Pool Safety Equipment Tips
Read these 9 Pool Safety Equipment Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Pool Safety tips and hundreds of other topics.
Turn Off Filters When Swimmers Are Present
Set the timer on your pool filter to activate during times when swimmers are unlikely to be using the pool.
When you are having your swimming pool built, ask your contractor about timers on the filter and how to set the times for it to run outside of peak swimming hours. When motors and filters are running in the swimming pool with swimmers present, the likelihood increases that someone's hair, swimsuit or pool toy could get caught and cause an accidental drowning. You can decrease this possibility by setting timers for the filter to run during the early morning or later in the evening.
Install Bright Lights In Swimming Pool
Consider have bright lights installed in and around your swimming pool area.
This will ensure that every angle and area of your swimming pool is visible at all times.
Bright lights in your swimming pool will also make swimmers in the pool around dusk or in the dark clearly visible. Bright lights are a form of added safety precaution to your swimming pool fencing and other methods of protection.
Store Pool Chemicals Out Of Reach of Children
Store all swimming pool chemicals in a cool, dry place located out of the reach of children. A garage is an excellent spot for this purpose. Be sure pool products are clearly labeled with tops tightly closed.
Wear gloves each time you handle the chemicals and never allow children, or anyone else, to swim directly after you have added chemicals to the swimming pool. The pH levels should be equalized and normal before allowing swimmers back into the pool. You will now this by reading the gauges or meters that come with most chemicals.
If you do not have one or know how to read one, ask your swimming pool supply retailer to show you how to properly read the gauges to know when it is safe to swim.
Utilize Voice Monitors
A voice monitor, similar to the kind new parents use when they have a newborn baby, is a great idea for your swimming pool area. Strategically place several monitors around the area and make sure they are waterproof. Check the batteries in them regularly to assure they are working properly.
Voice monitors can alert you to the sound of voices in the swimming pool area.
Turn the monitors on anytime young children are present in the home or playing outside, and listen for any activity inside of the pool safety fence.
Wristwatch Alarm Can Alert You To Possible Drowning
There may be a time when your child gains access to the swimming pool area, regardless of a pool safety fence. There are several precautionary measures you can take to alert you when there are signs of trouble.
One idea is to give your child a wristwatch alarm. A unique device that acts as an alarm and is no bigger than a wristwatch can help to save your child's life if he/she inadvertently falls into the water.
If your child falls into the water, the wristwatch alarm sets off a loud alarm at the "base," which is generally located at a central location in the house. This alerts you that your child is in the water and in distress.
While the wristwatch alarm is a good preventive measure, it does not take the place of careful spotting. Keep careful watch of children in the pool area at all times.
Completely Remove Pool Covers
Be sure to completely remove pool covers before entering the swimming pool to go swimming. A partially covered swimming pool is a hazard for children, who can become trapped underneath the cover. If you are swimming, remove the cover completely from the area inside the swimming pool fence. When replacing it on the top of the swimming pool, be sure to completely and securely fasten the cover back onto the top of the pool to avoid any additional drowning hazards.
Check Batteries Regularly
Check batteries regularly on all pool safety equipment. You are relying on all of the products you have in place to keep your family and friends safe around your pool area. Just like its important to check batteries on fire alarms and other safety equipment inside of your home, it is equally important to check batteries on pool safety equipment. This includes alarms, monitors, pool covers, battery-operate flotation devices, cameras and more. Check products thoroughly and often to be sure they are working properly and replace batteries immediately, if needed.
Make Sure Swimming Pool Depths Are Marked
Make note of swimming pool depths. If you have a personal swimming pool, depths should be clearly marked so that children and guests know the depth of your pool. Do not allow diving into your swimming pool in depths of less than nine feet.
Make sure you are aware of depths in public swimming pools as well. Children should not venture into deeper waters without an adult with them. Many swimming pools have a slope or drop between the shallower end and the deeper waters of the swimming pool.
Before you allow your children to play in the shallow end, feel out the area and note where the depth begins to change. Show them how far they can go and make sure to watch them at all time.
Motion Sensors Add to Layers of Protection
Motion sensors are another form of safety precaution to add to the layers of safety and protection around your swimming pool area. A motion detector will set off an alarm or sensor that will let you know whenever someone has entered the swimming pool area.
Be sure that the sensors are located within the boundaries of the swimming pool fence and make sure to monitor the alarm results whenever children are present in and around your home. You can either use a home security company, which in most cases will call you when someone is detected in the area or rely on a base alarm, centrally located in your home to alert you to signs of trouble.
There are a number of different products on the market for this purpose, however, it is important to choose the best one for your home. In this instance, it would be prudent to schedule a consultation with a home security expert to give you advice on what motion system would work best for you.
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| Sheri Ann Richerson |
