Drowning accidents, especially in home swimming pools, are usually the result of parents’ negligence. Many times, parents assume that their children can swim enough to have no problem in the swimming pool which ends up not being true. If you have a pool, then it is your sole responsibility to ensure that it stays safe. Neighbor kids or pets can drown if proper safety measures are not set up. Making your pool area safe is what will reduce the number of accidents that may happen.
Due to the high number of pool drownings in the USA, there have been many laws passed about pool safety, and if a home does not adhere to these rules, it will be faced with penalties. If you have a pool and are looking for ways to ensure your pool stays safe, don’t worry. Here is everything you need to know about pool safety and how to make your pool a safe place for your kids and pets by using DIY Pool Fencing.
How to keep the swimming pool safe?
The first thing you need to figure out is how to keep your pool safe for your children. Various methods can be used to ensure that the pool stays safe. Take a look at them and figure out which one is best for you and your home;
DIY Pool Fencing
One of the easiest ways to keep your pool safe is to install a barrier between the pool and the rest of the outdoor area. You can put up a permanent or removable pool fence based on your preference or what your city requires. In most places, you cannot build a pool without a fence. It does not matter whether you want to use another safety measure. The one thing you need to remember about these barriers is, they should be high enough so a small child cannot climb through, and they should be made from strong mesh so no child or pets can break through it. You have to either install it yourself or have a professional company install it for you.
As a second safety measure, you can use a pool alarm. This should be only secondary because this will only alert you when the accident is already happening. (Opposed to a pool fence which can prevent it from happening.) The alarm’s job is to alert you of entry into the pool area. The alarm can be attached to the gate and turned on when you lock the gate. You can also get alarms that are in the swimming pool and will alert you when something penetrates the water in the pool.
Safety Covers
To ensure the pool is even safer, add a layer of protection by getting a pool cover. A good pool cover can handle the weight of one child easily. You also need to get a quality pool cover and check its condition regularly. Based on your budget, you can have a motorized cover or a manual.
Keep cleaning products locked away
Another common accident around the pool area is pool cleaning products left sitting around. Some children might even drink it, which is toxic and can cause extreme harm. The best way to deal with this is to lock these harmful cleaning products away.
Teach your child about pool safety
Despite all these measures, there is still a chance of an accident. Teach your child to swim from a young age and talk to them about safety rules when walking around the pool. Keep in mind that young children are attracted to water and don’t have fear like adults have. Drowning is silent and happens quickly. Don’t assume that someone else is watching your child.
What is a pool fence?
A pool fence is specially designed to keep your swimming pool safe from entering the pool area. Pool fences are mostly designed to keep young children under 5 from accessing the pool. Getting a good-quality pool fence might save your child’s life. There are many different types of pool fences but only one type was made especially for pools which is the Mesh Pool Fence.
Do I need a pool fence?
Most likely. Most municipalities in the United States require you to have a pool fence around your swimming pool. Home Insurance policies or when you plan to adopt a child you will be required to have a fenced pool. But even if you are not required, you better have it for liability reasons. If a neighbors kid or pet walks by and drowns in your pool you will be liable.
Installing a Pool Fence
The safest way is to install your fence completely around the pool so the only reason to even touch this fence is to use the pool. NOTHING is safer than this design. Creating an isolation barrier is the best installation to prevent your children from gaining access to the pool area.
When installing this fence we recommend that you keep your fence a minimum of twenty-four inches away from the edge of the pool. You need to have 24 inches in order to be able to get out of the pool with the fence installed. 30 inches and 36 inches are preferred fence distances from your pool edge provided you have enough space to walk on both sides of the fence. We don’t usually recommend more than 36″ from the edge of the pool, because you are taking away too much play area from your children and we know that your children need all the play space you can give them.
Prevent Drowning Accidents
The biggest advantage of a pool fence is safety. There is a chance that you might forget to roll over the pool cover once you are done using it. For example, you receive a phone call and run out of the pool… BUT, the pool fence gate will always self-latch when you leave. As such, you can be sure that you will not have any issues when leaving the pool in a state that might lead to accidents.
Unlike the covers, which might need to be rolled either manually or electronically. It is also not like the alarm you have to reset each time. Fences are pretty simple. Most of them are coming with a self-locking gate, so all you need to do is to walk out of the pool area and they will close behind you. You can even use a key to lock it if you have a smart toddler who figured out the gate latch.
