Pool alarm - Do they work? Which is best?

[Mike Creuzer]

Hi there,

I have a 27' round pool, and I'm wanting some extra protection from children falling in when we aren't around. Be that our own or on vacation with the neighbor kids.

I live in an area where you cannot have backyard fences for flood reasons.

Has anyone had success with any of the pool alarms? I just want something tried, tested, and true. No budget as its worth it if it works.

 

[sean.a.hyde]

Hi there,

I have a 27' round pool, and I'm wanting some extra protection from children falling in when we aren't around. Be that our own or on vacation with the neighbor kids.

I live in an area where you cannot have backyard fences for flood reasons.

Has anyone had success with any of the pool alarms? I just want something tried, tested, and true. No budget as its worth it if it works.

We looked into these briefly and decided against it. There's a big assumption that anyone will be around to hear the alarm in the first place.
In the end, we decided to get an Autocover. It was expensive (~$10k), but we also use it as our winter cover (though there are debates about this). As it was installed after the pool was installed, there are tracks on the pool deck, but they are nice rounded extruded aluminum and very short. I built a box out of pressure treated wood and covered it with Trex-like decking to cover the motor and spool rather than spend $4500 on the metal box from the manufacturer.

I love the idea that the pool is completely safe when we're not there.
Also, the cover keeps the pool heat in, and debris out. Our robot (which I leave in the pool under the cover) is very bored.
An expensive investment, but I have two young kids (who could both open the sliding doors on the house at age 2.5), and there are two that live next door.

Edited to add:
I just re-read your post. Are you talking about an above-ground pool? Otherwise, I'm surprised you can have a pool at all without a fence (and even then, code requires gated access of some kind to the pool deck).

 

[Mike Creuzer]

@sean.a.hyde thanks for your response. There is a gate somewhat, but anyone could get in over our deck gate if they wanted, easily. And yes it is above ground. The gate is so flimsy (what you can buy online) that it would blow over in a storm and we had to trash half of it.

Doing what you suggest sounds great, but yeah its unlikely Ill be able to add anything like that over an above ground pool effectively.