to safely fall into the pool without damaging the cover, pool, or deck.

Attempting to remove snow will most likely damage the cover and could result

in a really cold swim. Therefore, we always advise pool owners to let it melt

naturally. In the event of an overload this design feature will eliminate the

possibility of damage caused by a snow load. These clips are easy to replace

and only cost $0.50 making them the perfect defense against unexpected

conditions. These same conditions on another brand of cover will likely result

in split seams which will require the purchase of a new cover.

Lifetime warranty vs Year range

Many brands provide a year range warranty with their cover. For example the warranty may be

advertised as 10/1 or 12/2. When you actually read it you will learn that this type of warranty

will only repair or replace the cover for the first year or two of ownership. In the event a defect is

discovered after one year the pool owner will have the option to purchase a new cover at a

discounted rate based on the time owned. The companies who use this type warranty

typically extend the warranty period beyond the product’s life expectancy as a gimmick

designed to encourage repeat business.

Repeat business is great but we prefer to earn it instead of using a gimmick. We guarantee

the workmanship on all our tarps for the life of the tarp. That statement means that defects

in workmanship will be repaired or replaced for as long as the tarp’s materials are useable.

How long will a safety pool cover last?

If properly cared for, a traditional shaped pool cover will keep a pool safe for 8 to 12 winters. This statement is true for

our product as well as many other brands. With the use of top shelf fabric, webbing, thread, and advanced assembly

techniques it may be possible to continue using our product well beyond this time frame. While it may work well for

keeping the pool clean, a cover beyond 10 years of age is no longer as safe as it once was. Older covers should be

inspected each spring and replaced if the fabric has become brittle or the threads have rotted. This statement is true

regardless of the manufacturer’s implied warranty period.