When the weather gets hot, sunny and humid, it’s always refreshing to take a dip in the pool. Swimming can be a fun, relaxing way to spend your summer days with family and friends—but it’s important that everyone is safe. There are myriad ways a pool can be dangerous, but counteracting those are tips to ensure that you, your family and friends have an enjoyable, incident-free summer.

1. Learn to swim. Make sure you and your children know how to swim; if you don’t, enroll yourself and/or them in swimming classes.

 2. Do not trust pool noodles to protect you or your children from drowning. If you or your children are not capable of swimming without a floatation device, be sure to have one handy.

3. If the pool is on your property, build a fence around it that will prevent children and animals from accessing it without your supervision. The fence should latch shut.

4. If you can’t find a child, always check the pool first.

5. Learn how to do CPR—on children and adults.

6. Keep these tools handy near your pool: floatation devices, a first-aid kit, drinking water, towels, and scissors (to cut hair).

7. Install anti-entrapment drain covers.

8. Install an alarm system around your pool that you can hear inside the house if a child opens the gate to the pool. Also, there are underwater alarms that detect water movement—they will alert you if someone or something falls into the pool.

9. Keep the area around your pool clean to avoid injuries from tripping and slipping.

10. Store pool chemicals in a safe place.

There are endless things you can do to make sure you and your family stay safe this summer while enjoying the luxury of a swimming pool. But, precautions and all, accidents happen. Give us a call today about how your homeowners policy will cover you.