Inflatable Pool safe pool cover ideas?
Bought one of those inflatable pools w/filter for $99 for my 2½ year old. Ok, yeah I’ll sit in it too to cool down. It is 36″ high and 12 feet across.
It’s basically a rubber bag with an inflatable ring, with an electric pool filter.
Town code and basic wisdom says to secure it from someone jumping in unauthorized and drowning.
By the time I read the town code requirements my head was spinning. Sounds like I’ll need a few thousand dollar$ of changes to secure a $99 pool!
One is to have “Unclimbable” fences, locked. I have standard chain link fence – is that climable? I know I could climb it easy, even when I was 5 years old.
One way to legally secure is having a pool cover that withstands 200 pounds.
Any ideas to make one inexpensively? Need something to go up fast and for short term use. Will only be in use til maybe Oct 1.
My first thoughts would be a lightweight grid frame covered with PT-latttice. Or make the grid spacings small like a deck railing (less than 4 inches???) no need for lattice. Have maybe 4 or 6 posts that the frame sits on and gets locked to.
Other (serious only please) inexpensive ideas?
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
Replies
just wait till you get the ticket, could be tomorrow or 14 years for now.
I'd rather NOT just wait for the body at the bottom of the pool.
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
You cant fix stupid, you can pile money after money in a problem and it will still happen. You said you had a fence. Put a wooden fence around the pool. Put a top on the pool, put a gaurd dog at the pool. put electronic listen devices around the pool. Have black helicopter flying around 24 hr a day. It still can happen. What are your neighbor doing with their pool.The question was, " The city require..." On that question I say wait for the ticketBut if the question was "What would it take to keep unwanted from dying in my pool, then it be a different answer.My answer was based on " The city require...." Its a well know fact that cities are slowing in checking every requirement.
My OP
"Town code and basic wisdom says to secure it from someone jumping in unauthorized and drowning."
The "basic wisdom" part is more important than the town code police showing up. I don't want my own child drowning or anyone else's.
And you are right, you can't fix stupid. People sue even when they or thei rkid was stupid. "Attractive nuisance" is the phrase that gets you sued even tho someone does something stupid, goes out of their way to do it and gets hurt or dies.
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
put the pool where a town inspector can't see it.
problem solved!
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Yes, but little Johnny from next door who at 6 years old will figure out out where it is and drown in your pool.
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
you are trying to make something child proof, and that cant be done. Because of that you wont listen to anybody. I know it tugs the soul when a child dies by accident. The only way to rid this problem is get rid of the pool. Those that have installed pools have the same problem, see what they are doing. Lower your liability by at least following their lead.Why is a six year kid running around without parent supervision. The term unclimbable fence is the key. I would think a wooden fence would solve this. Also a electric fence would too. If you have a lot of kids in the neighborhood then wooden fence is a god choice. If you just have a couple then a chain link is fine.Do you have a lot of young kids from the neighborhood running in your backyard?It come back to you don't want to listen to others, you don't want to install a good fence, you don't want the city giving you problems, and you don't want to get rid of the pool.So sorry dude, cant help you, that a tough one, you on your own, god speed. I tried.
brownbagg,
I dont know you, you dont know me. For the life of me I cannot understand where you get the idea that I do not want to listen to anyone. You are so way off base.
You're reading into something that does not exist. Making one wrong assumption based on another wrong assumption. Whatever it is, it is coming from you yourself.
Peace.
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
I think you guys just have different POVs.You don't have kids, do you?
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I know you cant stop a kid. Give a kid a concrete block, 2 foot by 2 foot and enough time he will have gravel. all the answer are there. There are millions of these pools around and most that anybody does is a chain link.the cover a good idea. wont stop a kid,
chain link works, but climbable
hottub cover, yes, but stillyou can stop a kidso you lower your liabilty. pad lock the gate, dump the pool. Wooden fences are hard to climb. Hell put it in the garage. You can stop a kid that wants inbut all these answer are not good enough. There aint no more answereither block the source, block the kid, or do away with the source. Thats it. all there is.like somebody said. over 500 kids drown in five gallon buckets. They dont put fences around them.
