Safety Tips for Securing Home Swimming Pools

Gunjan thakurJanuary 25, 2023

While having a swimming pool at home is thrilling for an entire family, it is also a potential hazard for the little ones. That is especially true for toddlers and young kids who still haven’t learned how to swim. That’s why every parent must safeguard the pool area to prevent hazards like slipping, injuries or drowning. Keeping an eye out whilst kids are in the pool or running around and installing protective fences and swimming pool covers are some ideas that will help you keep your children and non-swimmers out of harm’s way. For more invaluable tips, keep reading.

Add a safety cover

Did you know that every year close to 400 children under the age of 15 drown in pools and spas? An even more devastating fact is that 87 per cent of fatalities happen at residential spas and swimming pools. To prevent your child or an adult non-swimmer from hurting themselves add a safety cover on top of the swimming pool. If you live in a country with cold weather, throw a safety cover over the pool when you don’t swim due to cold temperatures. That way, the swimming pool will be more secure and prevent teenagers from pranking each other, potentially causing a terrible hazard.

Be on water-watching duty

When spending time by the pool, one can quickly lose track of time. Before you know it, you’ve spent ten minutes on the phone or chatting with your friends whilst your kids were dangerously close to the water. All it takes is a second for the little one to slip and fall. To prevent trauma or worse from happening, always have one of the adults watch over the pool. Take turns and have all of you spend equal time on water-watching duty. Not only will that prevent kids from falling in the pool, but it will discourage them from trying to impress each other with dangerous water tricks like jumping inside the pool from a great distance.

Install a fence

Fences have always been one of the most secure ways to protect a certain perimeter. When it comes to swimming pools, using a high-quality black pool fence will be ideal for preventing kids from reaching the swimming pool area unsupervised. Install the railing around the swimming pool, making sure only you can allow access to the little ones. If they cannot open it, they won’t be able to jeopardise their well-being, so call the pros to install a black pool fence with utmost care.

Deadbolt locks on back doors

Have you considered securing the back door? That is the quickest way for the kids to escape indoors and find themselves in front of the pool. Even if they know how to swim, it s not safe to be around the swimming pool without any adults around. Therefore, add deadbolt locks to the back door. You and other adults will be able to unlock them, ensuring the kids are nowhere near the backyard unless you have allowed it.

Regularly inspect the pool

How many times have you inspected your pool? Are you the one who cleans it or do you pay for professional pool cleaning services? If you have pros clean the pool, you should also have experts inspect the swimming pool for any drain cover malfunction. Checking that the lights in the pool are in good condition is paramount as they can often cause electrical shocks, leading to death by electrocution. Did you know that pool decks and wet grass can also cause electrocution? Hire a licenced pool inspector to look at the vacuums, filters, pumps and all the pool equipment, ensuring they function well. The inspector is also supposed to inspect the electrical outlets, overhead power lines, extension cords, and lights around and inside the pool. If you notice underwater lights flickering or staying on after you switched them off, call an inspector.  

You can never be too safe around the swimming pool, which is why you should implement as many precautionary and safety measures as possible. That is especially true if you have young kids who are not confident about their swimming skills or haven’t learned how to swim yet. Pool fences, deadbolt locks, pool covers and regular inspections will help you keep everyone safe around the swimming pool and enjoy your summer splashes carefree.