If you own a backyard pool, you can be the envy of the neighborhood. While it sounds like a fun and relaxing summer activity, owning a swimming pool also comes with responsibilities, especially when it comes to safety.
Swimming pools can pose a deadly threat to unattended children and straying pets that face the risk of drowning. The shimmering blue waters may attract your kids and pets who may go near the open pool. But you may not be there all the time to keep watch over them.
There are many ways to keep the pool area off-limits to children and pets, especially when the pool is not in use. Consider setting up a fence around the pool or installing an alarm underwater or on the pool fence. But installing swimming pool covers is the best possible step in making your backyard water paradise safe! How? Read on to find out more.
Top investment for your home
A swimming pool is already an enormous investment, and its maintenance and upkeep add to the expenses. Therefore, you must protect your investment with another investment – high-quality swimming pool covers.
A pool cover is more than just an accessory. Every backyard pool owner should have a quality pool cover due to its many benefits, including clean pool water and prevention of drowning accidents.
Pool covers have gotten a pretty bad rap for ruining the outdoor aesthetics and ambiance. But not anymore! With various color and design options available, you can choose a pool cover that complements your backyard pool environment.
Obligations of Responsible Pool Owners
Every responsible swimming pool owner must use covers that meet the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) safety standards to cover the pool, whether or not you have young children or pets.
These safety pool covers should meet the following ASTM standards:
- Weight – The pool cover must be able to hold at least 485 lbs. (the approximate combined weight of two average adults and one child) to permit rescue operation.
- Perimeter Deflection Test – During this test, manufacturers must demonstrate that any opening on the pool cover is sufficiently small and strong enough to resist any efforts to pass through.
- Surface Drainage Test – This test proves that the cover is designed in a way that excess water (such as rainwater or melted snow) does not accumulate on the cover’s surface, either by using a semi-permeable material or a design feature that allows the water to run off the cover’s surface.
- Labeling – The pool cover must have the proper labels, such as manufacturer warranties and warnings.
How high-quality covers provide protection
As long as they’re installed correctly, swimming pool covers will:
- Provide complete water surface coverage
- Be tight-fitting and not sagging
- Be anchored sturdily, strongly, and easily
- Be durable and rugged
- Be able to put up with wear and tear well
- Be lockable or securable with straps that young children cannot open
- Come with warranty
While swimming pool covers alone are effective in keeping children and pets from the pool, some other measures and precautions require consideration along with swimming pool covers, such as:
- Pool fencing barring access from any part of the house
- Pool alarms near gates and underwater
- Gates and fences are all latched, locked, tall enough, and cannot be climbed
- Never allow children and pets near the pool without adult supervision
- Provide adequate lighting
- Always cover your pool with a safety pool cover when the pool is not used
For many reasons, more swimming pool owners choose to invest in covers, particularly safety pool covers. They may have little kids and pets in the household, and covering the pool is a sensible move to prevent them from having access to it. Or they want to close down their pools for the winter and find safety pool cover the ideal material.
Why is a pool cover the best option to enhance pool safety?
Quality pool covers, especially safety pool covers, come with a price. Yet, they provide many benefits that make the worth the purchase and installation.
Safety pool covers are often more reliable than other pool security measures like pool fences and alarms. It’s because safety pool covers create a barrier that directly seals off your swimming pool. Even with a pool fence, if someone climbs over the fence and is able to get to the pool itself, a sturdy cover will prevent them from entering the pool without your knowledge or permission.
With a safety pool cover, you don’t have to worry about unwanted access to your swimming pool. In the case of automatic safety pool covers, many of them feature a control switch that requires a key to unlock the cover plate or a specific code to gain access to the pool. Pool Covers, Inc. offers the best protection available to keep your loved ones safe. When planning to install a safety pool cover, make sure that it is ASTM-certified.
More than just safety
Other than safety, swimming pool covers provide a lot of benefits:
- They keep the pool water clean by blocking fallen leaves, twigs, and other debris.
- They help in preventing water and pool chemical loss due to evaporation.
- They keep the pool’s temperature warm, so there’s no need to use the pool heater frequently, resulting in energy savings.
- Return on investment. Swimming pool covers can give you sizable returns on investment in terms of water, energy, and pool chemical savings.
There are different types of swimming pool covers that have one purpose in common – to provide protection. Pool Covers, Inc. offers various swimming pool covers, such as:
- Automatic pool covers
- Automatic top track covers
- Track manual covers
- Manual fastener (snap-down) covers
- Recessed under-track covers
- Pool-in-pool designs
- Walk-on tray lids
- Metal walk-on lids
Are you interested in a pool cover? Well, you should be! To learn more about what swimming pool covers can do to your pool, visit our website at https://poolcoversinc.com and get in touch with our expert staff, who can help you find the perfect cover for your backyard water paradise!
