HOW TO CHOOSE A POOL LADDER

The water in a swimming pool needs to be easily and conveniently accessible with no inherent dangers lurking around for the young, not so young, the young at heart and to all senior citizens too. It is also imperative that the swimming pool is protected from toddlers or young children gaining access without adult supervision. These are our prerogatives if we have a swimming pool, whether it is an above ground or the traditional in-ground. These two types of swimming pools are very extensively used with the former proliferating in use around the United States. There are an estimated 3.5 million residential pools in this country and a majority of them are above ground pools.

To get into a pool whether it is an above ground or in-ground could be quite a daunting task is there are no steps or pool ladders to easily slip into the water. To facilitate easy accessibility into the water the best contraptions that are popularly used are a flight of steps, stairs or pool ladders. What you need to choose for your pool would invariably depend on the type of pool that you intend installing in your backyard. If you have already installed the pool then it would again depend on what type you have decided on.

Slipping into an in-ground or above ground pool

Pool ladders which you may install in an in-ground pool may not be conducive to an in-ground pool hence some prudent thought would need to cross your mind to ensure you choose the best access into your pool. Her we look at pool ladders and how best you could choose the one which would fit your above ground or in-ground pool. Accessing the water in an in-ground pool you would need to access from a higher level to a lower level. Invariable the access would be from ground level to a level below it. A pool ladder could be used which gives easy and convenient access into the water. Pool stairs and steps could also be used to climb down into the water from the ground level into the in-ground pool.

The ball game changes drastically when it is an above ground pool that is in your backyard. Above ground pools are easily installed and are very much cheaper to assemble than an in-ground pool. They could move home with you hence its proliferation around the country. The popularity of the above ground pool has been the impetus to enhance the use of swimming pools around the United States and even around the world. The above ground pool has one major issue to contend with which is absent in an in-ground pool. The walls of the above ground pool stand higher than the ground level. It could be anything around 5 to 5 ½ feet high which could be a daunting task to climb over in and out of the pool every time you could be using it.

Pool ladders to your rescue

To overcome your predicament pool ladders of various types have been design engineered from various materials, not only to provide easy access but also add ambience to the environs of your pool. It is imperative that you choose the most appropriate and practical pool ladder to ensure your access into and out of the pool is as easy and convenient as possible. The pool ladder that you choose should also be strong and sturdy because you would have to scale a 5 feet hurdle to get into and out of the pool. Special attention should be drawn to the strength of the pool ladder that you would choose because it would need to carry the weight of an adult all the way up 5 feet and then allow them to get over onto the other side.

A strong and sturdy pool ladder is inevitable if you are to avoid any unforeseen accidents because if the pool ladder gives way you could either end up in the water on one side or on the hard ground on the other side. Hence the importance of the pool ladder and it being strong enough is brought into question before you choose one for your above ground pool. There are some very salient aspects which you need to take into consideration before you would choose your pool ladder.

DIY installation

Apart from the ambience it adds to the environs of the pool, and the strength and stability required, it needs to match style in design and durability too. A pool ladder is constantly exposed to water and the chemicals that are inherent in it hence need to be corrosion free. To ensure a corrosion free pool ladder it would need to be manufactured from special materials which could withstand it. Another important aspect to consider is the ease of installing a pool ladder because we are well aware that retaining professional help could cost us a fortune. Most of the pool ladders that are available in the market are all in DIY kits. It is a matter of un-wrapping the cartons and assembling the pool ladder without any fuss at all. Some basic technical knowledge and no tools required is the general boast of all pool ladder manufacturers.

Like it is said above, pool ladders are made of stainless steel, polypropylene, treated wood and most popularly resin plus other materials. These materials are lightweight and tend to float in water and could be unstable when water is filled up in the pool. To ensure stability in the water the pool ladders are provided with the facility to fill it up with sand to weigh it down. This could be an awkward chore because you will have to buy the sand to fill the insides of the pool ladder to ensure it stabilizers when the water is filled up in the pool. Depending on the type and size of the pool ladder you will have to get quite a quantity of sand to ensure every crevice provided is filled up to ensure total stability of the pool ladder.

These are the standards but to bring all these relevant aspects together the most important would be to choose and install one of the many types of pool ladders that are available. We look at them below and how best they would be advantageous to us in use and also ensure optimum safety, style, ambience and ease of access in and out of the pool.

Types of pool ladder

• A-Frame Ladder

The A-Frame Ladder is the most commonest and affordable access into and out of the above ground which is not designed for in-ground pools. It is basically two ladders one on the outside wall of the pool and the other on the inside submerged in the water. It is a few rungs of steps on either side to facilitate an easy up and down on either side. This type of pool ladder comes with brackets to fasten onto the top of the above ground pool to ensure strength and stability. The safety feature is very simple in the A-Frame Ladder with the rungs on the outside pushed up and lockable ensuring it denies access to unattended children to get into the pool. These pool ladders are made of resin, and they are adjustable in height on either side enabling firm attachment on the inside and the outside. These pool ladders are able to take a weight of about 300 pounds. Maintenance is easy and convenient with these types of pool ladders used where there is no deck accessibility.

