The deck is clean, the pool is open, and RSVPs to this season’s first BBQ are about to go out! But before the guests arrive, especially friends with kids in tow, it’s very important to properly outfit your pool. It’s time to talk about Swimming Pool Safety!
Tips for Small Children:
- Check drains and pipes for hazards. Small hands and feet can easily get trapped in exposed gaps on the deck or in skimmers.
- Consider obstructing access to the pool filter equipment. A small fence around the slab or a pool house with a locked door will ensure that kids can’t get hurt or damage the pool by playing with the equipment.
- If your outdoor pool is not fenced in, ask us to install a fence! By state regulation, it must be at least four feet tall. Indoor pools should have locks on the doors leading to the pool room, or a child-proof gate.
- Have us install a lockable safety cover on your spa so that no little ones can climb in unsupervised.
- Hate the idea of a big fence around your pool? Ask us about installing an automatic pool cover instead – covered pools are safer and often don’t require fencing. We install them all the time!
Tips for Swimming:
- Share basic water safety tips with your children, and encourage them to practice water safety with visitors. Older teens can make great lifeguards so that no one is ever alone in the pool!
- Never let a child use the pool unsupervised. Always stay within arms-reach of swimming children, especially those under five years old.
- Keep a phone nearby whenever someone is in the water, in case of emergency.
- Always practice the “feet first” rule when entering a pool or spa. It can be dangerous to dive head-first into a pool, as people could hit the bottom and become injured underwater.
Tips for Dog Owners:
- Keep chlorine away from your dog! It can be okay if your dog occasionally drinks the pool water because the chlorine is heavily diluted. But if you have spare chemicals in the garage or near the pool, make sure they are securely out of reach by kids and dogs alike.
- Always give your pup a quick rinse off with the hose after a swim, and watch for signs of skin irritation – especially in the ears.
- Train your pets to stay out of the pool when you are not around. Particularly for small dogs, just like young children, it can be dangerous for them to swim unsupervised due to the risk of injury and drowning.
- To prevent hazards or accidents from occuring, make sure your dog can exit the pool easily using the stairs or benches.
- Consider increasing the frequency of your pool maintenance visits! Just having your pup near the pool means that dog hair is getting into your filtration system. This is exponentially increased if your pup is allowed to swim. Ask us to come by more often to prevent your drains and pipes from becoming irreparably clogged.
Remember: Inflatable toys and floatation devices are a key part of having both a fun and safe pool party. Ask us about our stock of loungers, noodles, googles, and diver toys! As builders, technicians, and pool-users ourselves, we’ve got everything your pool needs from open to close