Having a swimming pool is crazy fun – especially if you have kids. However, it can also be just as dangerous, especially if you’re not careful. As a swimming pool owner, you need to ensure that every aspect of your swimming pool is absolutely safe – especially if you’ve got children around or even pets.
With that in mind, we’ll take a look at some of the most common deficiencies and dangers pool owners encounter!
Electrical Faults
We probably don’t have to explain this part all that much, but functional electrical wiring is an absolute must for swimming pools. If something goes wrong here, the consequences could be disastrous; we all know how electricity and water aren’t the best mix.
So, lights, pumps, and other electrical devices near your pool must be connected adequately – with a ground fault circuit interrupter or a GFIC. Be sure to clean your pool maintenance equipment regularly to prevent any accidents. If you’ve recently pumped the water out of your pool, for example, you’ll want to get a sump pump cleaning done by a professional.
Faulty Decks
Just like any other surface, the deck of a swimming pool ages – few materials are impervious to wear and tear. With time, algae might develop on your deck surfaces, resulting in a slippery coating that’s bound to produce potentially dangerous falls.
Don’t want to slip and fall all over your pool deck? If you want to reduce the odds of a nasty injury or, at best, a ridiculous home video that’ll end up on YouTube – ensure your deck gets a thorough pressure washing at least once a year.
There are also silica sands that you can mix in with your concrete sealer and get something more slip-resistant and textured.
Stairs and Ladders
Yep, most of us have seen at least one swimming pool injury on ladders or stairs. Plenty of pools have nosing tile that’s colored to ensure it stands out – and the tile’s texture helps us feel the step edges, even under the water.
Remember – even with that, you’re more likely to get hurt or fall if you enter the pool at night, especially if you don’t use underwater lights to provide some much-needed illumination in the pool.
If you’re using a ladder with handrails, it’s a good idea to check whether they’re firm once in a while. It tends to loosen as time goes on, particularly if it’s seeing a lot of use. And a shifty ladder with unstable rails is a guaranteed recipe for disaster.
Water Cleanliness
Stay away from the swimming pool once it turns green – even if you don’t necessarily think it’s all that filthy. Poorly kept water is a breeding ground for all sorts of harmful bacteria. Want to avoid nasty staph infections and throat and nasal issues? Make sure that your pool’s water quality is at an acceptable level. Have a pro check the chemical levels as well, especially if you’re experiencing any kind of skin reactions after using the pool.
The chemicals used to clean and maintain your pool are actually a rather potent mixture of alkalines, acids, and generally stuff that’s poisonous to people. When those chemicals react with each other in a specific way, they can become even more harmful. So, ensure they’re stored in a location where they won’t easily spill or interact with each other in any potentially dangerous way. Keep in a dry, controlled, and preferably locked place.
Winter Covers
Your winter cover is nothing more than a huge tarp that you’ll pin down with water or sandbags and stretch over the pool’s surface when the weather makes your swimming pool unusable for the rest of the year.
However, as tight as that tarp is – it may not be sturdy enough to catch the weight of a small child, let alone an adult, without collapsing and pulling them down into the water. Make sure that no kids or pets walk over the winter pool cover – regardless of how fun the idea might seem to them. If you want to ensure no one is misusing the winter cover or the pool, look for pool safety fences online.
Unsupervised Swimming
There’s no braver swimmer than a kid who’s just learned how to do it properly – which means they’ve got the highest chances of having an accident, especially if a cramp strikes during a particularly long swimming session. And no matter how shallow and superficially safe your pool is, younger kids should always have supervision while playing in it.
Also, it’s always a good idea to restrict the use of toys that aren’t really meant to be used in a pool – like large inflatables and flotation devices. Inflatable boats or huge inner tubes were designed to be used on the beach for a reason – they can easily trap an inexperienced swimmer beneath the surface if they turn over.
If you want to ensure your little ones are having a fun, safe time in the pool – getting them swimming lessons is generally the best way to do it. That way, they’ll know how to safely behave in a pool or on a beach, even when you’re not around.
