The colder weather is coming more quickly than you may expect. The kids are back at school and summer has come and gone. Here are some quick pool tips to prepare for the off-season.
Cover Up for Colder Weather
First and foremost, you’ll want to cover your pool. Even before winter arrives, the falling leaves of autumn can clog up your filter. To keep your pool protected, here are three great tips:
Be Sure to Use a Weight-Bearing Pool Cover
The fact is, all pool covers are not built equally. Above all, you’ll want a strong cover that can withstand some weight. A proper pool cover should be able to support the weight of a person. In the colder months, this will keep debris out of the water and prevent any curious folks, like your kids or pets, from breaking through and becoming trapped.
If someone falls through the cover into icy water, they could become a victim of
cold water shock. Sometimes called “cold shock response,” this hazardous condition is a rather common cause of death during the colder months. Falling unexpectedly into the water can trigger an immediate and dangerous natural reaction. You see, the shock can make you automatically gasp for a breath of oxygen. If this occurs while you’re submerged, you’ll accidentally inhale water instead of air. Obviously, this can be quite dangerous.
Install and Lock Your Pool Fence and Gate
Even better than hoping your pool cover can withstand the weight of a person… what if you just prevented anyone from getting near the pool in the first place? That’s where a pool fence and self-locking gate come in handy. In the colder months, there won’t be any reason for people to be wandering around the pool area. In that case, lock it up! A properly installed and locked
pool fence will offer wonderful peace of mind.
Beyond the fence, a locking gate can be just as important. During the summer, a self-latching gate should lock automatically behind you without any added effort. During colder weather, lock the gate with a padlock. As you can guess, this provides yet another powerful barrier to entry to the pool area.
For more information, we have a
blog post specifically dedicated to closing your pool for the winter.
Put Away Your Toys and Chemicals
Finally, get rid of everything that might seem like an unintentional hazard. During colder weather, this includes pool chemicals and pool toys. The chemicals can be hazardous to eat or even just to get on your skin. The toys can accidentally lure kids to the pool area. Both of these items should be securely locked up for maximum security.
To store the chemicals, simply read and follow any handling instructions recommended by the manufacturers. You can usually find these on the label. Be sure to have local emergency and poison center numbers close at hand, just in case of an accident. Deflate any pool toys and store them away from the pool and out of the reach of any children.
Basically, just like during the summer, it pays to use multiple layers of protection during colder months. When used together, these layers can keep your pool area much safer all year long.
