Pool safety

[firsttimepoolmom]

***UPDATE**** Thanks all so much for your input! I've gone back to the contractor to change the plan so we can have a strong safety fence and we decided the kids won't be allowed out unsupervised.

Hi All,

I have 2 littles, almost 4 year old and 1 year old. Our pool will be 10ft from our house (the deep end which is 5ft deep) and the shallow end with the tanning ledge will be 7ft from our house. Getting a pool fence was the initial plan, but it will make the walk way pretty non existent. Does anyone have any advice? I really want my children to be able to play freely without us there, but with the pool open and no fence, I just don't feel that is a safe option.

Thank you!

 

[PoolGate]

I would not allow that age kids unrestricted/unmonitored near a pool even with a fence. My advice is don't. Not for 5 minutes.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

The city is going to require three safety items in place in order to pass last inspection. One of the options is a water alarm (picture).
Nothing can replace proper supervision.
How will the fence make the walkway non existent?
Please get CPR certified before the pool is finished.

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

Children cannot be allowed to be unsupervised in that backyard with a pool.

The pool needs to be fenced off.

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[tim5055]

I'm not sure if you are in Palmdale Florida or California but the building codes will probably be similar.

You will probably need a fence around hte pool with childproof locks (even if you don't have kids) as well as a barrier from your house to ther pool or alarms on all doors and windows leading to the pool.

 

[flynwill]

In terms of safety the best addition would be an auto cover and to keep it closed whenever the pool is not in use. That would require modifying your design a bit so that the water surface is a simple rectangle.

If you do add an autocover, you will be likely still be required to fence the pool with a 4 or 5' high non-climbable fence, and put alarms on any doors of the house that lead to the pool area.

 

[Foxer]

I'd vote for an autocover as well. In my area you need two barriers, and people typically use autocovers and fences. Especially with little kids I can't imagine not having an autocover. Plus I like that it keeps the pool cleaner, and I don't burn off as much chlorine during the day.

It may be possible to do a cover on top of the pool deck so you can (mostly) keep the design, but mine is under the coping which requires a rectangular pool.

 

[Wolfepack88]

Hi All,

I have 2 littles, almost 4 year old and 1 year old. Our pool will be 10ft from our house (the deep end which is 5ft deep) and the shallow end with the tanning ledge will be 7ft from our house. Getting a pool fence was the initial plan, but it will make the walk way pretty non existent. Does anyone have any advice? I really want my children to be able to play freely without us there, but with the pool open and no fence, I just don't feel that is a safe option.

Thank you!


View attachment 451903

You can install and autocover that is closed when you are not going to be using the pool. As far as a 4 year old playing by him or herself unsupervised is probably not the greatest idea. Can anyone get into your backyard even 2 minutes you are not looking and your kid is gone. Personally I would never chance it. If you are not going to fence the pool or install and autocover with kids that young then I wouldn't even put a pool in.

 

[Toxophilite]

I really want my children to be able to play freely without us there, but with the pool open and no fence, I just don't feel that is a safe option.

You might want to consider the totality of owning the pool. Once in, it will never, ever, under any circumstances, be safe to allow your kids outside without you being present and having eyes on them the entire time. It's a huge responsibility that no fence, guards, or alarms can relieve you of duty. For us, I know that meant waiting 4 years to build until all grandkids were swimmers, but even now, until they are double digit aged, we will still be under the above responsibility and will have to reassess when the time comes.

 

[randytsuch]

Another vote for a safety cover. We had one when our girls were little. We still watched them in the backyard, but felt much safer with the cover. I could walk on the cover so I knew it was safe.
We had the pool already, and had to install a manual safety cover, would have much preferred an auto cover.