Peace of mind
If there is another thing that is very obvious when it comes to the fenced pool, it’s the fact that you do not have to worry about it once you lock it up. The gate will shut itself, and there is no second-guessing for you.
Variety of design
Other than the shape of the pool, nothing else makes your pool stand out other than your fence. You can choose different pool designs, which give it character and makes it stand out.
Removable or Permanent Pool Fence?
The one debate you might get into when it comes to picking out a pool fence is whether you will get a removable one or a permanent one. While both these pool fences work, they come with different perks. Learning about them will help you choose the best fence for your pool.
Here is a comparison of the two fence types:
Permanent fences are required for building codes. You get the assurance that a child cannot pull it out off the ground easily. However you cannot just simply remove the fence and roll it up when you don’t want it, you will need a screw to unscrew it. Permanent fences have a locking deck sleeve which prevents them to be pulled out of the ground. That’s basically the only difference.
DIY Pool fence pros and cons
The one thing most people have issues with when it comes to the pool fence is whether they should install it themselves or get a professional to do it. While there are people who swear by DIY, others prefer to leave it to the professionals. You need to weigh in on everything and figure out what will work for you and what will go against you:
Pros of DIY pool fence
- Cost. One of the things you will notice when it comes to putting DIY is there will be no labor cost. You only have to pay for the material, and you are good to go. If you are on a tight budget, and you are handy, then this is something you can do for yourself.
- Customization. The other thing you can do when you DIY your fence makes the fence according to your preference. You do not have to put it in like everyone else. The freedom makes it worth it.
- Satisfaction. There is nothing as good as looking back at the job you did and feeling like you did yourself. That is the feeling most people who choose to do DIY get.
Cons of DIY pool fence
- Time-consuming. The biggest disadvantage of a DIY pool fence is the amount of time you will take on it, especially if you have never installed a fence before. If you are pressed for time and need the fence up in no time, DIY will not do it for you.
- Accuracy. If you have never installed a pool fence, then chances are you will struggle with the dimensions. You need to ensure that you are accurate in your measurements. Otherwise, you will mess everything up.
- Lack of neat finish. The thing with DIY is, you will always lack that professional finish. If you are looking for something neat, then this is something you need to look into.
- It might cost you more in the long run if you do a bad job. There is nothing as bad as paying for materials once they have to pay for materials and labor a second time because you messed up the first time.
- Legal issues. There are rules and regulations when it comes to the fenced pool, and if you put it up in the wrong way, then you might get hefty fees. You need to be sure of the regulations, so you do not get into such a mess.
ChildGuard® DIY Pool Fence
If you are looking for a DIY pool fence, then you should try a ChildGuard® pool fence. It’s just a better-quality pool fence. We manufacture our fences in the United States, safety and quality is our most important goal.
Our fences are:
- Removable: the biggest perk of our fence is that it is removable. If you want to have a pool party, then you can take the fence off and have easier access to the pool. You can easily put it back when you are ready.
- High Quality: ChildGuard® pool fences are not cheaply made Chinese products. Our fences are made from top-quality mesh materials, assembled in our factory in the United States. This is the same quality pool fence we offer on Guardianpoolfence.com but this is for DIYers.
- Safety. The best thing about this fence is it is extra safe. It will come with a self-latching gate which ensures that the pool area is staying close after you’ve left it.
- Prices. Our prices reflect quality. DIY pool fencing is just like our brand name product, Guardian Pool Fence but you are the one who’s installing it. There are no labor costs but you get the same top-quality product.
- Durable. We stand by our product. We have a 6-year-warranty, which
Conclusion
Home swimming pools can be dangerous. According to CDC, drowning is the leading cause of death for children under the age of 4. More children die from drowning than any other cause of death except birth defects. Even when it comes to children between the ages of 4-14, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury and death. Nonfatal drowning can result in long-term health problems and expensive hospital stays. Drowning injuries can cause brain damage and other serious conditions, including long-term disability. Knowing all this you will need to make sure to keep your swimming pool safe using a proper pool fence. Don’t try to cut corners when it comes to your children’s safety. Get a high-quality product so you will get peace of mind.
Do you need a DIY Pool Fence?
