Pool Safety Tips From Your Trusty Home Inspector

Scott Bell (Advantage Home Inspections USA)

2-minute read

A home inspector in Florida will frequently encounter a pool on the property. I will be inspecting your pool for its quality, but I am a father and have a pool of my own at home. With three kids, I have learned and enforced several safety tips around my own pool. Even though these tips are not part of the inspection, I am passing them on to keep you and your family as safe as possible. These tips can also be found at poolsafely.gov. Follow these ideas and you will keep you and your family safe at your pool. I’ll make sure your pool is in good repair.

Top 10 Pool Safety Tips

1.   Never leave a child alone.

a.    Designate an official Water Watcher, an adult tasked with supervising children in the water. That should be their only task – they shouldn’t be reading, texting or playing games on their phone.

2.   Install pool safety barriers.

a.    Proper fences, barriers, alarms and covers can be lifesaving devices. A fence of at least four feet in height should surround the pool or spa on all sides and should not be climbable for children. The water should only be accessible through a self-closing, self-latching gate. 

3.   Take swimming lessons.

a.    Swimming is not only fun, but also a lifesaving skill.

4.   Walk, don’t run.

a.    Slippery surfaces around a pool are likely, and running on them is bound to injure someone.

5.   Stay away from the drains.

a.    Children’s hair, limbs, jewelry, or bathing suits can get stuck in a drain or suction opening.

6.   Lean CPR.

a.    Often, bystanders are the first to aid a drowning victim, so learning CPR can help save a life. And once you’re CPR certified, make sure to keep your certification current. 

7.   Never swim alone.

a.    No one can anticipate everything. Even experienced swimmers may encounter something that they cannot handle on their own. Another person may avoid any situations that a single person cannot.

8.    No diving in the shallow end

a.    Diving in shallow water can lead to serious injuries like spinal cord damage or even death. 

9.   Use sunscreen.

a.    It is not what we usually think of as pool safety, but most people will have large amounts of exposed skin in the sun.

10. Consider life jackets.

a.    Consider using Coast Guard approved life jackets instead of relying on pool noodles, floaties or other such equipment for new swimmers.