Diving Boards NOT recommended – Here’s WHY!
Diving boards used to be a must-have for any swimming pool – but today you see fewer and fewer – and are at risk for extinction with good reason.
Here are just a few reasons we recommend NOT adding this option to your pool:
1. Safety & Insurance: Most insurance companies today frown upon diving boards and will either not insure your property or may significantly bump up your rates if you add one. Southern Scapes recommends you talk to your insurance provider prior to adding a diving board. Diving boards have led to many accidents in the past and requires a much deeper pool, which is an issue if you have inexperienced swimmers in your pool. Most people who install a pool are looking to decrease stress and provide a fun, relaxing pool experience – and diving boards typically increase anxiety – especially when young children are involved.
2. Stiff diving boards: Today’s diving boards really just don’t have much “umph”. Gone are the days of a super springy board as the manufacturers of diving boards don’t want the legal risks. Without the spring, the novelty usually wears off and homeowners regret having installed them.
3. Too much pool: The average diving length pool is about 40 ft. long. About 90% of all the pools we install are under 35 ft because most lots simply cannot accommodate such a large pool. More importantly, diving pools have a limited play area in order to accommodate the transition from the shallow to the deep diving end of the pool. The diving end is still only about 8 ft. deep and is only about 10-15 ft on average – which means you are still limited in the type of diving you can do. Recent studies show most people spend most of their time in the ‘play area’ of the pool – in fact about 80% of their time is in this part of the pool. The Play area is considered anywhere a person can stand with their head above water.
In summary, Southern Scapes Pools & Landscape Design does NOT recommend adding this feature. Diving boards are costly and not as safe as other features that enhance your pool without increasing risks or insurance costs. While we have installed them for clients, we always firmly encourage our customers to consider other options.