I'm not arguing with you. What you say is true. it just isn't an answer to what he is asking is all, so I was observing that you two have different points of view on the subject.
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Whatever else you end up doing, you might get one of those pool alarms that go off when someone or something is in the water.
I'm with those who suggest that the entire enterprise is more trouble than it is worth. The 2 1/2 year old will be just as happy with a 6" deep pool that gets refilled for every use.
don't put or leave water in it.......
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Like I said in OP, it's 3 feet high by 12 feet across. Lotta water to keep refilling. It has a filter system. Uses pool chemicals.
The "answer" must include keeping water in the pool.
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
storage tank for the water...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Let the air out, then turn it upside down over the water.
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What is the budget and how much space have you?
I am thinking of the dual or triple polycarbonate panels for making greenhouses. Three pieces 4' wide would cover and not break the bank, and in a year or two when the pool dies, y0ou still have something useable for a project.
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Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
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The same panels occured to me. I'll have to price them and see. The clear ones might also serve double-duty as a solar cover and extend the "season" into November. However we are talking about a kiddie pool, altho it is similiarly sized to many hot tubs!
I have plenty of space around the pool itself.
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
I just did a greenhouse replacement with the panels. I thionk at about $3/ SF plus shipping. One man can easily handle a 12' long. You would need to develope a racking/stacking and hold down system so a windstorm doesn't flip them all over the neighborhood.This can't be the first time this problem has come up though and we are trying to re-invent the wheel. Somebody has probably produced a $199 cover for your $99 pool as an option
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Yeaah, I googled "round 12' pool cover" and saw enough you could be reading all day long.This one looked like it might be useful in your situation.
http://kaycairmattress.com/pro1050597.htmlThe trick would be to anchor it to be sure that it does not slip into the water if sombody gets on it. Then they would be enveloped in the bag so they could not even thrash arms and legs.I saw there are several covers. Some just for leaves, some for winter cover, some a solar summer cover....didn't see any labeled a safetycover. That might have to do with liability issues as much as actual strength.
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You could easily buy 2 heavy duty 15' tarps and 4 spiral dog chain loops (screw into the ground) and 4 ratchet straps.If you ratchet strapped the 4 corners into the screw in loops seems like that would be tight enough for safety and also fairly kid resistant, as most kids 17 and under would not be able to figure out how to undo a tight ratchet strap.Plus - all of the bought items would be handy for other uses in the fall or after the pool was toast.JT
http://nationaldiscountpoolsupplies.stores.yahoo.net/incovladfilc.html
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Along the lines of the tarp-like cover.... either that round one or a 15x15 foot green tarp would work if it is "cinched" with rope under the inflatable ring. And also tied downward, maybe through some of those large spiral anchors into the ground.
If someone jumps on it (thinking it's a trampoline) they might cause the pool wall to collapse but then that isn't so bad compared to drowning.
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
ground anchors is what I had in mind
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Once i had a renter buy one of those and left it out in the open filled with water, Then i thought what if some little kid goes in there and dies??? I asked the renter and they just got mad, I thought i might go and cut it but there kids broke it first, Very scary to think about i put this in my rental agreement after
If your kids are anything like my kids, just give it a week. The problem will go away. My younger son tried to put the cat in, he succeeded at least he succeeded in landing the cats claw into the ring.
We went through two filters that summer and since we didnt upgrade there was no way to vacuum the bottom. What a nightmare.
Many times it is NOT your own kids that get into the pool unsupervised and drown. It's the neighbors kid.
Last month there was a big story about a 3½ yr old kid in our township. He snuck out of his baricaded room - yeah why was that?, got out of the house. Either climbed three neighboring fences in back or one out front on street side. Got into a locked yard, climbed another locked fence surrounding the pool and drowned in a neighbors pool.
Mother hadn't checked on him for 2 or 3 hours after baricading him in his room. Idiot. Plus, her brother had drowned in a pool when they were younger.
