As the song goes, “School’s out for summer…” For pool owners, that means swim time!
A swimming pool imparts another level of responsibility to homeowners, especially to those who have children or entertain regularly.
Here are some helpful tips to ensure that your pool is safe and ready for the warm weather this summer:
- Check Your Fences Your pool is a fun place for all ages to enjoy, but year after year children are seriously injured or drown at residential pools across the country. Teaching your children how to swim is crucial, as is taking the preventative measures to ensure that your pool area is safe and secure. Installing a fence is the first way to prevent a child from accidentally wandering into your pool area. And you don’t need to sacrifice your pool’s aesthetic for safety: you can choose from various fence designs, so long as it is at least 4-feet-tall. Check out our recent post on fencing for ideas. Beyond installing your fence, always make sure your fence gate is closed with a child-proof lock (when not in use), or install an alarm to notify you each time the pool gate is open.
- Make sure pool drain covers are visible and intact If you can’t see your pool’s drain covers, there’s a good chance you won’t see a distressed person at the bottom of your pool. (And, if that’s the case, your pool needs a serious cleaning!) If you can see your pool drain covers, make sure they’re not broken or chipped and remind children not to play near them so they can’t get sucked in and trapped.
- Repair Damage to Your Deck After this year’s series of storms, your deck might need some TLC. Aside from the aesthetic reasons for fixing up your pool deck, it’s important for your safety and the safety of guests as well! Ensure that all pool ladders and railings are secure and that decking is level and free of any hazards. (Is there anything worse that tripping or stubbing your toe on a hard stone surface?)
- Have safety equipment at the ready While we certainly hope there’s never a need to use a life preserver, it’s important to always have one ready in the event of an emergency. And always, always ensure there’s a phone nearby in case you need to call first responders for help. Seconds matter during an emergency!
- Keep water clean Nobody likes swimming in a green pool (Ew!). You need to keep your pool water clean and disinfected so you and guests don’t get sick swimming in dirty water. It’s easy to throw your water out of whack by heavy use, hot weather and rain. To keep your pool safe, test the chlorine and pH levels at least twice a week. Beyond your pool’s chemical needs, it’s important to clean your pool of any debris, dirt and leaves regularly by brushing, skimming and vacuuming. For those who want to leave it to the pros, Shoreline Pools offers stress-free weekly maintenance.