Summer Safety Tips for Pool Owners
Author: Gunter Walderon
Category: Home and Family
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Pools are dangerous areas for small children if the proper safety restrictions are not observed. Most parents know a safety tip or two, especially with regard to placing a fence around the pool. However, parents need to protect against other dangers to encourage fun and safety in the pool.
Fences - By law, most U.S. citizens must surround their pools with fences, especially if there is a small child in the house. The gate should remain locked when the pool is not in use, and keys should be stored in a safe place. For safety purposes, install a fence that is at least six feet high in order to discourage children from scaling it to reach the pool. Be sure that your fence is tall enough to prevent that from happening. Information regarding communities' fencing regulations, restrictions, and laws can be found at the local county offices.
Alarms - You could install a door alarm to keep children from sneaking into the pool without adult supervision. Wireless door alarms are best for this situation, and they will provide extra security for your yard. Another great way to make your pool safer is to purchase a pool alarm. Good Housekeeping Magazine rates Poolguard alarms as the best available. They emit a loud beeping sound to indicate someone or something has fallen into the swimming pool. Better yet, such things as fallen leaves and wind do not set off the alarm. But if a small child, animal, or even an adult slips into the pool, they can be saved quickly.
Pool Covers - Pool covers are a necessity, but can present some dangers too. The most effective way to cover your pool is with a hard plastic shell. Soft covers are more common for private pools because they are often less expensive. A soft cover does pose a small amount of risk for small children and pets, however, who may become entangled in it. Exercise extreme caution with electric or automatic pool covers. There are countless stories of children inadvertently getting trapped in the pool underneath the cover after accidentally hitting the controls.
Leafy Plants - Leaves are often an overlooked peril, especially if they provide much-needed shade. Yet wet leaves can create a dangerous situation for anyone walking on them. Trees and flowering plants with small leaves can be a safety hazard and may clog your pool filters.
Wooden Block - If you have an uncovered pool, it is very helpful to leave a medium-sized block of wood in the water. The block should float and be large enough to support a small amount of weight. Should a small animal fall into your pool, it can use the wooden block to anchor itself and crawl out of the water.
Pool Toys - Be sure to always have a safe storage place for all of your pool toys. Large and small pool toys have slick surfaces and are quite dangerous underfoot. Store pool toys in a box or bin either at the pool or in your home. Pool toys should be stored in an area that is separate from where you store your pool chemicals. This decreases the possibility of chemicals being transferred onto any pool toys in the area, which could create a poisoning hazard to anyone using them.
Pool Chemicals - It is common to store chlorine tablets, PH balance kits, and other chemicals near the pool area. Be certain to keep these chemicals in a secure location. To truly be secure, your storage container should have a heavy lock. Children are often attracted to big, plastic boxes, and may explore the box's contents. It would be even better to keep your pool chemicals locked away in a shed or garage. That way you will have easy access to them, but your children will not.
Even though most of these pool safety measures are common sense, you would be surprised at how many of them are overlooked. Before enjoying your pool in the summer season, you need to verify that the area is safe. Prior to the arrival of warm weather, check the pool area for any safety hazards that may put your children at risk.
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Keywords: Los Angeles pool builders, San Gabriel pool builders, Pasadena pool contractors, Long Beach pool builders, Palos Verdes pool contractors
View Count: 42
Date Submitted: 8/13/2008
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