Once your swimming pool is closed for the winter, it still presents a safety risk that needs to be mitigated as much as possible.
As the weather cools and winter starts to set in, you’re probably not spending too much time thinking about your pool after you’ve winterized it. This is understandable, but your backyard swimming pool is always around, and it does present a safety hazard during the winter months. It’s important to take some extra steps and do some maintenance during winter to keep your pool safe, especially for children, the elderly, and animals such as pets or wildlife.
Use a Safety Cover
The best thing you can do to ensure a safe pool over the winter is to invest in a safety cover. There are mesh and solid safety covers, so you can choose which of these works best for your needs, as they both have their own pros and cons. The most important aspect of a safety cover is that it can hold a lot of weight—some can even support the weight of a small vehicle with 2 adult people in it! The federal standard for weight supported by pool safety covers is 485 lbs, enough for 2 adults and 1 child, but some can hold more weight than that. You can check your cover’s guide to see just how much weight it can support.
The reason a safety cover is so important is that other pool covers, such as floating covers, are actually a serious hazard. If a pool cover cannot support the weight when someone or something steps onto it, the cover will wrap around them as they descend, blocking their view and inhibiting their movement. If they panic, they will likely make the situation worse, and it could potentially cause them to drown.
Maintain Your Pool Cover
If you have a solid pool cover, it needs to be maintained during the winter months. Debris and melted snow will begin to pile up into the center of the cover, creating a dangerous situation. These need to be pumped regularly to keep them from sagging or becoming damaged by an excess of debris and water. In addition, this could compromise how much weight your cover can support, or even present an extra drowning hazard for a very small child.
Maintain Your Pool Fence
The first line of defense for most pools is the pool fence. When you’re winterizing your pool, you should also inspect your pool fence. Repair or replace any damaged areas, and lock all gates that lead to the pool. This keeps people and larger animals away from the pool so they’re not at risk of falling in.
Use Pool Alarms
Pool alarms should be installed in every pool and are required in many cities and states. These detect water agitation, indicating when a person or animal has entered the pool. This is critical for getting a fast alert when a potentially dangerous situation begins to unfold and allows you to act quickly.
Do You Have More Questions About Swimming Pools? Ask Sunrise Premiere Pool Builders LLC
If you still have questions about how to build a brand new swimming pool, Sunrise Premiere Pool Builders LLC is here to help you. At Sunrise Pools, we can build and install your pool, spa, or hot tub and provide you with pool chemicals, services, and more. If you have questions, feel free to give us a call at 410-349-3852. To see more from us and for tips and tricks, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.