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
I have the same pool and our county code is the same as yours. However, these are temporary pools. The code usually refers to those that are permanent. I have had it for 3 years. Our neighbor was fined for not properly enclosing their permanent above ground pool. Ours was 25 feet away and in plain site, but no problems for us.I would call the office responsible for the code and ask if you pool is "covered" by these codes or exempt because it is a kiddie pool.Jason
I'm with you...Phil's problems will quickly go away when he realizes the crappy pump/filter he has is less than worthless and he is condemned to meticulously garden-hose-vacuuming and hand screening the pool...EVERY day. Or he'll quickly be left w/ a slimy, putrid cesspool, lined with dead bugs, leaves and bird-shyt, that not even the neighbor's dog will want to jump into. I'd give it a month..maybe two. The thing will be in the trash.And Phil: the algaecides don't work at all once you can see the algae. The ring will never hold air; you'll have to blow it up daily...the day you forget, someone's dog or cat or the neighborhood raccoon will go in for a drink in the night and collapse the thing. You'll wake up to what's left of your tomato garden after 2000 gallons of putrid, overly chlorinated water has drowned it and made a mini grand canyon out of your lawn.. Don't ask me how I know all of this.
"The ring will never hold air; you'll have to blow it up daily...the day you forget, someone's dog or cat or the neighborhood raccoon will go in for a drink in the night and collapse the thing"
Daily? More like 2 or 3 times a day during daylight the last 3 days. Slow leak , finally found it. The seam where the ring meets the pool wall (really it's a vinyl bag), had a pinhole leak. Lost about 20% of the water. I put a piece of "patch" and smeared some glue from the repair kit. Finger went thru the hole making it bigger. Bigger patch is airtight now. Let's see how it is in the morning, if there's any water left. And after I re-inflate the ring.
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
"One is to have "Unclimbable" fences,"
Looking at the picture it appears that it comes with one.
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/nationaldiscountpoolsupplies_1954_25663617
The "fence" is not climable until you put the ladder up.
Just remove the ladder when not in use.
.
A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Phil,
You said that you have a chain link fence, right? That's the legal standard for pool safety in most jurisdictions, a chain link fence with a locked gate. Use a padlock and post "No Trespassing" signs. Do whatever you need to to keep the children in your house from getting to the pool. Nail the windows shut, if need be.
As other experienced pool owners have said, don't worry about the long term. That inflatable isn't likely to make it through the summer.
One thing many pool owners do is keep a container of clean water next to the pool, for everyone to step in before getting in the pool.
Skim the pool frequently, before the leaves and bugs loose bouyancy and drop to the bottom.
Best wishes for many hours of fun.
The key is "unclimable fence". A standard chain link fence is easy to climb since the openings are easy toeholds.
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
The key is "unclimable fence". A standard chain link fence is easy to climb since the openings are easy toeholds.
Sorry, didn't mean to mislead you but I've never heard that phrase, the "unclimbable" thing, anyway. I wonder if you can get a specific declaration from your local building department about what is and ain't an "unclimbable" fence?
Code does mention that stockade fences can face either in or out. Jeeze, a stockade fence is easy to climb if the cross rail is on your side as a foothold.
Many new pools I see have solid fencing. Or that very small tight weave of chain link. Only a single toe could get thru. Or they use metal fencing that has many vertical tubes/balasters maybe 3 inches apart.
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
they also climb out of prisons and across border fence. How high would be unclimbable
If the local code doesn't clearly define what type of fence is acceptable then their code is deficient. Using an ambiguous word like "unclimbable" does nothing but place you in the responsible position, no matter what happens.
You are not a safety expert so what you decide is "unclimbable" doesn't mean anything, unless you get sued and admit that you were using your own judgement to decide what kind of fence was safe.
I'd be on the phone to the city or county attorney's office, even the state attorney general's office, to get a clear definition of what is considered safe...in writing.
You're in NY State right? Try Google for NY State Attorney Genreral's office. I did that a couple years ago and got list of local offices. I called one in Poughkeepsie, left a message and heard back from them within a couple of days.
I think there is a catch to that idea in our local code. An above ground pool 48" or higher (all above the ground, no partial below ground) does not need a fence at all if the ladder is removed. Under 48" must have a fence or lockable top/cover that withstands 200 lbs on it. This inflatable I have is 36".
