Insulated cover and method for using same

1. A method for covering a pool having a pool basin and a quantity of fluid within the pool basin, the method comprising:

taking a plurality of panels, each having an upper layer, a lower layer, and an insulation material sandwiched between the upper layer and the lower layer, the panels each having a lateral layer extending laterally from the sandwiched insulation material, each of the lateral layers having an upper surface and a lower surface;

overlapping the lateral layers of a first panel and a second panel of the plurality of layers so that an interface portion on the lower surface of the first panel contacts an interface portion of the upper surface of the second panel;

forming a weld and depositing a weld joint that overlaps a portion of the upper surface of the first panel and a portion of the upper surface of the second panel so as to join the first and second panels together.

2. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising heating the interface portions of the first and second panels so that they become tacky and adhere to one another, the heating step being performed before the step of forming a weld joint.

3. The method according to claim 2 and further comprising forming a hole through the lateral layer of one of the first and second panels to permit water to drain through the hole from above to below the first and second panels and to permit gases to rise through the hole from below to above the first and second panels.

4. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising joining the plurality of panels together by the same steps for joining the first and second panels together so as to create a blanket from the plurality of panels.

5. The method according to claim 4 and further comprising placing the blanket in covering relation over the quantity of fluid within the pool basin, and forming a plurality of holes in at least one of the lateral layers between each of the plurality of panels so as to permit water to drain through the hole from above to below the blanket and so as to permit gases to rise through the hole from below to above the blanket.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein soil surrounds the pool basin, the blanket including a perimeter edge extending around the perimeter of the blanket, the method further comprising anchoring the perimeter edge of the blanket to the soil surrounding the pool basin so as to secure the blanket in covering relation over the fluid within the pool basin.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the anchoring of the perimeter edge of the blanket to the soil is accomplished by excavating a trench in the soil, placing the perimeter edge within the trench, and filling the trench with soil so as to anchor the perimeter edge within the trench.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising roughing up a portion of the upper surface of the first panel and the second panel before forming the weld joint.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the weld joint is a melted plastic material.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the weld joint is deposited over a roughed up surface.

11. A method for covering a pool having a pool basin and a quantity of fluid within the pool basin, the method comprising:

taking a plurality of panels, each having an upper layer, a lower layer, and an insulation material sandwiched between the upper layer and the lower layer, the panels each having a lateral layer extending laterally from the sandwiched insulation material, each of the lateral layers having an upper surface and a lower surface;

overlapping and welding the lateral layers of the panels together so as to form a single blanket from the plurality of panels and depositing a weld joint that overlaps a portion of the upper surface of the first panel and a portion of the upper surface of the second panel;

forming a plurality of holes in the lateral layers of the panels so as to permit water to drain through the holes from above the blanket to below the blanket and so as to permit gases to rise from the fluid within the pool basin upwardly through the holes to above the blanket;

placing the blanket in covering relation over the fluid within the pool basin.

12. The method according to claim 11 and further comprising placing the lateral layers of adjacent ones of the plurality of panels in overlapping relationship so that the upper surface of one of the lateral layers is below and touching the lower surface of the other of the lateral layers, the welding step comprising forming a weld joint over the upper surface of one of the overlapped lateral layers and over the upper surface of the other of the overlapped lateral layers.

13. The method according to claim 12 and further comprising heating the overlapping upper and lower surfaces of the overlapping lateral layers so that the overlapping upper and lower surfaces partially melt and join together, the heating step being accomplished before the welding step.

14. The method according to claim 11 further comprising roughing up a portion of the upper surface of the first panel and a second panel before forming the weld joint.

15. The method according to claim 11 wherein the weld joint is deposited over a roughed up surface.

16. The method according to claim 11 wherein the weld joint is a melted plastic material.

17. A cover for a lagoon having a pool basin and a quantity of fluid within the pool basin, the cover comprising:

a plurality of panels, each having an upper layer, a lower layer, and an insulation material sandwiched between the upper layer and the lower layer, the panels each having a lateral layer extending laterally from the sandwiched insulation material, each of the lateral layers having an upper surface and a lower surface;

each upper surface roughed up to receive a deposited weld joint;

each of the plurality of panels having pairs of the lateral layers thereof welded to one another forming a weld with said deposited weld joint that is partially covering the upper surfaces of the upper layer of a first panel and a second panel, to form a singular blanket from the plurality of panels wherein the lateral layers of the first panel overlapping the lateral layers of the second panel;

the blanket being in covering relation over the fluid within the pool basin;

a plurality of holes formed in the lateral layers for permitting water to drain through the holes from above the blanket to below the blanket and so as to permit gases to rise from the fluid within the pool basin upwardly through the holes to above the blanket.

18. The cover according to claim 17 and wherein the pairs of lateral layers welded to one another each comprise an overlapped portion comprising the upper surface of one of the lateral layers in each of the pairs in contact with the lower surface of the other of the lateral layers in each of the pairs.

19. The cover according to claim 18 and further comprising the weld joint overlying and contacting a portion of the upper surface of one of the lateral layers in each of the pairs and overlying and contacting a portion of the upper surface of the other of the lateral layers in each of the pairs.

20. The cover according to claim 18 and further comprising the overlapping upper surface of one of the lateral layers within each of the pairs and lower surface of the other of the lateral layers within each of the pairs are heat sealed together.

21. The cover according to claim 17 wherein soil surrounds the pool basin, the blanket including a perimeter edge extending there around, the perimeter edge being anchored to the soil surrounding the pool basin.

22. The cover according to claim 21 wherein a trench is in the soil surrounding the pool basin, the perimeter edge of the blanket being at least partially within the trench, and a quantity of soil also being in the trench to anchor the perimeter edge of the blanket.

23. The cover according to claim 17 wherein the weld joint is a melted plastic material.