Your pool can be an amazing way for your entire family to have fun this summer. However, pools have a lot of hidden dangers that you need to be aware of. There is a right and a wrong way to swim safely. Without the proper precautions, a fun afternoon at the pool can turn into a nightmare. Drowning is a leading cause of death in children, but adults are also susceptible. According to the CDC, there are an average of 11 deaths due to drowning every day in the United States.

Fortunately, there are several things you can do to protect you and your family from the risk of drowning. Follow this guide for the most important safety tips so your whole family can swim safely this summer.

1)     Never Swim Alone

The first rule of swimming is to always have a buddy. You are statistically more likely to drown if you’re in a pool by yourself. Children should always be supervised by an adult while in a pool or while near water. Supervising adults should be designated “water watchers,” which means that they should not be distracted while supervising others who are swimming. Do not text, read, or play games while watching swimmers. Water watchers should also have a phone nearby to call for help in case of a drowning emergency.

Even if you are at a public pool with lifeguards, an adult should supervise children while swimming. Lifeguards cannot see everything. If one lifeguard takes a break or is distracted, other lifeguards may not be able to see the entire pool area.

2)     Secure Your Pool

Many drowning accidents with children happen when children were not expected to be near a pool in the first place. If your pool is not properly secured when not in use, children or pets may be more likely to wander too close and fall in. By the time an adult notices they may be missing, it is often too late. Securing your pool properly when not in use is the key to making sure this doesn’t happen.

Make sure your inground pool is surrounded on all four sides by a fence or other barrier that is self-latching and out of reach of children. Four-sided isolation fences that separate the pool from the yard reduce a child’s risk of drowning 83% compared to three-sided property-line fencing.

Above-ground pools should have lockable covers or have the steps or ladders locked or removed so a child cannot climb in when they aren’t supervised.

You can also install door and gate alarms that will alert you when someone crosses into the pool area. There are even alarms that you can place in the pool that will sound when motion is detected in the water.

3)     Teach Proper Pool Etiquette

All adults and children in the family should be taught proper pool etiquette, starting with swimming lessons. Every member of the family should be able to enter the water safely, stay afloat, change position, swim for a distance, and then get out of the water safely. If you have small children or family who are not strong swimmers, they should wear lifejackets while near the water to keep them safe from drowning. There are many free and reduced-cost options for swimming lessons from local YMCA branches or Park and Recreation Departments, so check around and enroll your family ASAP.

Learning to swim, however, is only half of pool etiquette. You should never run near a pool; you could slip and fall in or injure yourself. Stay away from pool drains to avoid parts of your bathing suit, hair, or jewelry being sucked into the drain. Adults should always swim sober; do not ingest alcohol before or during swimming. Don’t bring glass bottles into the pool area either. They could break and cause a hazard. Make sure everyone swimming knows the pool rules, and as a pool-owner you should be prepared to remove any guests that may not be following the rules to keep everyone else safe.

4)     Keep Up with Maintenance

As a pool owner, it is your responsibility to make sure to keep up with regular pool maintenance. Letting any kind of maintenance slide could create a problem or pose danger to swimmers. Make sure that all your drain covers are working properly to avoid clothing or hair from being sucked into a drain. You should also ensure that any adult supervising your pool knows where the safety release system is in the case of a drain emergency.

You should stay on top of the chemical maintenance of your pool, as well. When used properly, chlorine kills bacteria and parasites in the water to keep you healthy. However, if the chemicals used to clean your pool are mishandled or misused, you could be at a risk for waterborne illness. And never leave chemicals unattended; keep your pool chemicals in a locked cabinet out of reach of children where they cannot be accidentally ingested.

5)     Create Layers of Protection

Adhering to all the above tips simultaneously creates what is called “layers of protection” in water safety. Just one prevention strategy often isn’t enough but combining them all together is what is the most effective in preventing drowning or other water-related injury. Preventing access to the pool when not in use, supervising, keeping up with maintenance, following pool rules and making sure all swimmers know the basics of swimming are a multi-layered strategy that works to keep people safe.

