We are getting ready to have our pool built next week and were looking for opinions on pool alarms. We have a 2 1/2 year old and are planning to leave our pool open year round and would like the added peace of mind of having the alarm. Any opinions on what ones are best and what you like about it. We are looking for the kind that go off if someone were to fall into the pool
Best Pool Alarm
- Thread starter jamie1983
- Start date
None of them work all that well. They get false positives, ie go off when nothing is happening a fair bit.
A fence with a self closing/latching gate is your best bet.
A fence with a self closing/latching gate is your best bet.
As Jason noted, a fence is the best safety device because it helps to prevent accidents by providing a physical barrier vs. alerting when an accident happens. Making sure that doors to the pool area cannot be opened by children is also important.
For alarms, there are several in-pool models. In addition to in-pool models, you might want to consider door and/or gate alarms, outdoor motion detectors and/or outdoor surveillance cameras. Surveillance cameras can use software to detect movement and alert you in multiple ways, such as in-house alarms or even alarms sent to your mobile device.
It is important that all adults are aware of the danger and supervise children closely. Even with multiple layers of security, a child can get access to the pool and drown in a very short period of time. Children should be taught rules about safety and taught to swim as soon as possible.
An automatic safety cover is another possibility.
There are safety nets such as http://www.katchakid.com/pool-safety-nets.htm.
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml00/00113.html
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/pool.pdf
http://www.cpsc.gov/library/alarm.pdf
For alarms, there are several in-pool models. In addition to in-pool models, you might want to consider door and/or gate alarms, outdoor motion detectors and/or outdoor surveillance cameras. Surveillance cameras can use software to detect movement and alert you in multiple ways, such as in-house alarms or even alarms sent to your mobile device.
It is important that all adults are aware of the danger and supervise children closely. Even with multiple layers of security, a child can get access to the pool and drown in a very short period of time. Children should be taught rules about safety and taught to swim as soon as possible.
An automatic safety cover is another possibility.
There are safety nets such as http://www.katchakid.com/pool-safety-nets.htm.
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml00/00113.html
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/pool.pdf
http://www.cpsc.gov/library/alarm.pdf
in MD in our county you have to have a door alarm from any outgoing door from the house into the pool area. They work good Every time we go out the door and we forget to hit that button, it goes off about 5 seconds later. The only problem we have the same door has a doggy door which kids love to go through. Bottom line, we don't have any kids at home anymore, so I just sit out by the pool every time we have kids and drink beer.
We had a tragedy here in CA. last year or so- mom, dad, twins. Mom put the kids down for a nap. Mom fell asleep. The pool gate was propped open. They found both kids in the water. Guy I work with, two weeks ago, in-laws- pool gate left open- two year old. (Current stats for the U.S. are about ten accidental drownings a day.)
5' gate around the pool, or at least at all the bottlenecks. Secure back yard- the neighbor kids KNOW about your pool. Chimes on all the exterior doors leading to the pool. Push button alarms on the pool gates, with Magna-Latches on all the self-closing gates. (I love our Magna-Latches.) In water alarms get too many false alarms- I never used ours. Clear lines of sight from the house to the pool, if possible. (I considered a CCTV...) If your child is missing, even for a minute, go straight to the pool. No floating pool covers- too easy to lose a kid under one of those bobbing body bags. (Motorized covers, though, are great.) Teach your child, even now, that they NEVER go near the pool without Mommy or Daddy-wrath of God style. (When we moved in to this house, the kids were 3,2,1,&1. The pucker factor was very high.) And, of course, Mommy or Daddy are EYES ON during all swim sessions. No phones, no doorbells, no drinks- if you leave, the kid is in your arms. Know CPR.
Spend whatever you need to spend, or don't do it at all. Guaranteed, your child, or a guest's child, will get out, and will head straight to the pool. And will fall in. Unless you do what it takes to stop them. (Here in San Jose, code requires all the things I mentioned. Should be done regardless.)
Tom
5' gate around the pool, or at least at all the bottlenecks. Secure back yard- the neighbor kids KNOW about your pool. Chimes on all the exterior doors leading to the pool. Push button alarms on the pool gates, with Magna-Latches on all the self-closing gates. (I love our Magna-Latches.) In water alarms get too many false alarms- I never used ours. Clear lines of sight from the house to the pool, if possible. (I considered a CCTV...) If your child is missing, even for a minute, go straight to the pool. No floating pool covers- too easy to lose a kid under one of those bobbing body bags. (Motorized covers, though, are great.) Teach your child, even now, that they NEVER go near the pool without Mommy or Daddy-wrath of God style. (When we moved in to this house, the kids were 3,2,1,&1. The pucker factor was very high.) And, of course, Mommy or Daddy are EYES ON during all swim sessions. No phones, no doorbells, no drinks- if you leave, the kid is in your arms. Know CPR.
Spend whatever you need to spend, or don't do it at all. Guaranteed, your child, or a guest's child, will get out, and will head straight to the pool. And will fall in. Unless you do what it takes to stop them. (Here in San Jose, code requires all the things I mentioned. Should be done regardless.)
Tom
Alarms just dont cut it. If you have a toddler at home you should really have a pool barrier with self closing self latching gates.
Everone else covered it well. We have in-ground pool, 5, 2, and twin 1yr olds. Pretty good pucker-factor here as well.
-6" fence around the yard.
-Only one door from house to yard. That door is kept locked and chained, it has a chain lock up high where only adults can reach
-Train kids to swim early as possible. My 2yr old learned at 26mo of age
-Always assume kids in the yard will end up in the pool
-Always discuss pool safety with visitors and understand who is on guard duty
The 1yr olds are inquisitive and curious. They like few things better than to lay over the edge and play with the water. W've let them fall in a few times to get the shock and discomfrt - they are learning respect for the water quickly. Hopefully next year they will be swimming.
-6" fence around the yard.
-Only one door from house to yard. That door is kept locked and chained, it has a chain lock up high where only adults can reach
-Train kids to swim early as possible. My 2yr old learned at 26mo of age
-Always assume kids in the yard will end up in the pool
-Always discuss pool safety with visitors and understand who is on guard duty
The 1yr olds are inquisitive and curious. They like few things better than to lay over the edge and play with the water. W've let them fall in a few times to get the shock and discomfrt - they are learning respect for the water quickly. Hopefully next year they will be swimming.