5 Good Reasons You Need a Swimming Pool Fence
Posted By Houston Decorator on February 23, 2010
If you own a swimming pool you are probably considering getting a swimming pool fence to put around your pool. You probably have the safety of others as your top reason for wanting to get a pool fence, but you’re probably worried that a fence might be an eyesore too. It’s important to keep in mind that having a pool in your yard is going to give you certain responsibilities, like taking extra measures to making sure no one gets hurt in your pool.
Here are five reasons you should get a pool fence:
Reason 1: Safety Precaution
Having a fence for your pool is a great way to keep people out of the water. While having a cover helps, people can still trip and fall and get hurt around the swimming pool from various hazards caused by the water. A fence is going to almost eliminate any safety hazards caused by a swimming pool.
Reason 2: Your Liability
Even if you don’t have children of your own staying with you there are likely children around your neighborhood. Not that you have to be responsible over all children, but you do have to take responsibility over your pool which might entice many young children-especially if you allow them to swim in the pool when you or the children in your family are around. Children might think that if they’ve done it before it is okay to do it again. A pool fence helps limit the number of children that can get into the swimming pool-especially if you have a lock or combination that has to be entered in order to get in the pool.
Reason 3: Various Options
The size and kind of pool you have in the backyard is going to determine how large or the kind of fence you need. You might not need a large wooden fence, but you might also need more than a mesh fence. Know what kind of fence you need depending on the pool you have.
Reason 4: Easy Installation
The type of fence you choose determines how easy the installation is and what you need. Most mesh fences are easy to install on your own, while getting a wood fence is most likely going to require professional help. Having a professional install a fence will save you from other issues that might arise if it doesn’t hold up as it should.
Reason 5: According to the Law
According to most state and/or local laws you are required to have a protective fence around your backyard swimming pool. There are some pretty strict laws that are enforced in regards to having a swimming pool. Be sure you know what your laws say so you don’t end up getting fined when you figured your type of swimming pool didn’t need a fence.
A fence doesn’t guarantee perfect protection from people getting into your pool, it’s just a safety measure to keep most people out. In order for your fence to work best you need to lock your gate. Keep the safety of others in mind as you put a pool in your yard.
An item everyone needs inside their pool fence is a vinyl storage shed to store all of the pool supplies. These mini storage buildings won’t take up a lot of space but will keep your supplies and chemicals safely locked away yet easy to get to when you need them.
Keep in mind that the gate needs to be self-closing and self-latching. This can be achieved by using the Magna-Latch in conjunction with the Tru-Close hinge. Also, most areas require the fence to be at least 48 inches tall ( some even require 60 inches tall ) and the spacing between vertical pickets to be less than 4 inches. No matter what you do, check with your local department of inspections first and remember, no safety precaution is a substitute for proper adult supervision.