What is a Pool Alarm? “Intro to Pool Alarms - 101” or “Pool Alarms for Dummies”
How do swimming pool alarms work?
What is the difference between surface alarms and subsurface alarms?
What are false alarms and what causes them?
Which pool alarm does All-Safe recommend?
Will you install the pool alarm for me? Can I install it myself?
I am interested in the Swim Alert pool alarm, but don't understand how the system is deactivated. If it "automatically rearms" when no one is in the pool, can you prevent it from rearming while you're using the pool but no one is in it for a few minutes? In other words, can you manually disarm it during a swim session and set it on automatic when you leave the pool area?
I have a separate spa. Do I need two alarms?
Will my pool cleaner cause false alarms?
Will pool alarms work in my Infinity edge pool or with waterfalls?
Will pool alarms work in my swimming pool that has a waterfall?
Which alarms work with my above ground pool?
How far away can the remote siren be?
How loud is the alarm?
Will my neighbor’s alarm system cause interference with my pool alarm?
Will pool alarms meet code in my area?
How does the Safety Turtle work? How is it different from subsurface alarms (traditional pool alarms)?
What is your Return Policy?
Does All-Safe offer any price matching or lowest price guarantee?
How long does shipping take?
Water-Related Injuries FAQ (Content Source: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention)
How big is the problem?
Who is most at risk?
What are the major risk factors?
What has CDC research found?
How can water-related injuries be prevented?
More Pool Safety FAQs (Written and compiled by Kyla Boyse, R.N. Reviewed by faculty and staff at the University of Michigan, Updated May 2008)
Why is water and pool safety so important?
When is it safe to get a swimming pool in our yard?
What water safety rules should I know, follow and teach my children?
Will my child be safe if they have taken swimming lessons?
Do I still have to be careful if I have my pool fenced?
What about safety in spas, hot tubs and whirlpool tubs?
Where can I learn about preventing the spread of illness through swimming water?
What about boating safety?
Where can I find more information?
A pool alarm is a device that sounds a loud alert if a small child or pet should fall into the backyard pool or approach its perimeter. Most pool alarms will sound the alert at pool side and at a remote siren often placed inside the home. Pool alarms are intended to augment other safety measures such as pool safety fences, pool safety nets, winter pool covers and constant adult supervision, and should not be relied on as the sole means of pool safety. They can, however, play a key role in protecting lives when other measures have failed. There are three main categories of pool alarms: floating (or surface), submerged (or subsurface), and wristband alarms.
A floating pool alarm can be tied off to the pool ladder and left to bob on the surface of the water. If a child or pet falls into the pool, subsequent surface waves will cause the pool alarm to sound. Floating alarms can be set for sensitivity to try to avoid false alarms for small waves created by wind. The reality is that floating pool alarms are prone to false alarms. The sensitivity settings have been found by independent studies not to work as designed. Another disadvantage of floating pool alarms (and some older designed submerged alarms) is that it can be removed from the pool. All-Safe Pool Safety Alarms does not endorse or carry floating pool alarms.
A submerged pool alarm is a 90-degree angled device that sits on the edge of the pool with one downward arm submerged into the water. This type of pool alarm reads water displacement or underwater waves, and has much fewer false alarms than a floating pool alarm. It can also be used with a pool cover like the ones sold by All-Safe Pool Safety Barriers. These alarms are designed to detect children or pets greater 15 pounds (6.8 kg), which prevents false alarms.
Finally, a wristband pool alarm is a key-locked device that is worn on the wrist of a child, or it can be secured to the collar of a pet. The device is linked to a base unit, kept in the house. If the wristband gets wet, an alarm immediately sounds from the base unit. Several wristbands can be linked to a single base unit, and extra wristbands can be purchased for visiting children. Wrist alarms can also be used on boats, but are not intended for salt water.
Disadvantages of this type of alarm are that it cannot protect children that might wander into the yard. It will also sound if a child is washing his or her hands and gets the device wet, is playing in the sprinklers, using the hose, etc. This is a false alarm.
