Are Pool Covers Safe? Tips for Keeping Your Children Safe This Summer

When you think about summertime, what comes to mind? It’s nearly impossible to bypass the thought of lounging by the pool. Poolside time is ideal for backyard barbecues, Independence Day fireworks, and lazy Sunday afternoons. Pools join family and friends together for good times and sunshine. That said, owning a pool is a huge responsibility, and you want to be sure to keep your little ones safe.

Kids are curious and tend to wander off, which makes children are at a higher risk of drowning than adults—especially if they can’t swim. Even with parental supervision, accidents can happen quickly, so you want to make sure the safety regarding your yard and pull is under control.

As you form a plan to encourage pool safety, it’s important to understand the statistics so you can avoid catastrophe. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were a total of 3,536 fatal unintentional drownings in the United States between 2014 and 2015—that’s approximately 10 deaths per day. What’s even scarier is that one in five people who die from drowning are children 14 and younger. Even preteens are susceptible to over excitement that can lead to disaster.

But even beyond major tragedies such as drowning, smaller accidents are common around the pool. Energetic children can slip and fall, resulting in scrapes, bruises, bumped heads, or even broken bones. Nothing can dampen a day like an accident that could have been avoided. Concrete can be hard on the skin and bones, so you want to keep any activities around the pool slow and controlled.

To prevent any accidents from happening, there are safety covers out there designed to protect against any accidents that may happen near the pool. The cover is designed to enclose the top of the pool completely to prevent people from falling in. While the idea sounds infallible, pool covers can come with their own risks, as well.

When it rains, water tends to collect in the top cover. Over time, with enough rain, the water can accumulate enough to create pools of water that can be deep enough to drown children. To put this in perspective, children can drown in less than two inches of water. So even though the safety cover is designed to prevent accidents, it still has risks that can lead to drowning.

With the dangers related to pool covers, you would think there must be a safer option, and there is. One option to keep your family safe in a hassle-free way is to consider installing a pool fence around the water area. Pool fences act as a pool guard that surrounds the pool and provides enough height so children can’t climb over.

Along with the wall designed to keep kids out, there is also a childproof safety latch to keep children outside of the pool area. Keeping children away from the pool entirely can decrease the potential for slips and falls. If you want to keep your energetic children dry and safe, the child lock can help you keep children away from the pool area entirely.

So, unlike pool covers that pose hazards of their own, pool fences are the most effective way to prevent incidents in and around the water. When summer approaches, you don’t want to be worried about safety. The season is supposed to be about having fun and letting loose. To add an extra layer of comfort to those special days, consider investing a pool fence. Knowing your water area is guarded can give you the confidence to kick back and soak up the sun. The peace of mind is worth the investment.