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
I believe from my experience around retail outlets selling hot tubs that the core of their covers is made of 2" extruded polystyrene. (XEPS)
Fairly cheap , floats, easily cut to fit and assemble into a tight cover by joining pieces, and will support the weight.
Won't absorb water at all.
"Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
Edited 7/8/2007 2:11 am by dovetail97128
Building on the tarp idea - what if you would thread a cable through the grommets on a tarp? Lay it over the top, and then cinch the cable under the ring or the edge of the pool and lock it. This way you wouldn't have anchors in the yard to trip over, and you would have a padlock. As was mentioned earlier, you'd be likely to lose the water if anyone (or thing) got past it. You would want a coated cable with plenty of tape wrapped around the ends so you didn't rupture the pool.
Nate
I think that Piffin has some good ideas for you.
In addition to the cover....One of the things that folks do in Phoenix (where there's a pool every 32.5 feet) for peace of mind is to install a pool alarm. There's lots of varieties, but basically they have a motion detector in the water that detects when someone or something gets into the water. If/when it happens, the alarm goes off (it can be as loud as you want), and you and your neighbors get a warning that something is amiss at the pool. Installed in your soft-sided pool, it would likely go off if something, someone got onto the cover when the pool is covered, as well, since that will also set the water into motion.
Mike D
sorry if im off your topic i read where a lotta kids die in 5 gallon buckets, We dont have small kids in my neighborhood but just thinking about kids and water scares me
Here is a serious reply that might keep your kiddy pool safe and clean.
What I envision is making a floating cap. All you need is a bunch of sheets of rigid foam board, and some glue to bond the layers together.
A solid 12' circle of foam would be too heavy to manage, so you can make 4 sections 3' wide. Each section would have one layer offset so they would interlock.
When you are done swimming, you can float each section in the pool and connect them edge to edge like tongue and groove flooring. The top layer should actually cover the edge of the pool, so that someone doesn't fall between the crack of the pool and cap. You are basicly making a raft that is slightly larger than your lake. Extruded Polyethalene foam is very stiff too, you should have no problem walking across this after you put it on.
Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
Parenting has always been a mix of sage life advice and inexcusable laziness.
Hey Phil,We're neighbors, and with my house under construction for the past few years, I've had Town of Islip inspectors in and out of my property frequently. They don't have a problem with the chain link fence around my pool (even though we both agree it's climbable) as long as it has a self closing gate and some kind of child resistant latch or lock.One inspector did complain because I have a sliding patio door that leads to the pool. He said (I'm not kidding) "a wayward child could walk through my front door then out the patio door and fall in my pool". He wanted the patio door to be self-closing and self-latching.Luckily, he never wrote it up and I never heard about it again.Brownbag's right. There is nothing that we can do to guarantee 100% that a child won't drown in a pool. Of course, we also have an obligation to at least try to prevent it.Jerry
It would have to be all of a single section. Partition it and they can part and let a person fall in between them
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If it was a single 1/2" deep tongue and groove, then yes that would certainly be the case. But with multiple deep layers like a finger joint it should stay together. Part of this would be actually trying it out to make sure it worked and to fix any bugs!Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
Parenting has always been a mix of sage life advice and inexcusable laziness.
Those who were giving you suggestions like leaving the water out of the pool were just joshing with you. I think your idea of a frame is good--put 4x4 posts in the ground around the pool as needed. I would then do something like put a big roller between the posts on one side and use canvass or even some sort of netting on the roller. Pull the covering material across on rails to the other side and fasten with padlocks through grommets. Something along those lines anyway. I'd make the frame fro the cover independent of the pool at any rate. Have a crank on the roll so you can crank it back onto the roll to uncover the pool.
Another idea would be to have plywood panels atached to each other with hinges so they accordian and pull them acrross--sort of like a horizontal garage door--could even use a garage door opener. Of course implementing these ideas may cost more than the pool did!
Or easily at little cost make a dome covered with plastic at the top instead of sheathing.