Have Fun and Stay Safe

Having a pool in your backyard is a big responsibility, but when safety procedures are followed properly, swimming can be fun for the whole family. Pools can be daunting to maintain by yourself, so if you’re ever in doubt or have any questions, you can call your friendly, local experts at Cincinnati Pool and Patio for help with water maintenance, safety equipment, and pool openings and closings. We can even inspect your pool to make sure everything is working properly; there could be something you’re missing that an expert would catch!

With all this in mind, have fun, be safe, and happy swimming!

Pool Chemicals

Having a regular supply of the necessary pool chemicals is essential to keep your swimming pool in good condition. However, to keep the chemicals themselves in good working order, it’s important to store them correctly. Here are some frequently asked questions about where and how to store pool chemicals.

What Kinds of Storage Containers Are Best?

Pool chemical storage is safest when the chemicals are stored in their containers. The product packaging provides safe storage.

The safest option for storing chemicals is to put the sealed containers into hard plastic bins with tight-fitting lids. Ideally, use several bins so that you can separate liquids and solids, and so that reactants such as chlorine and muriatic acid can be stored separately.

Where Should I Store Pool Chemicals?

The best place to store chemicals is in a cool and dry location. Your storage area should be well-ventilated.

Can Pool Chemicals Freeze?

In most cases, pool chemicals are more sensitive to heat than to cold. Some kinds of chemicals can withstand freezing, but it’s generally best to avoid exposing chemicals to extremely cold temperatures, as some may lose strength after cold storage.

Are Pool Chemicals Heat-Sensitive?

Some chemicals do react with heat, so it’s safest to store chemicals away from all heat sources, including sunlight. Pool chemicals should be in a cool and shaded area.

Check Your Products for More Information

While these are some good general rules to follow for safely storing chemicals, hazards can vary according to the different products you use. Most pool chemicals come with a Material Data Safety Sheet (MSDS) that provides details of hazards and safe handling practices, so check these to make sure you’re staying safe.

Gave any questions about storing your chemicals? Contact us here!

Balance Your Pool

With your swimming pool, it’s important to ensure that your water is properly balanced. This will help your pool stay clean and stay in the best shape for many years to come. This will also to ensure that your family and anyone else who swims in your pool is safe. Here are our best tips on how to balance your pool.

Balancing

Before you add chemicals into your pool, you should turn on your pump. This will circulate the chemicals you add throughout the whole pool.

When working with chemicals, you can only add a certain amount of each chemical per 10,000 gallons of water at one time. The amount depends on the chemical and your pool size.

If you need to add more than the maximum amount, add it slowly. You should add the max, then wait 6 hours before adding any more.

Alkalinity

Total alkalinity refers to the amount of alkaline in the water.

Adding alkaline material into your water first is the best method. It will act as a buffer for your pH scale.

pH

This is the acidity of the water. Ideally, you will want your water between 7.4-7.6.

Keeping your PH balanced will ensure the structure of your pool and equipment are not damaged from low or high levels.

Do you have questions about which chemicals you need for your pool, or how to balance your pool properly? Don’t hesitate to contact us!

How To Keep Your Pool Healthy in Summer

The Dog Days of Summer. The hottest time of the year and the busiest time of the year for pool owners. It’s also the time of year when your pool water is exposed to higher bather loads, intense temperatures, and prolonged sunlight. Here is our list of things you should do to keep your pool healthy in summer.

Run The Filter More

July and August are the time when you need the most filtering of the season. Set that pool filter timer a few extra hours longer each day. What you spend on electricity you will save in chemicals which can really add up. Your water is warm enough to shut off the pool heater and the combination of warm water, bright sunshine, and frequent rainstorms, all call for more filtering time each day.

Add More Chlorine

Warmer water, more swimmers and longer sunlight hours mean that your chlorine will deplete or burn-up faster. Add extra 3″ tabs to your chlorinator, and/or turn the dial higher to maintain chlorine levels. Pool shock frequency may also rise during the hottest parts of the summer, to fight algae, bacteria, chloramines, and cloudy water.

