Pool Safety Statements: Fact or Myth

While the summer days are now over, it doesn’t have to be the end of the pool season for you. If you wish to continue the pool training for your little ones or wish to have some pool parties in the coming months, pool safety may be one of the things on your mind. With the amount of pool safety statements already out there, it can get rather overwhelming to enforce various safety rules. To help calm your nerves before the pool sessions, we’ve prepared a list of common pool safety statements and explained if some of them are actually myths. Let’s dive right into it.

  1. You Should Wait One Hour After Eating Before Entering the Pool – Myth

This is probably the most famous pool safety statement out there and is currently universally accepted. However, the statement is completely false and has never been proven by science.

The premise behind the myth is that eating can affect your digestive tract and cause blood to flow towards your gut. This may reduce the amount of oxygen you get to your muscles and cause them to cramp in the middle of swimming.

Thankfully, there has never been a real case of drowning caused by eating prior to swimming. While it is true that exercising after eating can be uncomfortable, it will not cause you to cramp and drown when swimming.

  1. Clear Pool Water Means Clean Pool Water – Myth

This is an unfortunate myth that many have fallen victim to. Even if your pool water looks crystal clear, it can still have the presence of several tiny microbes that can turn a pool party into an infectious hotspot.

It is vital to maintain your pool the right way before each swim to prevent situations such as this from occurring. If you’re in the water, your sense of smell and feeling can help you judge whether the water is clean or not.

  1. Drowning is Noisy – Myth

This is one of the more dangerous myths that has led to tragedies with unsuspecting parents. Drowning is only ever loud in the movies. In real life, it is more silent and does not involve a lot of splashing.

Children who don’t have much experience with the pool may simply slip underwater and not realize that they need to stand up. This causes them to drown quietly without a sound.

  1. Swimmer’s Ear Can Occur Even Without Swimming – True

Swimmer’s ear is an ear infection in the inner ear canal and yes, it can occur even if you don’t enter the pool. Humid climate often results in this infection and it is caused by the bacteria Pseudomonas.

If you’re maintaining your pool the right way or have a pool contractor who’s doing it for you, you shouldn’t experience these problems. However, when visiting a public pool, it’s advisable to use a vinegar and glycerin solution to prevent the infection.

  1. Chlorine Causes Red Eyes and Itchy Skin – Myth

While chlorine certainly isn’t a chemical the human body is used to on a daily basis, it doesn’t cause the problems most people associate it with. These problems are in fact caused by an improper pH level in the water.

If you get red eyes from your pool water, it may actually require additional chlorine to help sanitize the water and reduce the number of chloramines in it.

Final Thoughts

As you may see, ensuring pool safety isn’t always a fussy situation. One of the leading causes of pool problems is in fact improper maintenance, and you can avoid this by hiring a contractor you can rely on. If you’re looking to connect with a pool contractor, you are bound to find someone reliable and hardworking on The Pool Connect App.