Safety Matters, Even When The Pool Is Closed

When it gets too cold to use your pool, and the only things going for a swim are the leaves falling from the trees, it’s time to cover the pool up and protect it during the winter. However, just because your pool is covered doesn’t mean you can be lax about poolside safety. Closed pools can still be dangerous, so here are a few ways to keep yourself, your kids, and your pets safe around your swimming pool this winter.

Use the Right Pool Cover

The first step to making sure your pool is safe is to use the right cover. It’s not enough to just use your summer cover because it isn’t designed to handle Indiana winters. When your pool is covered in snow and ice, you need a cover that won’t rip or break under the weight of it all.

Even a winter pool cover isn’t automatically safe, though. You need one that’s durable and designed to handle the weather. Additionally, even if your cover is as good as it can be, you should still check to make sure the cover isn’t ripping or dipping in any spots.

Be Mindful About Walking Over it

Depending on your pool cover, it may or may not be durable enough to hold the weight of people and pets. While the automatic pool covers at Pools of Fun do allow pets or humans to walk on them if installed correctly, it is not recommended on a frequent basis. Be sure to have a professional install your pool cover and verify its durability before walking on it.

Keep Your Pool Fenced In

Fences are an important aspect of pool safety, and that’s still true in the winter. Keep the fence locked if you want to ensure nobody can get in and get hurt. It’s recommended that your fence be at least four feet high and have a self-locking gate.

You can also install a pool alarm. This lets you know if anyone is near or in the pool, and there are different kinds of alarms to choose from. You can go for a fence or perimeter alarm that alerts you if anyone tries to get through the fence. Other alarms go off if something is moving in the water, which can tell you if your child or pet is disturbing the pool, or worse — going for an involuntary wintertime swim.

Put the Pool Toys Away

Keeping pool toys out in the yard can encourage kids to try and get in the pool. Additionally, inflatable toys will deflate in the cold weather, so they won’t be able to help your child if they do attempt to go swimming. Put away your beach balls, pool floaties, and other toys, and store them in a safe spot.

Turn to the Professionals

Closing and winterizing your pool can be a lot of work, and even a small error can cause big problems later. At Pools of Fun, we offer pool closing and winterizing services designed for residential pools, so you can feel safe all season while avoiding the hassle of doing everything yourself. Contact us today if you’d like to learn more about how we can help promote safety with your pool and your family this winter.