View Image
The dead and for the most part unmerchantable wood behind my house, and the driftwood from the pond, have supplied the remainder of my fuel. I was obliged to hire a team and a man for the plowing, though I held the plow myself. My farm outgoes for the first season were, for implements, seed, work, etc., $14.72½. -Thoreau's Walden
Edited 7/9/2007 11:11 am ET by rez
Phil,
This is all getting way too complicated for a simple country carpenter like me. You can solve this problem a lot easier by installing a round above-ground pool with a 4' wall.
You can also buy or borrow some 4' snow fence and wire it temporarily to your chain link fence, if you'd prefer to live with the inflatable pool you have. Pool companies often use snow fence as a temporary barrier, while waiting for the permanent fence to be installed. If you want "unclimbable" try a snow fence.
I spent a number of summers, during the 1970's installing vinyl liner in-ground pools, over one hundred in total. I also installed about thirty round above-grounds.
I'll be happy to write up a set of installation instructions for round pools, including a few really good tricks/techniques to make your pool a real gem without struggling to install it.
One big clue I'll suggest to anyone thinking about buying such a pool; plan on installing a center drain. That alone will make your experience of maintaining an above ground pool 100% easier.
Edited 7/9/2007 11:28 am ET by Hudson Valley Carpenter
If this thing survives the next 24 hrs, I'm going with two 12x6 frames with either a tarp stretched over it or wire fence (4" square openings). Mounted on 6 posts on the perimeter (hexagon pattern) and mechanically fastened/locked to the posts. I could even hinge the 2 outside long end connections to the posts so one person could "open" it up. Maybe I'll put the tarp ontop the wire fence to keep out leaves and stuff when not in use.
I *was* thinking of making a 14 foot long by 3 1/2 foot high "sawhorse" and then stretching a trap over that while it straddled the pool. The eyeloops of the tarp get threaded with 1/2" poly rope and locked to ground anchors. But any downward pressure on the inflatable ring would cause the water to cascade out.
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
You are right, the solutions suggested are very solid but cost-factor makes them over-engineered. Yes, I know .... there is no price for safety.
Except for an issue with splinters the snow fence "surround" for this inflatable could solve the problem! 48" high, no ladder (locked in garage) ... no problem. Foam & ducktape "feet wrap" on a fiberglass 6' ladder for access. I figure the chlorine might not react well with my aluminum ladder??
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
I figure the chlorine might not react well with my aluminum ladder??
<chuckle> Phil, this is one small example of how far you've gone in over thinking this situation. That and the splinters. Is there maybe another voice in the background that we're not hearing? A woman's voice?
Or has she driven you so far around the bend that you're now forced to anticipate every possible criticism or complaint that might pop out of her mouth?
Above-ground pools are sold with many kinds of aluminum parts. From the walls to the skimmer poles. Ladders too, for above-ground pools, are made from aluminum.
Phil, let me help you out here. Pretend that I'm a cop with a bull horn.
PUT UP the freekin' snow fence! Forget about everything else!
Best wishes, Peter
Inflatable Pool Stolen from Paterson Backyard
PATERSON, N.J. (NorthJersey.com) -- It wasn't so much someone stole her swimming pool that has a Paterson woman annoyed.It's how the thief managed to walk away with the 1,000 gallons of water inside it without a splash, drip or trace.Daisy Valdivia awoke to find her family's hip-high, inflatable, 10-foot diameter swimming pool gone from her backyard Wednesday.Nothing was left behind. Not even the water.Valdivia told The Record of Bergen County the theft must have occurred between 1 a.m., when her husband went to bed, and 5 a.m., when she awoke.She's amazed someone could steal the pool that quick and just wanted to know "what the heck they did with the water,'' she said.
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
She's amazed someone could steal the pool that quick and just wanted to know "what the heck they did with the water,'' she said.
Siphoned it into a storm drain, most likely. A couple of garden hoses could drain that size pool in about three hours. Could be done very quietly too.
I thought maybe the Pool Code Enforcers did it.
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
The PCE again, huh?
Buy some 2-3" styrofoam and cut to fit the top of the water. Glue to PT 2x and make a big raft to float on the top of the water. Will hold up 200lbs, and easy enough to remove by one person.