Securing your pool area with fences and gates is a vital pool safety tip. But in addition, always supervise children and use proper floatation devices. Learn CPR and have a first aid kit nearby. Stay hydrated, apply sunscreen, and prioritize everyone’s well-being for a fun and secure summer around the pool.
Kids need a lot of attention around the pool, but the need for safety precautions also extends to adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that one in five fatal drowning victims are children at fourteen or younger.
I’ve been an ARC lifeguarding instructor for seven years and worked around pools through high school and college. Frequently, parents who just moved into a house with an in-ground pool consult me for measures they can put in place to help increase the safety of the pool.
A few popular recommendations I’ve noticed that are passed across on many pool owner online communities are the need for a fence around the pool (separate from the fence around the rest of the backyard), pool cover, and installation of alarms that go off when something falls into the pool.
All these measures are helpful, but it goes beyond these. In the rest of this article, I will list and explain the top pool safety measures you should prioritize to protect kids and adults. I will also present tips on how to achieve these measures.
Here’s a rundown:
| Pool Safety Tip | Reason | How To Achieve It |
| Take swimming lessons | It can teach children and adults essential water safety skills, such as floating and treading water. | Hire a swimming coach or seek offers from the local parks department. |
| Install a fence around the pool. | Ensure children and pets don’t get into the pool without your supervision. | DIY options if you have time or hire a pool maintenance contractor. |
| Safety pool cover | It keeps dirt and debris out of the water and holds kids who wander into the pool. | Shop for a safe pool cover based on your pool dimension. |
| Avoid playing around the drains. | To prevent small kids – or adults – from getting suctioned to the bottom of a pool by a strong drain. | Install anti-entrapment drain covers but also avoid playing around the drains. |
| Hire a water watcher. | To act as a lifeguard in your home. Someone has to be on the watch when kids are around the pool. | Hire a water watcher from a local pool management company. |
| Keep toys away from the pool area. | To discourage children from wandering over to the pool unattended. | Add toy removal to your pool closing checklist. |
| Take a CPR Class. | To save lives in the event of a water emergency | American Red Cross or local hospitals offer classes and certification |
| Install a pool alarm. | To receive an alarm when pets, kids, or objects accidentally fall into the pool | Purchase a pool alarm based on your pool specification. Larger pools need more than one sensor. |
Now, look into these pool safety tips and the practical implementation methods.
1. Take Swimming Lessons
The idea is to ensure everyone in your household knows basic swimming techniques. You can start your kids on swim lessons when they clock six months old. This is an active way to keep your pool safe. I recommend you hire a personal swim coach. But local parks departments often offer free swimming lessons.
With the essential swimming lessons, everyone in your household will have a reduced fear of water, and the possibility of drowning will drop significantly.
Also, swimming lessons are a great way to stay fit, healthy, and active. A study published in the National Library of Medicine has shown that children who swim are likelier to be at a healthy weight.
2. Surround Your Pool Area With A Fence
Installing a pool safety fence is another vital safety tip because it’s a reliable way to keep children from accessing the pool unattended. The CDC says an isolation fence can reduce a child’s drowning risk by 83%. I recommend this for parents who are often away from home and can not keep an eye on their kids all the time.
To add a pool fence correctly, install it around the immediate and whole pool area to separate it from the other parts of your home. The fence should be climb-proof so little ones cannot fit through the slats.
You can consult a local fence installer for this project. But if you have time, you can go the DIY way. Look at how Life Saver Pool Fence Systems Inc. presents pool guard fence installation in the video below:
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A pool fence will cost $15 and $25 per linear, but the overall cost depends on your chosen type.
3. Use A Safety Pool Cover
According to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), the average safety pool cover can hold at least 485 pounds per five square feet when adequately installed over your pool.
With this in mind, you can use this safety pool cover to have kids or pets when they wader into the pool. It’s also an excellent way to keep dirt and debris out of the pool when unused.
I don’t recommend using floating solar and winter covers because they look like solid surfaces but can’t support weight. An alternative to covers is a pool safety net.
4. Avoid Playing Around With Drains
Drains pose a safety risk even when properly maintained. Don’t let children play near pool filters and drains for a fun and secure summer.
Drains use suction to pull a small child underwater when a piece of clothing, a strand of hair, or a limb gets caught in the drains. This is called suction entrapment.
You can childproof your swimming pool by installing anti-entrapment drain covers like this Anti-Vortex Main Drain Suction Cover Plate from Leisure Living on Amazon. A local swimming pool service can help with the installation. But maintenance is still required.
5. Hire A Water Watcher
The job of a water watcher is to supervise children at all times when playing in or around the water. Designating a professional to fill this gap is a crucial swimming pool safety tip.
The goal is to prevent drowning accidents even when you’re not paying attention.
If you’re swimming with your kids at a public pool, there’s a lifeguard to ensure water safety. But at home, there’s none. You can enlist a water watcher to watch your kids when they are by the pool.
6. Don’t Leave Toys In The Pool Area
Remove indoor and outdoor toys from the pool deck and put them in a child-safe area. Leaving toys around the pool area can encourage children to wander over the pool unattended, which exposes them to the possibility of falling into the pool.
When closing the pool after playtime, add this measure to your checklist so it doesn’t skip your mind.
7. Take a CPR Class
Another pool safety tip is to learn how to perform CPR on children and adults. With this knowledge and certification, you can be prepared to save lives when a water emergency happens.
8. Install a Pool Alarm
Pool alarms like the Techko S189 Ultra Slim and PoolEye PE23 can add to a solid pool safety system. They work by using infrared motion detection. So when someone falls into the pool, the alarm goes off. Some models work by sensing water movement.
Pool alarms come in different forms. Some alarms work as door alarm, which works like regular security alarm for when someone opens the gate of your pool fence, while others are personal immersion alarms. You can attach it to whoever you’re keeping an eye on. The alarm goes off when that thing touches the water.
Final Remarks
With the above points, you have a fun summer around your pool with absolute peace of mind. The need for these safety precautions increases when you have kids around.
Even with these measures, always supervise children and use proper floatation devices. Also, learn to perform CPR and keep a first aid kit nearby.
If it’s nearly impossible to keep an eye on kids, you can designate a professional water watcher.
Meanwhile, I have prepared a separate article where I enlisted and reviewed seven top pool accessories that can further solidify your pool safety at home.
FAQs
What are the benefits of installing a pool safety fence?
Installing a pool safety fence is a physical barrier to prevent unauthorized access and reduces the risk of drowning accidents. A pool safety fence also beautifies your pool area.
How does a swimming pool net enhance safety?
Swimming pool nets prevent people, especially children, and objects from falling into the pool. The net covers the water’s surface and can support a person’s weight. In that way, it safeguards against accidental falls.
What are the key features to consider when choosing a pool safety net?
Select a small mesh size like this WaterWarden Inground Pool Safety Net when choosing a pool safety net. It will prevent children and pets from slipping through. Also, prioritize material and durability over budget. Also, look out for the net’s weight capacity.
You can customize some nets to fit your pool if it’s irregularly shaped. In contrast, others come with pre-cut dimensions. So look out for this feature before choosing a product.
Marcus Rizzo is an esteemed air conditioner specialist and a prominent voice in temperature control and HVAC technology. With a passion for comfort and a commitment to providing practical solutions, Marcus has become an invaluable asset to the team at TemperatureMaster.com.