According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drowning is the second leading cause of death for children ages one to four years of age, coming in second only to birth defects. In the U.S., three children drown every day. At Goodall Pools & Spas, we want to be sure our clients are aware of the danger and of how pool safety covers can work to reduce the risk of someone drowning in their pool by unauthorized access.
How a Pool Safety Cover Can Prevent Drownings
The majority of drownings occur in backyard swimming pools. One major reason for this is the lack of barriers to prevent unsupervised access to the pool. The CDC reports that “most young children who drowned in pools were last seen in the home, had been out of sight less than five minutes, and were in the care of one or both parents at home at the time.”
A pool safety cover is one tool that can help keep children out of swimming pools when there is no adult supervision. The safety cover is made of a heavy-duty mesh or vinyl material and is placed over the entire pool. The material has a strength of approximately 4,000 pounds, which is approximately the weight of a small SUV.
The cover is anchored into the concrete around the pool, not just held in place by water bags like you find on traditional winter covers. It can be made to fit over pool features like spas or waterfalls. So, a child falling onto the safety cover will not dislodge the cover. Instead, the child will be protected from entering the pool.
Other Benefits of a Pool Safety Cover
In addition to preventing unauthorized access to the pool, there are other benefits to a pool safety cover including:
- Save water by preventing evaporation that is caused by the sun heating the pool water.
- Keeps leaves, dust and debris out of the pool, thus saving on maintenance costs.
- Provides a neat appearance that is aesthetically pleasing. They can be tailor-made to fit the pool features, such as a waterfall and spa. They come in different colors, so they can be customized to fit the backyard design.
- Also protects beloved pets during the winter months.
For more information about pool covers, and how they can protect you and your family when the pool is not in use, contact us at Goodall Pools & Spas. We will discuss with you how we can customize a safety pool cover to meet your needs.
