Pros And Cons Of Above Ground Pool Safety CoversA swimming pool in the house is its best feature, at least for the children of the house. It is the center of many family gatherings, cook outs, barbeques and summer get-togethers with friends. Having a pool at the back of the house could pose some problems, though, chief among which is safety. Thus, an above ground pool safety cover should be seriously considered. This is especially important when very young children are present in the house. You should also consider the fact that the neighborhood children may wander out unsupervised into the pool. Above-ground pools may be a little less dangerous than in-ground pools because removing the ladder and securing it out of reach prevents most access to the pool by little tykes. However, state and local regulations, as embodied in the US Consumer Product Safety Commission Safety Barrier Guidelines for Home Pools require the use of safety barriers and other swimming pool safety accessories. An above ground pool is a better alternative to in-ground pools when one considers building such pool from scratch. It is comparatively inexpensive and can be relocated. It is easy to install and there are several choices for the material used such as aluminum, resin, steel sidings or fiber weave. Maintenance costs are also lower because aside from being smaller, filtering requirements are also lower. There are also many choices for shapes and sizes. The only considerations in deciding the kind of above ground pool are priorities for durability and cost. Even safety considerations are much simpler, such as pool covers. For daily safety, simply removing the access, usually a ladder or a fancier deck and ladder assembly, and locking it up are sufficient safety measures. Safety barriers are also required, but since above ground pools are normally smaller, it is also cheaper to erect the requisite device, preferably a removable fence. An above ground pool safety cover is readily available for purchase especially for protection during winter. It is typically made of durable polyethelyne or other materials either as a solid sheet or as a fine mesh. Aside from preventing accidental drowning, the safety cover prevents the formation of algae inside the pool. The durable material will not rot and many companies offer covers that have adequate overlap to prevent slippage, recommended at four feet on all sides. Above ground pool safety covers are considerably less expensive than one that would be normally required for in-ground pools and come in a variety of colors and designs. The problem with above ground pool safety covers is that they are always manual covers. There are no automatic above ground pool covers, so covering and uncovering the pool can be a difficult and laborious proposition. Moreover, there is a tendency for water to pool on top of the cover, and since it is a manual cover, it can be difficult to get rid of it as well and may be the source of algae growth especially if it is used all year round.. The pros and cons for above ground pool safety covers should not be the reason to discourage the prospective buyer. However, it should be considered nevertheless. At all times, all products and devices should be compliant with the standards imposed under The American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) F1349-91(2003) entitled Standard Performance Specification for Safety Covers and Labeling Requirements for All Covers for Swimming Pools, Spas and Hot Tubs. |