Custom Safety Covers: Protecting Your Pool, Spa, and Loved Ones
Your pool or spa is a place of fun, relaxation, and family memories, but safety and maintenance should always come first. In North Carolina, changing seasons and busy schedules make a custom safety cover an essential part of responsible pool and spa ownership.
Why Safety Covers Matter
Safety covers do more than protect your pool or spa, they protect the people and pets you care about most. Designed to meet the stringent ASTM F1346-91 safety standards, these tamper-resistant covers help prevent accidents involving children, pets, and wildlife, giving you complete peace of mind when your pool or spa is not in use.
Protection and Convenience
Custom safety covers provide year-round protection from leaves, dirt, and seasonal debris, keeping your water cleaner and reducing maintenance. When spring arrives, your pool or spa will be easier to open, saving you both time and effort.
Precision Fit for Maximum Safety
Every pool and spa is unique. Using the latest digital measuring technology, we ensure your cover is a perfect fit, secure, durable, and built to last. No sagging, no gaps, just reliable protection that blends safety with quality craftsmanship.
Protect Your Investment:
Latham Safety & Automatic Pool Covers
A pool cover is more than just a accessory; it is a vital safety barrier and a powerful tool for energy efficiency. At Sunkissed Pools and Spas, we partner with Latham to provide the industry’s most advanced safety and automatic covers.
The Sunkissed Advantage: Laser-Precision Fit
A safety cover is only effective if it fits perfectly. We don't rely on old-fashioned tape measures that lead to sagging or gaps. We ensure every cover is measured and installed to absolute precision by using the Latham Measuring Pro laser. Our team has been factory-trained on this latest technology, allowing us to capture the exact contours of your pool for a "glove-like" fit. Whether you have a classic rectangle or a complex freeform design, our laser-measured installs ensure maximum safety and a sleek, professional aesthetic.
1. Automatic Safety Covers (Coverstar® & Pool Cover Specialists®)
Latham’s automatic covers are the ultimate "convenience" cover. With the turn of a key or a digital code, your pool is sealed in under a minute.
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Key Features: Heat-sealed webbing (stronger than stitching), PowerFlex ropes for smooth operation, and high-torque sealed motors.
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Pros: Highest safety rating for daily use; massive savings on chemicals, heat, and water evaporation.
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Cons: Higher initial cost; requires a rectangular footprint (or "deck-on-deck" track) for best results.
2. Mesh Safety Covers
The most popular choice for winterizing pools in North Carolina. These covers are made of high-strength, woven polypropylene.
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Key Features: Self-draining material that allows rain and snow to pass through while trapping leaves and debris.
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Pros: Lightweight and easy to install/remove; most affordable safety option; 99% shade to block algae-promoting sunlight.
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Cons: Fine silt can pass through the mesh, which may require a bit more cleaning during your spring pool opening.
3. Solid Safety Covers
For the homeowner who wants their pool water to look exactly the same when they open it as it did when they closed it.
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Key Features: Made from heavy-duty, vinyl-laminated polyester. 100% sunlight and debris blockage.
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Pros: The cleanest possible spring openings; keeps chemicals from burning off during the winter.
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Cons: Heavier to handle; requires an automatic pump on top to remove standing water (unless using the Invis-a-Drain mesh panel option).
Latham Pool Cover Comparison:
Features, Colors, and Pricing
As a Charlotte authorized Latham dealer, we use the Latham Measuring Pro laser for every installation. This ensures that whether your cover is automated or anchored, the tension is perfect and the fit is seamless.
*Pricing varies based on pool size, shape, features and deck material (concrete, pavers, or wood).
Deep Dive: Securing & Technology
Automatic Safety Covers (The "Press-and-Go" Solution)
These covers are the ultimate in luxury and safety. They operate on a motorized drive system.
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How it’s Secured: The cover runs along sleek tracks installed under the pool coping or on the deck surface. When closed, the leading-edge bar locks the cover in place, creating a "dry" seal that can support the weight of multiple adults.
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Control: We offer everything from simple keyed switches to high-tech Touchscreen Controllers with unique pin codes for different family members.
Mesh & Solid Safety Covers (The "Anchor" System)
These are the standard for winter protection in North Carolina.
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How it’s Secured: We drill specialized brass anchors into your pool deck. These anchors sit flush (flat) with the deck during the summer so you won't stub your toes. During closing, we "pop" them up and use a leverage tool to attach heavy-duty stainless steel springs to the anchors.