The pool alarms discussed in this article are generally in the 200-300 US Dollar (USD) range. While this might sound pricey at first glance, they can literally save lives. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports about 350 pool drownings per year in the United States of children under the age of five. Approximately 2,600 more children are hospitalized, according to CPSC statistics.
If you don't have children yourself, a pool alarm can protect the lives of neighborhood children. Some pool alarms come with handouts to inform neighbors that you have installed a pool alarm, and they should respond if they hear an alert. The CPSC reminds pool owners that pool barriers and supervision are the best defenses against accidents, with pool alarms being an additional safeguard.
How do swimming pool alarms work?
For subsurface alarms, the general concept is that an alarm will sound if an object weighing 18 pounds or more (i.e. your child) penetrates the surface of the water. The alarm will sound at the pool and will also sound in the house, where the remote siren has been installed.
The subsurface class of alarms is not prone to false alarms caused by wind, rain, or other disturbances of the water’s surface.
Subsurface pool alarms mount onto the deck or the side of the pool and probe under the water to detect motion. All-Safe has determined the best brands of these types to be Aquaguard, Swim Alert, and Espio.
Surface pool alarms float in the pool and detect motion on the water’s surface. All-Safe does not sell or endorse this type of pool alarm. PoolEye Pool Alarm and the Pool Patrol Pool Alarm, however, use this type technology.
A false alarm is when the alarm goes off when there is not a true disturbance in the water (i.e. child falls in). False alarms are caused by factors that simulate a real emergency. The most common of these false alarms are conditions of high wind or rain causing motion in the pool water. Another condition might be a large bird or duck landing in the pool.
The subsurface class of alarms is not prone to false alarms caused by wind, rain, or other disturbances of the water’s surface. They also are not prone to failure in a real emergency, provided the alarm is activated and working properly.
All-Safe offers the best pool alarms available. We recommend and sell a wide selection of subsurface and immersion detection alarms to accommodate the needs of our customers. Some of the factors to be considered, when choosing a swimming pool alarm, include: alarm response time, convenience, aesthetics, and price.
We do not offer surface alarms due to potential unreliability. Surface alarms float on the water in the swimming pool.
All-Safe does not find it necessary to offer installation of pool alarms. All pool alarms available at All-Safe-Pool-Alarms.com are designed to be easily installed by the customer or by a qualified handyman. Each alarm comes with detailed instructions for installation. In many cases, some simple drilling is involved.
The system comes with magnetic keys that you can use, to touch the system, to set the alarm to swim mode. Yes, you can also completely stop the system while using the pool even if you are not actively using it. Please note: it typically takes more than a few minutes to automatically rearm. It normally takes about 10 minutes for the water to settle.
Yes. If there are 2 separate bodies of water, a second pool alarm is required. Typically, up to 3 pool alarms can share the same remote siren.
Maybe. It depends on the type of pool cleaner in the pool. The suction type (Kreepy Krauly, Barracuda etc.) and pressure type (Polaris, Letro etc.) cleaners don’t normally cause false alarms. If the pool has a robot style cleaner (Aquatron, Aqua Vac, Dolphin etc.), these can produce the same sub-surface signals that an 18 pound object does when it falls into the pool. People who use robot style cleaners must put their alarm in swim mode before turning the cleaner on.
Yes. Generally pool alarms work with water edge pools. The displacement of the water, by a child, is what activates the alarm. This disruption of the water can be caused by falling into the pool from any side.
Yes. However, you need to make sure that the pool alarm is not positioned too close to any large water feature, such as a 150-200 gpm+ waterfall, as this much water entering the pool in one spot, too close to the alarm, might cause a false alarm.
Poolguard has designed an alarm specifically for use on above ground pools. This alarm is called the PoolGuard Above-Ground Pool Alarm: Model PGRM-AG The other alarms can be used with an above ground pool if there is a surrounding deck on which to mount the alarm.
Generally, the remote siren can be located up to 200 feet away from the pool alarm. The exact distance will vary depending on what obstructions are between the pool alarm and the remote. The signal will travel through any barrier but loses strength through steel. It is recommended that the siren is not located in basements.
