06 Jan 09 Keep the Little Ones Safe, Follow Pool Safety Guidelines

Pool safety should be on the minds of every parent out there. If you are lucky enough to own an above ground pool or inground pool, you know there are certain safety precautions you must take to protect your children and the children of your friends and neighbors. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 300 children under age 5 die and 2000 more children under age 5 visit hospital emergency rooms for submersion injuries every year. That’s staggering. Some of the Sun Belt states list drowning as the leading cause of accidental death in the home of children under 5. These accidents usually occur in pools that are owned by their own family. These accidents happen quickly and a child can drowned in the time it takes to answer the phone. Usually the child that is in trouble is silent as there is no splashing around alerting anyone that they are in trouble. Medical costs are staggering and if the severely injured sustain brain damage, the expenses are even higher. Because of the dangers of a pool in your backyard, most cities require specific guidelines be followed for safety. As a homeowner and pool owner there are things you can do to prevent these accidents.

Barriers such as a fences or walls should be installed as a layer of protection to the child. When it comes to fences, use the rule of “4″?. This fence needs to be at least four feet tall with no foot steps or hand rails available for the child to grab onto or climb up on. Fence slats should be no less than four inches apart so the child can’t squeeze through. Fence latches should be self closing and self latching. Make sure the latch is at a height where the child cannot reach over and unlatch the door. As long as the door latches automatically and closes properly, this is the safest thing you can do for your child. It is sort of the first line of defense against the pool. You can install door alarms for the house so you know when a little one is going outside. You can have an alarm that can temporarily be turned off by an adult. The pool can have a safety cover so no one can fall in. If you own a hot tub or spa you should follow the same barrier guideline as for the pool. Steps and ladders leading from a pool should be locked or removed so little ones aren’t tempted to go near the water.

As a parent, you have rules for your children in most things such don’t cross the street before you look both ways, and not opening the door to strangers. It should be no different when it comes to pool safety. Rules for your children and the babysitters that take care of them are crucial. Sitters need to understand that there is never a time when the child can be alone around the water even for a second. It would also be a good idea if they were trained in CPR. Don’t forget about the drowning time for a child is the time it takes to answer that phone that is ringing inside. If you are having a pool party, there should be a designated watcher for the children at all times. Someone is always on guard. If a child is missing, always check the pool first, top and bottom. Even if your older children know how to swim, they are never drowned proof. They must all be watched closely. Rescue equipment should be always close to the pool and toys should be away from the pool when they are not in use. Pools are fun and like anything else in life can be dangerous if not used correctly. Take the time to properly educate your children about the rules and regulations regarding the pool and you will have a safer children and neighborhood.

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Tags: Accidental Death, Brain Damage, Consumer Product Safety, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Fence Slats, Foot Steps, Four Feet, Four Inches, Friends And Neighbors, Ground Pool, Hand Rails, Hospital Emergency Rooms, Latch, Little Ones, Medical Costs, Pool Owner, Pool Safety Guidelines, Product Safety Commission, Safety Precautions, Sun Belt

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06 Jan 09 You Get What You Pay for when it Comes to Above Ground Pools

When you think about an above ground pool do you think of the inflatable toy baby pool? That’s what I thought and boy was I wrong. In fact, above ground pools are really nice quality and are sometimes the best solution for homeowners. Having the pool be less expensive is a nice quality also. Inground pools can take a long time to install and are very expensive to maintain as well. There are some problems with installing above ground pools if you don’t do them right. They are fantastic, but the installation is a big part of enjoying them to the max.

Some of the common problems regarding above ground pools are:

• Poor quality walls or liners of the pool (under $2500)

• Poor installation techniques

• Poor filtering media such as sand

• Inadequate pumps don’t match the filtering system

• Poor quality pool accessories

If you purchased an inexpensive “cheap? pool you can expect more problems. If you experience leaking, don’t bother to fix them. The problem will only get worse. As in most things you get what you pay for. These pools can be a waste of money and only if you plan on using them one summer should you even consider a purchase like this. A common problem is a mismatched filter and pump. You don’t want a filter that is too small with a pump that is too big. Bigger does not necessarily cost more. If your pieces don’t match, you will blow dirt into through the filter right into the pool. Get the properly matching systems from the very beginning and you will experience fewer problems. If your pump is a half horsepower, you should have the smallest sand filter of twenty one inches. Your sand must come in a bag that says it is filter sand. Don’t try and use sand from the local beach or sand that is labeled sandblast quality. That stuff is cheaper, but it won’t filter well. Y

ou’d be surprised what a difference this can make to the filtering of your pool. Since bigger is not always better, you might waste electricity if you try to install a large system. When it comes to purchasing a pool cleaning system, the best thing to do is to get a money back guarantee. If the pool cleaner you have doesn’t do the job to your satisfaction, make sure the dealer will take it back. The best pool cleaners can be very finicky when it comes to above ground pools and some only work best in inground pools. Just know you can take it back and get something different if it doesn’t do the job. If you want to eliminate all of the problems that are possible with above ground pools, I don’t know if that is a one size fits all answer. Purchase a good quality name brand pool from the very beginning, one that has a warranty, repair kit, and buy the best matched equipment possible. Listen to your gut instead of the salesman and you will enjoy your pool all summer long.

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Tags: Baby Pool, Best Solution, Dirt, Filter Sand, Filtering System, Ground Pool, Horsepower, Inground Pools, Installing Above Ground Pools, Local Beach, Long Time, Match, Matching Systems, Pool Accessories, Poor Quality, Pumps, Quality Pool, Sand Filter, Toy Baby, Waste Of Money

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06 Jan 09 Keep the Little Ones Safe, Follow Pool Safety Guidelines

06 Jan 09 You Get What You Pay for when it Comes to Above Ground Pools

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