Child Safety Pool FenceA child safety pool fence is absolutely a requirement if you have a pool and have children yourself, or have children over to your house even on occasion. Even if you don't have children at your home, you will need to be sure that a fence is installed which meets your municipality's requirements for keeping other children in the neighborhood safe, if you have a pool in your yard.
Children simply do not understand the danger of water, and have a knack for getting into things that they shouldn’t. The most important measure is that of prevention, and the installation of a child safety pool fence is an excellent measure of prevention. Your individual municipality will have rules and regulations as to the height that a child safety pool fence must be in order to meet requirements. Obtain this information before having your fence installed. Child Safety Pool Fence – In Ground Pools If you have an in ground pool, your only option for a child safety pool fence, is an open-designed fence that encompasses the entire pool area, and is equipped with a gate that locks in some fashion. Remember, if you can open a gate, then a child can do it too. Make it more difficult to open by having it locked when not in use. You should be sure that the fence is not easily climbed because children are very skilled climbers, and a clear field of vision is of utmost importance to be sure the area is safe. You wouldn’t want any type of fence that would make it difficult to tell whether or not someone was in the pool area – your field of vision into the pool area should be uncompromised. You’re best bet is one of the wrought iron fences available on the market today. These fences allow for a clear field of vision into the pool area, they are difficult to climb as a result of their style, and they are some of the most durable fences available. While these fences are some of the most expensive fences available, if you’re going through the expense of installing or maintaining an in ground swimming pool, you should also be prepared to ensure the safe use of this backyard addition. One other option to ensure child safety with in ground pools, is a professionally installed, super heavy duty pool cover. I have seen covers that are used for the pools throughout the entire year (the cover is so sturdy it does not need to be replaced with a winter cover) and are in fact so resilient that they can safely support the weight of several adults. They are installed on tracks, and can be rolled and unrolled with the turn of a key from inside your home. You’ll need to do research on this in your area as there are few pool covers that meet these standards. Pool covers can be exceptionally dangerous, so make sure you are always following the manufacturers instructions and limitations. Child Safety Pool Fence – Above Ground Pools There are several different options available to the owners of above ground pools when installing a child safety pool fence. The outside wall of the pool itself may meet the height requirements in your area, or it may not. In my village (jeez...it sounds like I live is a small town in South America, right? What can I say? It's the "Village" of Brown Deer!), the height of the pool wall is not sufficient to meet the 60 inch requirement of a fence around a pool. Because of this, I had to install a vinyl fence extension to the pool wall in order to meet requirements. This fence prevents anyone from being able to hop over the side of the pool.
Even if my village had a 54 inch requirement, I would have had to install this fence because my pool sits on a small slope, making one side of it slightly less than 54 inches tall. My cousin’s village, however, requires no more than a 4 foot height requirement, and his pool sits on a flat piece of land, meaning that he does not have to install any additional fences to meet the requirements for his area. Both of us, however, need to be careful about the ladder that we use for our pools. Ladders need to either be stored in an upright position (meaning they are flipped up and away and inaccessible for climbing into the pool), or they need to be removed from the pool after each use. My cousin’s ladder flips up, and before last year I had a ladder that was easily removable. Last year I purchased a vinyl ladder that comes with a swinging door that latches shut. The latch can be equipped with a padlock. This ladder definitely meets my standards for a child safety pool fence. The swinging door is such that it automatically closes after you climb in or out of the pool. This makes it that much safer in my opinion, because you don’t need to remember to watch the ladder when family and friends are over playing in the pool. That moment when all the adults are ready to get out of the pool, but little feet and legs want to keep playing, is the moment I especially look out for! Another option for a child safety pool fence for an above ground pool is a deck that goes partly, or all around the pool. If you decide on this option, just make sure that you install a gate at the bottom of the stairs to the upper deck, that can be securely locked. Keep your pool safe for everyone and you will enjoy it for many, many years! Return from Child Safety Pool Fence to Backyard Swimming Pools
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