Most of the pool alarms that are sold by All-Safe Pool Safety Alarms are 100 decibels. The sound of the siren can be compared to that of a typical car alarm, except the pool alarms are considerably louder.
No. Typically pool alarms operate on specific and unique frequencies. One alarm does not tend to interfere with another. Also, most neighbors fall outside of the 200 foot range of the remote sirens.
In the case of a neighbor having the exact same alarm located within 200 feet, the possibility of interference exists.
Several states, such as New York and California, have regulations that require pool owners to use layers of protection to secure their pool. These laws are often applicable to newly constructed pools which are required to pass building inspections and jurisdictional codes.
Pool alarms are typically an accepted a layer of protection. Please consult your local regulatory agency for guidelines.
Other pool safety barriers often approved to meet regulations include pool fences, safety pool nets, safety pool covers. To learn more about fences, nets and covers and where to buy them, go to www.allsafepool.com.
The Safety Turtle is in a separate class of swimming pool alarms known as immersion detection alarms. Rather than monitoring the pool directly like traditional pool alarms, this type of alarm focuses on the child by having him/her wear a wristband that will sound an alarm when the wristband is immersed in water. Simply put, there is a base station which acts as the receiver and a wristband that acts as the transmitter. Unlike traditional pool alarms, there is only 1 siren. The Safety Turtle does not have a siren at the pool. However, the advantage of this type of alarm is that it is portable and can be used while your child is at a neighboring pool or while you are vacationing near pools or lakes. There is no installation required.
We want you to be completely satisfied with your purchase. In the unlikely event that your product arrives damaged or unoperational, we will promptly exchange it. We must be notified of the defect within 10 days of receipt.
If you are dissatisfied for any reason other than damage or manufacturer defect, you are welcome to return your purchase within 30 days. Returned items must be in original packaging in re-sellable condition. Returns are subject to a 15% re-stocking fee. You must contact us for a Return Merchandise Authorization before you can return any product. Product returned without obtaining a Return Authorization will be refused. Simply contact us at customerservice@allsafepool.com and your request will be handled immediately.
No. At All-Safe Pool Safety Alarms, we make every effort to keep our prices as low as possible while continuing to provide quality service. We provide knowledgeable support to help you make your decision and we work closely, with you, to make sure the products work well after your purchase.
We do not mark up shipping costs and we do not employ gimmick offers such as free shipping “plus handling fees”.
All-Safe Pool Safety Alarms offers several shipping options through UPS. Shipping times will depend on the distance of the final destination from our shipping facility. Please see the Help Center tab for more details and a UPS map that shows delivery times.
· In 2005, there were 3,582 fatal unintentional drownings in the United States, averaging ten deaths per day. An additional 710 people died, from drowning and other causes, in boating-related incidents.1, 2
· More than one in four fatal drowning victims are children 14 and younger.1 For every child who dies from drowning, another four received emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries.1
· Nonfatal drownings can cause brain damage that may result in long-term disabilities including memory problems, learning disabilities, and permanent loss of basic functioning (i.e., permanent vegetative state).
Who is most at risk?
Males: In 2005, males were four times more likely than females to die from unintentional drownings in the United States.1
Children: In 2005, of all children 1 to 4 years old who died, almost 30% died from drowning.1 Although drowning rates have slowly declined,1, 3 fatal drowning remains the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1 to 14 years.4
Minorities:
Between 2000 and 2005, the fatal unintentional drowning rate for African Americans across all ages was 1.3 times that of whites. For American Indians and Alaskan Natives, this rate was 1.8 times that of whites.1
Rates of fatal drowning are notably higher among these populations in certain age groups. The fatal drowning rate of African American children ages 5 to 14 is 3.2 times that of white children in the same age range. For American Indian and Alaskan Native children, the fatal drowning rate is 2.4 times higher than for white children.1
Factors such as the physical environment (e.g., access to swimming pools) and a combination of social and cultural issues (e.g., valuing swimming skills and choosing recreational water-related activities) may contribute to the racial differences in drowning rates. If minorities participate less in water-related activities than whites, their drowning rates (per exposure) may be higher than currently reported.5
What are the major risk factors?
