With summer here, it’s the perfect time of year for family fun in and around the pool. Swimming and playing in the pool is amazing, but you must never forget that it can be dangerous, so do make sure you read our tips for pool safety so you can relax with peace of mind that your pool is safe and secure for the little ones.

1. Make sure your pool is properly fenced

It’s not just those times you’re using your pool that you have to make sure everything is safe. It’s important to make sure you have a good fence around your pool that’s at least 4 feet high and ensure that it doesn’t have any foot or hand holds that kids could grab on to and use to climb over. Have a gate on it that is self-latching and you won’t have to keep checking that the gate has been closed every time you use the pool. In addition, keep anything that could be used to climb over the fence, such as chairs and tables, away from the fence.

2. Cover the drains

It’s often overlooked and it’s so simple to do. Use drain covers to prevent hair or swimming clothes getting caught in the drains and prevent a potential disaster. Drain covers are not very expensive to buy and they’re easy to fit. It’s so important, don’t forget to cover yours!

3. Teach your children to swim

Perhaps the most important way to prevent an accident in the pool is to make sure your children can swim confidently. Teach them yourself, or enroll them in swimming lessons. It’s such an important skill, it will give them confidence and it could even save their life one day.

4. Learn CPR

CPR doesn’t take long to learn, and it will give you the peace of mind that if the worst did happen, you would be able to do your very best to help. Hopefully it’s a skill you’ll never need to put into practice, but it could save the life of a loved one.

5. Don’t forget the sunscreen

Perhaps the most common problem when it comes to using a pool, is sun burn! Always make sure the kids are well covered, and keep reapplying as even sunscreen labelled as waterproof will not be 100% waterproof when you’re in and out of the pool all day. Also, a sun hat can be very useful to help prevent sun stroke.

Take care and have fun!

By taking sensible precautions, you can keep the family safe and have many happy times around your pool without having to worry. There are so many great benefits to owning a pool, it’s great for exercise, the stress and strains of the day can be soaked away and it’s ideal for keeping the whole family entertained. Keep safety in mind when you design your new pool. For further information on setting up a pool at home, get in touch with us, or download our ebook The Ultimate Pool Guide which will tell you everything you need to know about having a pool in your home.