Having your own pool is a great addition to your home. It looks beautiful and gives your kids something to do on those hot summer days. Plus, it makes your backyard the perfect hangout spot for when you have guests over.
While having a pool is fun, it’s important to never neglect safety. Here are 10 top safety tips for protecting your family while getting the most out of your pool.
Table of Contents
1. Install a Fence
In some locations, the law actually requires you to install a locked fence around your pool. Check your area’s regulations to ensure you are in compliance.
Even if the law doesn’t require it, consider installing a fence anyway, especially if you have children or pets.
2. Install a Baby Gate
Installing a baby gate in addition to a fence will serve as another barrier to the outside world. Plus, it will ensure that your younger kids don’t swim unsupervised.
3. Buy a Pool Cover
A cover acts as a final barrier to the open water.
High-quality covers are great because they can support a lot of weight and won’t bend or break. Once you lock them securely in place, they are too heavy for a child to lift.
4. Use Alarms
If someone somehow makes it past these barriers, an alarm system can alert you.
One type of system uses wave detection. It alerts you whenever it senses movement in the water.
Another type of system shoots a light beam across the water. When someone jumps (or falls) in, the alarm alerts you of the broken light beam.
5. Make Your Pool Accessible
Everyone in your family should be able to easily get in and out of your pool. This ensures safety and means everyone gets to have fun.
For family members with limited mobility, consider installing specialized equipment. New and used medical equipment company Jameson Medical, for instance, provides affordable home pool lifts. You should also install hand rails and secure steps.
6. Enroll in Swimming Lessons
When you have a pool in your backyard, the whole house should know how to swim.
Your kids knowing how to swim is crucial if they ever get in unsupervised. Children can participate in swimming lessons from birth, but they are especially important for toddlers and younger kids. Knowing how to get on their back, get out of the pool, and be in the water safely are potentially lifesaving skills.
Even if they are in swim lessons, make sure younger children, older people, and anyone with mobility issues wears swim vests or uses flotation devices.
7. Watch Them at All Times
Of course, you should always supervise your kids when they swim.
Being present isn’t enough. You should actively watch them in case something happens. A lot can happen if you turn your back even for a moment.
Don’t just keep an eye on your younger kids. While older children tend to be more responsible and stronger swimmers, they still need supervision. Avoid distractions and pay attention when you are watching them.
8. Clean It Regularly
Scrubbing your pool and maintaining its chemical balance will ensure it is clean and safe.
Have your kids pitch in with cleaning while you take care of the chemicals. You can also hire a pool cleaner if you want a professional to take care of it.
9. Properly Store Pool Toys
Leaving toys and floaties around is just asking for disaster. Keep the space around your pool clear by getting a storage bin.
10. Talk to Your Kids
Have the pool safety talk with your kids – and repeat it regularly. Make sure they know to never swim unsupervised. Explain that they can’t run outside the pool, that they must clean up their toys so they don’t trip, and they must never play rough in the water.
When everyone’s on the same page, your family will have fun in the pool while being safe!