Keep Calm & Stay Stable

Sunlight is an enemy of all pool chemicals on some levels. Long hours of daily sunlight means that stabilizer levels are even more important, to prevent degradation of chlorine when you need it most. Keep your stabilizer level between 20-50 ppm, and reduce or dilute if over 100 ppm.

More important than stabilizer, however, is to consistently test your pool water balance during July and August. Your pool water is ever-changing, but never more than during the hottest summer months, when pH, Alkalinity, and stabilizer levels can rise and cause water balance problems.

Stay Cool, Beat the Heat

Hot temperatures, long sunlight exposure, and more pool parties mean more friends and family with more sunblock and oil. This can lead to a ring around your waterline, more organic solids dissolved in your water, and cloudy or hazy pool water.

Enzymes are natural oil-eaters that also clean the pool filter of trapped oils and greasy gunk, and reduce chlorine demand by removing organics from the pool and pool system.

Have any questions on keeping your pool in tip-top shape? Contact us here!

Keep Your Pool Safe

Pool Safety is an important topic to discuss when considering getting a pool for your home. Here is our list of important precautions to take to keep your pool safe this summer.

Supervise at all times

When the little ones head to the pool, be sure to apply sunscreen and remind them not to run. The most important pool safety factor is supervision. Someone with CPR/first-aid knowledge is also important in case of emergencies. Training can be obtained via classes at your local hospital, YMCA or through the Red Cross, to name a few options.

When the pool isn’t in use, a pool safety cover can be used to prevent any accidents from occurring.

Know the facts about flotation devices

Flotation devices can help kids mobility in the pool and give parents peace of mind, but they don’t ensure safety, so be sure to remain watchful. Some swim experts even discourage the use of “floaties,” noting that they may give children false confidence. Water wings and other floatation devices can be dangerous.

Ramp up pool party security

When it comes to pool parties, hiring a lifeguard can add a layer of safety. A lifeguard can make up for that reduced caution. To find one for hire, inquire at your local community pool or call a private lifeguard company.

Be aware of dry/secondary drowning

Lately, there’s been a push in awareness of dry drowning and secondary drowning. Dry drowning happens when water a child has breathed in causes their vocal cords to spasm and close up. Secondary drowning occurs after swimming or bathing from water inhaled into the lungs, causing trouble breathing.

Have any questions about pools or pool safety? Contact us here!

Conserve Pool Water

Swimming pools can be water wasters, but they don’t have to be. With some simple practices like turning down the heat, and prohibiting cannonballs, your pool doesn’t need to be a water hog.

Reducing your swimming pool water needs is easy, but it can cost a few dollars. With some simple steps, you can conserve pool water and be able to tell anyone who asks how your pool actually saves water!

Backwash Less

Many pool owners backwash too often, every week for example. Let your pressure gauge be your guide – backwash when the pressure is 9-10 lbs above the clean pressure. Bumping a DE Filter (backwashing only for 10 seconds) will extend the time between backwashing. Using a Sand Filter Cleaner will help to extend sand filter cycles or time between backwashes.

Use Pool Covers

Any type of pool cover will reduce evaporation, heat loss and will save pool water. Even mesh safety covers reduce evaporation water loss by nearly 50%. Solar blankets are an easy way to both add heat to the pool (up to 10° for a sunny pool), and also reduce evaporation by over 80%. The best way to stop pool evaporative water loss is to use an automatic pool cover.

Sun Shades

Adding some shade to your pool can drastically reduce the sun’s evaporative effects. Shade can come from installing a Pergola or pool house on one end, planting fast-growing evergreens, or installing Sun Sail type shades to keep your water from evaporating so fast. Especially in the sunny south, shading the pool for at least a portion of the day is one way to conserve pool water.

Wind Blocks

The wind is the largest heat thief of your pool, and when it takes heat off the surface, it takes some water along with it. Hedges, fences, windscreens and such can make a big difference if you have prevailing winds, mostly coming from one direction. You can’t completely shield your pool from wind, but every little bit will help to prevent pool water loss.

Have any questions about how to save money on your pool? Contact us here!