As we move into the summer and the heat begins to beat down on most of the United States, people are naturally going to go looking for ways to keep cool. One of the best, regardless of where you live, is a swimming pool. Having a pool at your disposal can make all the difference when it comes to minimizing the effects of the heat, and it can even help save you money because your family won’t be trapped inside all day running the air conditioning. However, pools need to be kept safe for obvious reasons, and the best way to accomplish this is with swimming pool fencing.
Everyone basically understands that swimming pool fencing is essential for pools that sit near children and people that can’t swim, but there are additional considerations to keep in mind if you’re busy looking at different types of swimming pool fences. Aluminum Fences Direct has a plethora of swimming pool fence ideas and options, and below we’re going to run through some of those ideas that are extremely important in this regard.
Swimming Pool Fencing Laws
While there is no federal law with regards to swimming pool fencing, most local jurisdictions have laws and regulations in place that require swimming pool fences and other safety measures designed to prevent injuries or worse. This is a prevalent problem, as according to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, nearly 300 children under the age of five drown every year in swimming pools.
As such, the USCPSC has published guidelines, linked above, that provide recommendations for swimming pool fencing. A few examples of these recommendations include:
- Swimming pool fencing should be at least 48 inches tall.
- Swimming pool fences, ideally, should be at least five feet tall.
- Barriers should exist on all four sides of a pool.
- If one of the barriers is the home itself, the doors leading to the pool should have alarms.
- Pool covers can offer another layer of protection and safety.
The guidelines go on to provide more details with regards to different types of swimming pool fencing and how they should be built, so please give it a read before you proceed with your plans. As far as local laws are concerned, check with your municipality to find out exactly what’s required for your pool.
Keeping Your Child Out of Your Above-Ground Pool
Although the challenge is somewhat different, the goal and approach towards safety with regards to above-ground pools is the same: to keep children and people who otherwise cannot swim from gaining unsupervised access to the pool. Obviously, above-ground pools are different from inground pools in a structural sense, and that means that your swimming pool fencing also needs to be built differently.
Usually, swimming pool fencing that protects above-ground pools is placed on the top of the pool itself, and the USCPSC recommends that the barrier between the top of the pool and the bottom of swimming pool fences not exceed four inches. Otherwise, the pool itself should be protected on all sides, and that may include access to a deck that sits above the pool. Once again, check with your local municipality to obtain all the details you need with regards to regulations and recommendations.
Keeping Your Toddler Out of the Pool
Those of us who have or have had toddlers understand that this is quite a stage in life. These little ones are able to run around with surprising speed and stamina, but their curiosity and lack of awareness can actually make this reality extremely dangerous in certain situations. That obviously includes any time they spend near a pool, as most toddlers are not able to swim.
Clearly, the most predictable and safe way to keep your toddler out of the pool is to keep constant watch over him or her and to never allow the child to go near the pool without direct supervision. That’s not always going to work, though, as we all understand. More needs to be done, and it starts with swimming pool fencing.
Aside from the recommendations above from the federal government, along with heavy doses of caution and common sense, the only other thing to add to your approach to swimming pool fencing is to make sure that the latch and gate are self-closing and that the latch exist at least 54 inches above the ground so that the child cannot reach it. Structurally, you should also make sure that the child is not able to climb the fence in any way.
What Is the Safest Style for Swimming Pool Fencing?
Finally, we’d like to discuss a common question that we answer for our customers, which involves the style of swimming pool fencing that’s the safest. There is no one, overriding answer to this question, as every pool, every setup and every set of details is going to be unique. What we can tell you is that we’ve made countless families happy with our choices when it comes to swimming pool fencing, and we can do so for you as well.
You should start by taking a look at our styles. You should also start thinking about the advantages that aluminum fencing presents when compared to wood. A few examples of those advantages include durability, style and ease of management among many others. If you’re looking at swimming pool fencing and you’d like whatever you build to last years, aluminum is the way to go almost every time.
If you’re still not sure about the best approach when it comes to your swimming pool fencing, you can also feel free to contact us at any time. We’ll be happy to talk to you about your situation and make recommendations that move you towards a solution. Enjoy the summer and beating the heat as best you can, and we look forward to providing you with the safety and peace of mind with regards to your pool that you deserve.