Lack of barriers and supervision. Children under one year most often drown in bathtubs, buckets, or toilets.6 Among children ages 1 to 4 years, most drownings occur in residential swimming pools.6 Most young children who drowned in pools were last seen in the home, had been out of sight less than five minutes, and were in the care of one or both parents at the time.7 Barriers, such as pool fencing, can help prevent children from gaining access to the pool area without caregivers’ awareness.8
Age and recreation in natural water settings (such as lakes, rivers, or the ocean). The percent of drownings in natural water settings increases with age. Most drownings in those over 15 years of age occur in natural water settings.9
Lack of appropriate choices in recreational boating. In 2006, the U.S. Coast Guard received reports for 4,967 boating incidents; 3,474 boaters were reported injured, and 710 died. Among those who drowned, 9 out of ten were not wearing life jackets. Most boating fatalities from 2006 (70%) were caused by drowning; the remainder were due to trauma, hypothermia, carbon monoxide poisoning, or other causes. Open motor boats were involved in 45% of all reported incidents, and personal watercraft were involved in another 24%.2
Alcohol use. Alcohol use is involved in up to half of adolescent and adult deaths associated with water recreation and about one in five reported boating fatalities.10, 11 Alcohol influences balance, coordination, and judgment, and its effects are heightened by sun exposure and heat.12
Seizure disorders. For persons with seizure disorders, drowning is the most common cause of unintentional injury death, with the bathtub as the site of highest drowning risk.13
What has CDC research found?
A CDC study about self-reported swimming ability14 found that:
Younger respondents reported greater swimming ability than older respondents;
Self-reported ability increased with level of education (i.e., high school graduate, college graduate, etc.);
Among racial groups, African Americans reported the most limited swimming ability; and
Men of all ages, races, and educational levels consistently reported greater swimming ability than women.
Details about additional studies and their findings are highlighted in the Water-Related Injuries: CDC Activities fact sheet.
Water-Related Injuries FAQ
How can water-related injuries be prevented?
To help prevent water-related injuries:1, 8, 9, 12, 13
Designate a responsible adult to watch young children while in the bath and all children swimming or playing in or around water. Adults should not be involved in any other distracting activity (such as reading, playing cards, talking on the phone, or mowing the lawn) while supervising children.
Always swim with a buddy. Select swimming sites that have lifeguards whenever possible.
Avoid drinking alcohol before or during swimming, boating, or water skiing. Do not drink alcohol while supervising children.
Learn to swim. Be aware that the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend swimming classes as the primary means of drowning prevention for children younger than 4. Constant, careful supervision and barriers such as pool fencing are necessary even when children have completed swimming classes.
Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). In the time it might take for paramedics to arrive, your CPR skills could make a difference in someone’s life. CPR performed by bystanders has been shown to improve outcomes in drowning victims.
Do not use air-filled or foam toys, such as “water wings”, “noodles”, or inner-tubes, in place of life jackets (personal flotation devices). These toys are not designed to keep swimmers safe.
If you have a swimming pool at home:
Install a four-sided, isolation pool fence that completely separates the house and play area of the yard from the pool area. The fence should be at least 4 feet high. Use self-closing and self-latching gates that open outward with latches that are out of reach of children. Also, consider additional barriers such as automatic door locks or alarms to prevent access or notify you if someone enters the pool area.
Remove floats, balls and other toys from the pool and surrounding area immediately after use. The presence of these toys may encourage children to enter the pool area or lean over the pool and potentially fall in.
If you are in or around natural bodies of water:
Know the local weather conditions and forecast before swimming or boating. Strong winds and thunderstorms with lightning strikes are dangerous.
Use U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets when boating, regardless of distance to be traveled, size of boat, or swimming ability of boaters.
Know the meaning of and obey warnings represented by colored beach flags.
