Pool Safety

It has been a long and wet winter and, now that Easter is a memory, families are looking forward to time spent outdoors. One of the more pleasurable outdoor areas is a municipal, commercial or private pool. As with any activity, care should be exercised when enjoying pool activities, especially when small children are at play.

Not many are aware that there are hidden dangers from suction or drain entrapments. Any drain with faulty covers or broken or missing covers can entrap jewelry, hair, clothing, a body or limbs and cause evisceration or disembowelment. Each year, nearly 300 children under the age of five drown in residential and public pools and spas. Drowning is now the second-leading cause of injury-related death for children ages 1 to 14. Thousands of submersion incidents requiring emergency-room treatment or hospitalization also occur each year and many victims experience permanent disability.

Obviously, the first layer of prevention starts with constant supervision of children around any pool area; public or private. Many local municipal organizations offer “drown proofing” and swim classes for children that teach both pool safety and, as the name implies, drown proofing of babies. The installation of pool/spa alarms installed on any door giving access to a private pool and self closing outward-opening gates at all pool area entry access points and fencing that meets current safety requirements is the second layer of defense. The installation of anti-vortex type drain covers at both pool and spa areas provide for a safer means of filtering pool/spa water without the danger of entrapment.

CREIA advises everyone to make sure to retain the services of a qualified, professional home inspector by using a Certified CREIA Inspector member to do a thorough, independent visual examination of the physical structure and systems of a home. Since 1976, CREIA, a non-profit voluntary membership organization has been providing education, training, and support services to the real estate inspection industry and to the public. Inspectors must adhere to CREIA’s Code of Ethics and follow the Standards of Practice developed by the association. These Standards of Practice have been recognized by the State of California, and are considered the source for Home Inspector Standard of Care by the real estate and legal communities.

Sam Jabuka
President, Jabuka Home Inspections
https://jabukahomeinspections.com/