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The "Perfect Fit" Technology: Because we use the Latham Measuring Pro laser, we calculate the exact spring tension needed for your specific pool shape. This prevents the "puddling" or "sagging" common with covers measured by hand.
Color & Aesthetics
Latham offers the widest color palette in the industry to ensure your cover complements your Charlotte home’s exterior:
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Modern Neutrals: Charcoal, Black, and Grey are currently our top sellers for modern homes.
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Classic Tones: Royal Blue and Green remain the standard for a traditional "resort" look.
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Texture Options: Ask us about the 9000MX Max Shade mesh, which offers a unique dual-tone weave that looks like high-end outdoor furniture fabric.
Why the "Average Cost" Varies
In Charlotte, your total investment depends on a few "Precision Factors":
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Deck Material: Anchoring into pavers or wood decks requires specialized "long-pipe" anchors or brass wood-deck anchors, which can slightly increase labor costs.
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Pool Shape: Rectangular pools are the most cost-effective. Custom "Freeform" pools (like the Coral 16) require more anchor points and custom-cut fabric.
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The "Latham Measuring Pro" Benefit: While some companies charge extra for "digital measuring," Sunkissed Pools and Spas includes this as part of our professional installation to guarantee your warranty remains valid.
Benefits of a Custom Safety Cover in North Carolina
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Enhanced Safety: Reduce the risk of accidental drownings or falls.
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Debris Protection: Keep leaves, dirt, and seasonal debris out of your pool or spa.
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Durability: Built to withstand North Carolina’s changing weather, from heavy rains to cold winters.
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Convenience: Simplify seasonal maintenance and enjoy quicker, cleaner openings
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Peace of Mind: Protect your family, pets, and wildlife when your pool or spa is unattended.
Precision Matters:
Why Professional Installation is the Only Way to Protect Your Warranty and Your Home
While the idea of a DIY pool cover installation might seem like a way to save on upfront costs, it often leads to expensive repairs and compromised safety. A safety cover is a high-tension engineered system, and even a small mistake can turn a protective barrier into a hazard.Here is why Charlotte homeowners should avoid the DIY route and trust a certified professional.
1. Risk of Permanent Deck Damage
To install a safety cover, you must drill dozens of holes into your pool deck. Without professional core-drilling equipment and factory training:
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Cracked Masonry: Standard hammer drills can easily shatter expensive pavers, flagstone, or decorative stamped concrete.
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Improper Anchor Seating: If a hole is even a few millimeters too wide or shallow, the brass anchors will "spin" or "pop out" under the weight of snow or rain.
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The Paver Pitfall: Drilling into pavers requires specialized long-pipe anchors that reach the concrete or compacted soil beneath. DIYers often use standard anchors, which will eventually pull the pavers right out of the ground.
2. Compromised Safety & "The Trampoline Effect"
A safety cover must be tensioned to exact specifications to support the weight of a child, a pet, or heavy snow.
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Incorrect Tension: If the cover is too loose, it sags into the water, creating a drowning hazard. If it’s too tight, you can snap the stainless steel springs or tear the fabric.
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The "Half-Load" Rule: Professionals know that springs should never be more than 50% compressed. DIYers often over-tighten the cover, leaving no room for the springs to absorb a sudden load (like a pet stepping on it), causing the hardware to fail.
3. Voiding the Latham Warranty
Latham provides an industry-leading warranty, but it is contingent on proper installation.
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The Measuring Pro Advantage: We use the Latham Measuring Pro laser to map your pool. Hand-measuring often results in "accumulated error," where the cover is slightly off-center.
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ASTM Standards: If a cover is not installed according to strict ASTM F1346-91 guidelines, the manufacturer may deny a warranty claim if the fabric or hardware fails.
4. Risk of Permanent Doing It Yourself
A DIYer often spends hundreds of dollars on specialized tools they will only use once:
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Core drills and diamond-tipped bits.
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Tamping tools and installation rods.
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Extra hardware to replace the ones lost to "spinners" or stripped threads.
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The Cost of Mistakes: Replacing just two or three cracked pavers or a torn liner can quickly exceed the cost of hiring Sunkissed Pools and Spas to do it right the first time.
Peace of Mind is Priceless When we install your cover, we assume the liability for the precision of the fit. You get a sleek, laser-aligned cover that protects your family and looks beautiful, without the risk of a DIY disaster.
