ASTM Pool Covers

Here at All-Safe, we believe that safety is the most important aspect of every swimming pool. While clear water, a beautiful landscape, and a water fixture or two can make your pool very appealing, it won’t matter if the pool isn’t a safe swimming environment for your friends and loved ones. What’s the best way to ensure your pool is safe? With ASTM-compliant safety features.

ASTM International, formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials, is the foremost standards association for a wide range of consumer products. This organization sets professional safety standards for over 12,000 products from steel pipes to pool covers. These standards help ensure that manufacturers create the best products possible, which helps keep consumers safe from all manner of injury.

As part of our dedication to making swimming pools safer, All-Safe is proud to offer ASTM pool covers, nets, and fences. But why do these standards matter — and how can you be sure that your pool cover meets the requirements? Let’s talk about the ASTM standards, why every family needs an ASTM F1346 pool cover, and how you can make sure that your cover makes the grade.

Who are the ASTM?

ASTM International originally formed in 1898, as Americans were moving westward across the continent. The railroad was king in this era, and transcontinental rails were being built at an alarmingly fast rate. Chemist Charles Dudley took umbrage with the safety standards of the railroad industry, and he banded together with several engineers to develop some national safety regulations. Thanks to this group of concerned citizens, the ASTM was born.

These days, ASTM International works with over 30,000 volunteers across more than 140 countries. These volunteers are manufacturers, consumers, businessmen — anyone concerned with product safety. They decide which products need clearer safety standards, and work together to develop them. Thanks to their efforts, a wide range of industries have become safer for everyone!

While there are ASTM standards for literally thousands of consumer products, today we’d like to focus on the ASTM standards for pool covers (after all, that’s our thing!). Whether you’re looking for an automatic cover or a mesh cover for the winter, we believe that it’s important for all pool owners to understand these standards. Once you know what to look for, you can make the most informed decision when it’s time to make your purchase.

What are the Standards?

The standards for pool covers are labeled as ASTM F1346-91. In order to be considered an ASTM F1346 pool cover, the manufacturer must make sure that their product meets four specific requirements:

• The pool cover must be able to hold at least 485 lbs. This is considered the combined weight of two average adults and one child, and should ensure that the cover holds during any rescue operation.
• The cover must pass a Perimeter Deflection Test. During this test, manufacturers have to prove that any openings on the cover are too small to allow objects to pass through, and that they are strong enough to withstand any efforts to pass through.
• The cover must pass a Surface Drainage Test. This test proves that the cover is designed so that excess water does not collect on the cover’s surface, either by using semi-permeable material or a design feature that allows water to run off the cover.
• The pool cover must be properly labeled, so consumers can clearly understand information such as manufacturer warranties and ASTM standard warnings.

Every ASTM pool cover must undergo rigorous testing to meet these requirements, proving that it is a well-made and sturdy product that will protect your loved ones from swimming pool injuries. This is why it’s so important to make sure that all your pool safety solutions meet the ASTM standards.

Is My Pool Cover ASTM-Compliant?

When you buy a pool safety tool from All-Safe, you can be sure that you’re getting a product that meets the ASTM standards. Every one of our products, from our mesh pool fences to our automatic pool covers, are specially designed and individually tested to ensure they are ASTM-compliant. But how can you be sure that any other pool covers you find are up to ASTM standards? Look for the labeling!

Any company that sells an ASTM F1346 pool cover will clearly state this on their website and in any product literature, such as brochures. They will also need to label their ASTM-compliance on the cover itself — this is one of the requirements to meet ASTM standards, so if you don’t see a label, you should be wary.

If you’re not sure that a product is ASTM-compliant, don’t be afraid to reach out to the manufacturer; they should provide you with reports that state the results of all their product testing, further proving their compliance with the industry safety standards. This may take a little more time and homework on your part, but When it comes to getting pool safety solutions for your family, there’s no such thing as being “too careful!”

Get an ASTM Pool Cover Today

Of course, one of the easiest ways to ensure your family has an ASTM F1346 pool cover is to order it from All-Safe! We’ve been providing customers with high-quality, durable, and beautiful pool safety tools for over 25 years, and every product we sell meets the ASTM standards. Best of all, we’ll work with you to create customized pool safety measures that suit your family’s needs.

If you learn more about our ASTM pool covers, contact an All-Safe dealer in your area. One of our pool safety specialists will visit your home for a free, on-site consultation, and help you find the right pool cover or fence for you. We look forward to helping make your pool — and your family — safer.