Pool Safety Features that Save Lives

There are a lot of things that go into designing a backyard swimming pool. It has to suit the yard’s landscape, both in size and in aesthetic. It has to be properly constructed so that it meets local and federal requirements. And of course, there’s the most important part of any swimming area: the pool’s safety features.

What makes safety features so important? According to the CDC, about ten people die every day from accidental drowning — and one in five of those victims are children under 14. Swimming injuries can become terribly tragic in the blink of an eye, and they can happen to absolutely anyone.

Even if you lived in a household of Olympic swimmers, you’d still want to have some safety features for your swimming pool! Here are a few of our favorite options for keeping your family safe around the pool.

Mesh Pool Fences

When you’re spending time by the pool with your loved ones, it’s easy to keep an eye out for trouble and rescue someone if necessary. But we all know that you can’t watch the pool every moment of the day! This is why pool fences are an essential pool safety feature.

A pool safety fence will close off your pool to the rest of the yard, ensuring that no one gets near the water without supervision. This is particularly important if you have small children or animals in your home; a wandering toddler or curious pooch can easily fall into a pool and suffer serious injury if they have access to the water’s edge.

There are many fencing options for homeowners who want to install this safety feature in their swimming pool, from wrought iron bars to wood or vinyl panels. Here at All-Safe, we offer customizable mesh pool fences, which provide families with a fence that’s sturdy, difficult to climb, and semi-transparent, so you can have an unobstructed view of your beautiful pool.

Alarm Systems

Pool fences are a great way to prevent people from using the pool unsupervised — but they aren’t completely foolproof. For example, if someone left the fence unlatched by mistake, a child or animal could easily access the pool when your back is turned. This is why some families opt for a second pool safety feature that’s designed to get their attention: a pool alarm.

There are three main types of pool alarms:

• Threshold alarms, which sound whenever someone crosses a threshold, such as the pool fence or door to the backyard
• Surface wave sensors, which sense ripples on the water’s surface and alert you if someone enters the pool
• Subsurface disturbance sensors, which extend a sensor lower into the water and monitor the pool for any disturbances

Each of these alarms can give your pool extra security, ensuring that you know whenever someone approaches the pool. The peace of mind that users get from this safety feature for swimming pools is one of the reasons it’s such a popular choice among pool owners.

Nets and Covers

If you grew up around pools, you’re probably quite familiar with pool nets and covers. Nearly every pool owner has used these safety features for their swimming pool, as they are low-cost, easy to install (and to store when not in use), and incredibly effective in saving lives.

Pool nets and covers put a barrier between people in the yard and the water. Our All-Safe pool covers and safety nets are specially tested to meet ASTM standards, which means they can safely hold up to 485 pounds. The durability and strength of these pool safety features helps to prevent people from falling into the pool by mistake!

While pool nets provide essential protection for your loved ones, pool covers can also provide additional protection for the pool itself. For example, automatic pool covers are specially designed to prevent water and chlorine loss from your pool. If you want a pool safety feature that benefits your family and keeps your pool in great condition, a pool cover is a great option.

Safety Ledges

So far, we’ve talked mainly about how to protect your loved ones from swimming injuries when the pool is closed. However, the risk is just as great during a supervised swim; any swimmer can suffer an injury and be in real trouble if there aren’t pool safety features to help them in the water.

One very useful safety feature for swimming pools is the safety ledge. This is a flat area that surrounds the deep end of a pool, typically about 8 inches wide. It offers swimmers a small, shallow area to rest anywhere in the pool. This can be invaluable for swimmers of all stripes, whether they are just learning to swim or needing a breather after a few rigorous laps.

Emergency Supplies

While the safety features we’ve talked about do make your swimming pool much safer, there’s always a chance that the worst will happen, and you’ll find yourself needing to rescue a loved one from the water. Even if you’ve installed every possible pool safety feature in your yard, it’s important to have emergency rescue tools readily available.

Keep a flotation device, such as ring buoy, near your pool, and make sure you know how to use it if necessary. It’s also wise to keep a first aid kit near the pool, in case of any slips or spills on the deck. These pool safety features can make all the difference in an emergency, and you’ll never regret keeping them close by.

Make Your Pool Safer Today

If you want to invest in safety features for your swimming pool, All-Safe is here to help you get started. When you call a local dealer, they’ll set you up with a free, on-site consultation, where you can determine the best pool safety features for your family. So, give them a call! We can’t wait to help you make your pool (and your family) safer.