Having a pool is a great luxury and offers welcome relief on hot summer days, but if you have young children, a pool can also present a serious safety risk – one that needs to be mitigated. Unfortunately, one of the most common ways to guard against drowning is through the use of pool covers, which are unsightly and difficult to take on and off. You need a better solution, one that’s more aesthetically pleasing.
These four pool protection strategies offer peace of mind along with stylish presentation you’ll be proud to show off to friends.
Focus On Fences
A sturdy fence is the gold standard in pool protection, and the great thing about fences is that you can pick any style to match your yard’s overall look. Whatever style you pick, though, make sure your fence is self-locking. It should also run the full perimeter of your pool and be too high to climb – so skip the mesh-style fences that provide a foothold for curious kids. Fencing in your pool also ensures that your yard is private – always a nice touch when entertaining or just enjoying your backyard with family.
Dig Into Design
If you’re lucky enough to be installing a new pool in your yard, the best way to make sure it’s safe is by working with your designer to ensure your new pool meets wider standards. Regulations vary by region, but if you bring your concerns about drowning to your pool designer and landscaper, they should be able to help. As Narellan Pools underscores, their goal is to “individually tailored backyard and outdoor living landscape.” An individually tailored backyard landscape should always mean one that’s safe for your family and friends. If your landscaper or pool designer can’t handle this request, look for another company.
Inground Alarms
Though both aboveground and inground pools require active safety precautions, it can be much more difficult to prevent inground pool drowning events simply because they’re more accessible. One useful option for protecting inground pools, then, is the pool alarm, which comes in many different forms. You can get fence or wall mounted pool alarms with motion sensors or magnetic gate alarms, underwater motion alarms, and even floating motion sensors. Pool alarms trigger a response in your home when they sense motion in your pool, though you may sometimes find yourself responding to backyard wildlife.
Style Safely
If your pool is going to be a gathering place, you’re sure to have furniture set out to host guests. That’s great – but be aware of their placement. Furniture that’s placed too close to the pool fence can be used to climb over, introducing drowning risk, or can be used to climb into an aboveground pool. When setting up your yard, then, keep furniture at a good distance from the fence. And conversely, keep safety equipment immediately beside the pool in the event of an emergency. Rescue gear may not be stylish, but you don’t want to have to search for it if disaster strikes.
It’s possible to drown in only an inch of water, and it’s the second leading cause of accidental death for children at home, so you can never be too cautious. Instead, pile on the safety equipment, from fences to alarms and stay vigilant. Though your pool may represent leisure and relaxation, you always need to put safety first when there are children nearby.
