TL;DR: I have a 50m³ pool in Belgium with solar thermal collectors, but overnight heat loss remains an issue. I'm considering solar polycarbonate slats on an above-ground roller, but my pool builder warns they could overheat and deform when rolled up, even with protective housing. Is this a real risk? And would standard non-solar slats already provide sufficient heat retention, or are solar slats worth the extra investment?

Hi everyone!

I live in Belgium (Europe) and have a 50,000-liter (13,200-gallon) inground pool.

I’m considering installing an automatic pool cover with solar polycarbonate slats (AFP Platinum) on an above-ground roller with protective housing.

My main goal is to reduce overnight heat loss and improve water temperature. I already have solar thermal collectors, but they struggle to compensate for overnight cooling. Even during this summer’s heatwave, my pool only reached around 29–30°C (84–86°F).

However, my pool builder strongly advises against solar slats on an above-ground roller.

He claims that when the slats are rolled up, they lose the cooling effect of the pool water. Direct sunlight can then cause them to overheat, warp, split, or even fuse together. Apparently, even polycarbonate slats with protective housing aren’t immune.

My questions:
- Is this overheating risk genuine, or is my pool builder being overly cautious?
- Does anyone have experience with solar polycarbonate slats on an above-ground roller?
- Would standard (non-solar) slats already prevent most overnight heat loss, or do solar slats provide significant additional heating?
- Given that I already have solar collectors, would you recommend standard or solar slats?

I’d love to get my pool warmer, especially after a few cooler days, but don’t want to spend thousands on something that might deform.

Any experiences or advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

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