Pool Safety

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poolidiot

Pool Safety

Postby poolidiot » Tue 02 Feb, 2010 20:15

We just purchased a home for my elderly parents and it came with a pool.

- in Los Angeles
- 3' to 7' deep, Kidney shaped and seems relatively small
- Pebbletec surface?
- Connected to a spa area and the water circulates between the two

The problem is that my parents don't swim at all and I am concerned for their safety. I was considering just having the pool drained but I was told there is risk that the pool could crack without the weight of the water in the pool.

We've looked at other options such as a cover or fence, but they don't really like the idea of either.

--- Can I just drain some of the water out to reduce the overall waterline? I'd drop the deep end of the pool from 7' to 4.5'.
--- Will leaving 1/2 the water in the pool maintain enough pressure to prevent the pool from floating?
--- Will this cause any issues with the pool equipment?

Thank you.

Pool Newbie....


lbridges
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Location: Space Coast, Florida

Pool Safety

Postby lbridges » Tue 02 Feb, 2010 21:30

Sorry, but I don't get it - if you drain the pool enough (about 2-1/2 feet) to get to a deep end depth of 4.5', then wouldn't that be REALLY unsafe without a fence (like if they fell in * broke body parts)? Not only that but wouldn't it turn into a frog pond in short order (since the equipment wouldn't be running)?

But to your question - I believe if there is a functional hydrostatic relief valve with the pool drain, then the water could be drained down. The valve will open to allow ground water to enter, thus keeping the pool from floating out of the hole.
AlanGMyerson

Pool Safety

Postby AlanGMyerson » Wed 03 Feb, 2010 01:50

Draining the pool is a bad idea. It would be ugly, dangerous and bad for the pool. :thumbdown:

If you don't want a safety fence or cover, your options are fairly limited.

You could have some sort of custom built barrier that could go into the pool that would be safe and invisible.

You could have a set of acrylic plates made that would go just under the water and be supported by acrylic legs or by wall anchors. The plates could be connected together to create a solid, safe and invisible barrier.

You would want the pool to be serviceable, so the plates would need to be removable.

Here are some other ideas:

Hire a full time caretaker to watch your parents.
Have your parents wear lifejackets whenever they will be near the pool.
Have the pool removed and filled in.
poolidiot

Pool Safety

Postby poolidiot » Wed 03 Feb, 2010 17:37

Thanks for the replies....

Someone suggested just laying the deep end of the pool with concrete blocks or bricks (no mortar, just stacking them together) at the bottom to create some height.

I think this would be the simplest solution. Is there something I'm not taking into consideration here?

Thank you.
poolidiot

Pool Safety

Postby poolidiot » Fri 05 Feb, 2010 00:44

Ok.. It seems like a pool safety cover is the best way to go.

Basically, we're never going to use the pool, but a cover seems to be the only option to ensure safety.

What type of cover should we buy to minimize the maintenance requirements?

Once the cover is put on, we don't plan on taking it off. Can we just leave it installed permanently and treat the water with the cover on?

Thank you
andrrewdamien
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Joined: Tue 08 May, 2012 12:05

Pool Safety

Postby andrrewdamien » Mon 14 May, 2012 10:20

Pool safety is as important as your safety. Proper care can avoid so many accidents and unwanted things that happening. Firstly you have to make sure that you change water regularly and keep it clean. That could avoid so many diseases.
paint marker
TSH Tech

Pool Safety

Postby TSH Tech » Tue 15 May, 2012 03:28

Suggestion:

- Keep the pool filled with water
- Have a Loop Loc pool cover installed, and leave it on. Somebody would need to weigh a little more than an elephant to fall through that cover.
- Hire a pool service to do strictly chemical only pool service to keep the pool water from turning green
rodneymasenten
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My Pool: Information about pool fences, pool nets, pool covers, pool deck plugs, pool deck caps, pool sleeves, pool alarm etc
Location: Ohio City

Pool Safety

Postby rodneymasenten » Thu 17 May, 2012 12:22

You can use pool safety fences and pool nets to get rid of most of your problem. You need maintenance of your pool to keep pool clean and safe.
cpo2go
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My Pool: 27,000 gal, pebble tec, all Pentair equipment; DE filter, 3/4 hp, 400k heater, Poolvergnuegen 4x Pool Cleaner
Location: santa barbara, ca
Contact:

Pool Safety

Postby cpo2go » Fri 18 May, 2012 20:19

Honestly, it sounds like you want nothing to do with the pool.
Unfortunately, If you leave all the water in, it needs to be maintiained (chemicals, circulation, etc) and then you would need a fence or cover in addition to the maintenance.
Leaving some of the water in means that yoou would be fighting a losing battle with things (algea, insects, etc) growing in the water and it's hard to imagine anyone wanting to attempt to deal with it, you or a professional. I know I wouldn't want to try to keep that healthy. My reputation would be shot.
If your parents and you really don't want the pool, go ahead and drain it. It may pop and ruin the pool but, who cares? You don't want it anyway. If you were going to fill in the space with patio or grass, you would need to drain it anyway. You wouldn';t want to leave it sitting there empty because that would be just as unsafe as leaving it full and your home insurance may jack your rate if it's empty, I know some do.
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