Last Updated on August 14, 2017
Safety should always be the utmost priority in any house with a private swimming pool. It’s not just for your own children and pets. It’s also for any child or animal from the neighborhood that might happen to wander into your backyard. So aside from teaching your children how to swim and being equipped with a swimming pool first aid kit, it is also important that you install the right pool safety equipment to prevent any kind of untoward events around the pool.
A pool fence is one of your best investments for pool safety because, unlike swimming pool alarms and safety lines, they provide a physical barrier against curious children who aren’t scared of poking their noses into wherever they can. There are professionals who can install it for you or you can simply do it yourself. A DIY pool fence, when properly installed, works just as well as one mounted by experts.
There are no federal laws mandating the use of pool fences, but in several states like California, Florida and Arizona, having a professional or DIY pool fence is a must. It’s really no wonder because drowning has been found to be the No. 1 cause for accidental child deaths in these states. In the land down under, pool safety laws are more stringent. Australian law requires a pool fence of at least 1.2 meters in height around all swimming pools found in all territories, save only those exempted by the local council
If you choose to install a DIY pool fence—and you probably ought to as soon as there are babies and toddlers running around inside and outside the house—there are a number of considerations.
First, choose a pool fence kit that allows you to put together a durable fence. Mesh fencing is tough and can provide good protection around your pool. It also prevents the indefatigable-minded little ones from grabbing onto anything they can to climb over the fence. Additionally, the transparent mesh lets you see exactly where your children are from all angles. Also, the poles should be made of a light, sturdy metal to make your DIY pool fence easy to remove.
Second, if the gate doesn’t close and lock on its own, don’t go for it. A self-closing, self-latching gate is the only way for you to refuse pool access by unsupervised children. Never compromise safety without this feature.