Watch for dangerous waves and signs of rip currents (e.g. water that is discolored and choppy, foamy, or filled with debris and moving in a channel away from shore). If you are caught in a rip current, swim parallel to shore; once free of the current, swim toward shore.
References
1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [online]. (2008) [cited 2008 March 23]. Available from: URL: www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars.
2U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security (US). Boating Statistics – 2006 [online]. 2008. [cited 2008 March 26]. Available from URL: www.uscgboating.org/statistics/Boating_Statistics_2006.pdf.
3Branche CM. What is happening with drowning rates in the United States? In: Fletemeyer JR and Freas SJ, editors. Drowning: New perspectives on intervention and prevention. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press LLC; 1999.
4Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Swimming and Recreational Water Safety. In: Health Information for International Travel 2005-2006. Atlanta: US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, 2005.
5 Branche CM, Dellinger AM, Sleet DA, Gilchrist J, Olson SJ. Unintentional injuries: the burden, risks and preventive strategies to address diversity. In: Livingston IL, editor. Praeger handbook of Black American health (2nd edition): Policies and issues behind disparities in health. Westport (CT): Praeger Publishers; 2004. p. 317-27.
6 Brenner RA, Trumble AC, Smith GS, Kessler EP, Overpeck MD. Where children drown, United States, 1995. Pediatrics 2001;108(1):85–9.
7Present P. Child drowning study. A report on the epidemiology of drowning in residential pools to children under age five. Washington (DC): Consumer Product Safety Commission (US); 1987.
8U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Safety barrier guidelines for home pools [online]. [cited 2007 Mar 21]. Available from URL: www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/pool.pdf.
9Gilchrist J, Gotsch K, Ryan GW. Nonfatal and Fatal Drownings in Recreational Water Settings—United States, 2001 and 2002. MMWR 2004;53(21):447–52.
10Howland J, Mangione T, Hingson R, Smith G, Bell N. Alcohol as a risk factor for drowning and other aquatic injuries. In: Watson RR, editor. Alcohol and accidents. Drug and alcohol abuse reviews. Vol 7. Totowa (NJ): Humana Press, Inc.; 1995.
11Howland J, Hingson R. Alcohol as a risk factor for drownings: A review of the literature (1950–1985). Accident Analysis and Prevention 1988;20(1):19–25.
12Smith GS, Kraus JF. Alcohol and residential, recreational, and occupational injuries: A review of the epidemiologic evidence. Annual Rev of Public Health 1988;9:99–121.
13Quan L, Bennett E, Branche C. Interventions to prevent drowning. In Doll L, Bonzo S, Mercy J, Sleet D (Eds). Handbook of injury and violence prevention. New York: Springer, 2007
14 Gilchrist J, Sacks JJ, Branche CM. Self-reported swimming ability in U.S. adults, 1994. Public Health Reports 2000;115(2–3):110–1.
Drowning is a leading cause of accidental death for children younger than five in the United States, and rates are highest among 1- to 2-year-olds. . The risks of drowning are different for children of different ages and in different settings. Find out more about drowning risks.
When is it safe to get a swimming pool in our yard?
Swimming pools are the number one drowning risk for preschoolers. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against putting a swimming pool in your yard until your children are all over five years old. Children tend to slip silently into the water when they drown. They do not usually splash or make a sound. A child can drown silently within 30 seconds.
What water safety rules should I know, follow and teach my children?
- Most importantly, do not leave young children alone near water, not even with other children, not even for just a second.
- If a child is missing, always look first in the pool. Seconds count!
- Whenever your young child is in or around the water, an adult should be within arm's reach.
- Never swim alone.
- Do not use a diving board in a pool that is not approved for it.
- Above ground pools are usually not deep enough for diving.
- Never dive into water unless an adult okay’s the depth.
- Always use a Coast Guard approved life vest when boating, fishing, skiing, or playing in or near a stream or river.
- Young children should not use pool slides.
- Do not horse around by holding someone under the water.
- Never pretend to call for help in fun.
- Do not let a child use floating toys in water above their waist.