• In-Pool Ladder

The In-Pool Ladder is design engineered for pools with a deck. Access into the water is from a deck fixed to the pool and the In-Pool Ladder is fixed onto the deck. Stability and strength is derived by it being fixed onto the deck and the base of the ladder being firmly placed on the bottom of the pool ladder. The base of the In-Pool Ladder could be adjusted to be firmly placed on the floor of the pool. Even the sloped edges of an above ground pool could easily accommodate an In-Pool Ladder without much of a fuss. These pool ladders are also made of resin, whilst some are manufactured from specially formulated light weight stainless steel. The hollow portions of the In-Pool Ladder could be filled up with sand to weigh it down ensuring added stability and strength for easy accessibility even for a 300 pound adult. The In-Pool Ladder is very similar to the A-Frame pool ladder without the rungs on the outside. The In-Pool Ladder is also a very common contraption which could be used either in an above ground pool or an in-ground pool.

• Ladder on the Outside and Steps on the Inside

This type of ladder on the outside and steps on the inside, pool ladders are specially designed for above ground pools where access from a deck is not possible. The ladder on the outside whilst being stabilized on the ground, the steps on the inside is stabilized with the use of sand poured into the hollows. The ladder on the outside could be pushed up.

The absence of steps on the outside when the ladder is pushed up prevents unattended children from gaining access into the pool hence preventing any unforeseen accidents from happening. These pool ladders are also very common where a deck is not constructed to access the pool. They are affordable as they are made of resin or low cost but strong and sturdy material. Reinforced polypropylene is also used for these types of pool ladders if the option is cheaper than the others. Whilst this type of pool ladders and steps are practical they are affordable too. The advantage with this type of pool ladders and steps is that when you construct a deck you could continue to use the steps on the inside and remove the ladder on the outside.

• Steps on the Outside and Steps on the Inside

This type of pool access with steps on the outside and inside could be the most expensive of all as they are very stable and strong being firmly placed on the ground outside and the pool inside. The quantum of raw material whether it is resin, polypropylene of even treated wood which is used to manufacture this type of pool access is more than any of the others. Hence invariably the cost would substantially increase. Added stability is possible by filling up the provided hollows in the steps with sand to weigh it down on the outside and the inside. There is complete stability and strength in this design and is used exclusively for above ground pools only. Climbing up about 5 to 5 ½ feet especially for an overweight or elderly adult would not be an easy chore if there is no firm foothold. This type of pool access with steps firmly on the ground with added railings too provides ample confidence for anyone getting in and out of the pool. To prevent access to unattended children the steps outside are provided with a small lockable gate. This is safety at its best and is very popular with senior citizens with the hand railings providing added support for them to access the pool.

• Inside Steps

These Inside Steps are specially designed for access into a pool from a deck which could be either an in-ground pool or an above ground pool. These Inside Steps accessibility with its supporting railings are ideal for those who have difficulty in either climbing up a pool ladder or even steps that are on the outside. Accessing the pool water from a deck or higher elevation which is very stable is an important consideration for those who are feeble especially senior citizens. These Inside Steps for pools could be weighted down for additional stability and has wide steps for convenient and slip free accessibility into the pool. They are made from the best of materials and are designed manufactured to ensure it remains corrosion free and lasts a very long time. The Inside Steps are in knockdown condition and could be easily assembled with no tools required hence fixing it onto your pool and deck should not be costing you anything extra. It is a easy and convenient DIY operation and once fixed it will provide safe and easy access for anyone.

• Wedding Cake Steps (Inside Only)

The Wedding Cake Steps is just what it means and is just like a wedding cake with its different tiers. These are designed engineered for in-ground pools and above ground pools with access by a deck. It provides easy accessibility into the pool with railings on top going right down below the water level. These are made of resin which is lightweight and could tend to float in the water hence there is provision to weigh it down with sand to ensure it is as stable for anyone of any weight using the pool. This is ideal for senior citizens and those who have issues with physical movement and accessing a pool may be a difficult chore. The wide and spacious steps in a half semi-circle provide ample foot hold and safe access in and out of the pool. The Wedding Cake Steps are also manufactured from strong but lightweight material and it is often specially formulated resin that is used. Being lightweight the option is provided to weigh it down ensuring stability on the floor of the pool.

CONCLUSION

It is imperative that you consider every single factor before you make the final decision as to which of the above pool ladders you are like to consider installing in your pool. The primary consideration is the type of pool you have, whether it is an above ground or in-ground. If it is an above ground, is it equipped with a deck for accessibility and once you consider this aspect then the physical condition of the users will need to be taken into consideration. The other important factor is safety for children and pets when left unattended. Ensure you pool is well secured preventing any unforeseen accidents