- Remove toys when pool is not in use to prevent a child going in on their own to retrieve them.
- Remember that floating toys like water wings and air mattresses are no substitute for a life vest, or for adult supervision.
- Keep electrical appliances away from the pool.
- Don’t swim during lightning storms.
- Don’t swim in areas where boats are anchored or active.
- Do not allow wheeled toys by the pool, such as tricycles.
- Keep a phone by the pool.
- Keep the pool area locked when not in use.
- Keep rescue equipment by the pool—shepherd’s hook, safety ring, and rope.
- Learn CPR. Find a course near you.
- Be sure to set pool safety guidelines for sitters. Here is a printable sitter checklist that also shows how to use “layers of protection,” and gives other helpful safety tips.
Will my child be safe if they have taken swimming lessons?
The AAP recommends holding off until kids are developmentally ready—at 4 years old—to start swimming lessons. When kids are ready, they should learn to swim. Water introduction classes are fun for your young child and help prepare them to learn to swim. But parents should never be lulled into thinking that their child is safe near the water, even if the child has had swimming or water instruction.
Do I still have to be careful if I have my pool fenced?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) warns that pool fencing alone is not enough to prevent drowning. Don’t let a pool fence give you a false sense of security. It is no substitute for supervision by adults who are trained in CPR, and having a telephone and rescue equipment poolside.
What about safety in spas, hot tubs and whirlpool tubs?
The safety concerns in spas, hot tubs, and whirlpools include drowning, hair entanglement in the powerful suction, parts of the body getting stuck in the suction drains, and overly hot temperatures. The CPSC has information about the potential hazards of spas, hot tubs and whirlpools and the safety precautions you can take to protect your family.
Where can I learn about preventing the spread of illness through swimming water?
Recreational water illnesses (RWIs) are illnesses that are spread through contact (swallowing, breathing or just touching) with contaminated water. This can happen in pools, spas, lakes, rivers or oceans. The most common illness is diarrhea, which can be caused by many different germs that can be spread in swimming water.
The great news is that, in pools, germs causing RWIs are killed by chlorine. However, chlorine doesn’t work right away. It takes time to kill germs and some germs like “Crypto” are resistant to chlorine and can live in pools for days. That is why even the best maintained pools can spread illness. You can help stop germs from getting in the pool in the first place with healthy swimming behaviors. Healthy swimming behaviors are needed to protect you and your kids from RWIs. Here’s what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says you can do to promote healthy swimming:
- Don’t swim when you have diarrhea. This is especially important for kids in diapers. You can spread germs in the water and make other people sick.
- Don’t swallow the pool water. In fact, avoid getting water your mouth.
- Practice good hygiene. Take a shower before swimming and wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers. Germs on your body end up in the water.
- Take your kids on bathroom breaks or change diapers often. Waiting to hear “I have to go” may mean that it’s too late.
- Change diapers in a bathroom and not at poolside. Germs can spread to surfaces and objects in and around the pool and spread illness.
- Wash your child thoroughly (especially the rear end) with soap and water before swimming. Everyone has invisible amounts of fecal matter on their bottoms that ends up in the pool.
For more information on RWIs:
- The CDC Healthy Swimming page gives information about recreational water illness prevention. Learn how to prevent the spread of disease while swimming.
- Get some more healthy swimming tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
What about boating safety?
Practice and teach your children safe boating practices. Make sure your kids always wear their life jackets while boating. Be aware of the level of skill and judgment needed to safely operate a boat, jet ski, or other watercraft; make sure your child is mature and well-trained before you let them take the controls.
Where can I find more information?
RReferences:
Cody BE, Quraishi AY, Dastur MC, Mickalide AD. Clear danger: A national study of childhood drowning and related attitudes and behaviors. Washington (DC): National SAFE KIDS Campaign, April 2004.
Healthy Swimming. Media Release. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Parasitic Diseases, National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-borne, and Enteric Diseases. Page last modified: April 17, 2007 Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming/media_release.htm. Accessed 13 June 2007.
