There’s something special about a yard that has a pool. It’s a status symbol. It’s a neighborhood draw. It’s a kid magnet. It’s a beautiful addition to the property. Yes, a pool can really turn a so-so yard into one of the most coveted yards on the block.
But did you know that a pool fence has just as many features? A pool fence can not only be attractive but it can serve many functions in your yard. Yes, it keeps you, your children, and your pets safe, but it also contributes to the decor of your yard: even if you didn’t need a fence for safety, there are some fences that look so nice that you love to have them sprucing up your backyard.
Here are just a few of the things that a good aluminum pool fence can do for you.
Pool Fencing Gives You Peace of Mind
Let’s get the biggest thing out of the way first: a pool fence is there for protection. But it protects in many ways. Yes, a pool fence that is properly installed according to the codes of your state will keep a toddler or a child from getting into the pool unsupervised and having a terrible accident. But they do more than that. They keep intruders out of your pool area; in some places, a prowler is in your backyard illegally and they fall into the pool and suffer injuries or death, you can be held liable for the accident, even though it was the prowler who was breaking the law. So keeping a fence around your pool will not only protect your children, but it will protect anyone who is wandering around your backyard.
Furthermore, a pool fence is great for the summer barbeque. You can have all of the neighbors over for hamburgers and hotdogs on the grill, and never have to worry about anyone (and we’re talking about adults here) getting too close to the pool and either making a mess of it with their dropped food, or pushing each other in as a joke. In other words, a pool fence sets a line of demarcation across your yard, telling people where they’re allowed to go and where they’re not.
Finally, a pool fence will keep animals out of the pool. And while yes, of course we’re talking about your precious pets, we’re also talking about neighborhood animals and even wildlife. You don’t want to wake up in the morning to discover that a cat or a dog or a raccoon or a possum managed to fall into the pool, put up a struggle as long as they could, but didn’t make it.
Having a pool fence gives you peace of mind. You can go to bed at night, or be inside during the day, and know that your pool is secure and that there’s no threat of injury or harm outside.
Pool Fencing Enhances the Look of the Yard
Pool fencing can also make the entire look of your yard pop with life. Don’t think that just because it’s a pool fence it has to be bland and ordinary. On the contrary, a pool fence can be every bit as decorative as the fences that you put around your yard. If you have a certain look that you want your yard to have—say, you want fleur de lis finials surrounding your yard, flanked by well-trimmed hedges—there’s no reason that your pool fence can’t be decorated in the same way, adding an architectural detail to the yard that is not only safe but also pleasing to the eye.
Pool Fencing Can Be Focal Point of Your Yard’s Decor
In fact, pool fencing can not only be beautiful, but it can be the focus of the yard’s look. How? Aluminum fences have dozens of styles to fit with the architectural style of any home, or the landscape design of any backyard. There’s no reason why, when you’re designing the look of your backyard, you can’t pick out the Japanese maple, the bubbling water feature, the ornamental ferns, and the Cathedral fencing style to match. It can all be one package. With the many looks available with aluminum fencing, you don’t have to hide your fence behind bushes and hedges; you can be proud of it and it can accent the perfect lawn and garden decor.
Pool Fencing Is the Law
This one is easy. Pool fencing is the law. No matter what state you live in, pool fences are required. The laws vary from state to state, from county to county, and even from zone to zone. You need to know the codes that are required for your backyard pool fence. In some places, a fence around the yard is sufficient (assuming it follows rigid guidelines about the space between the pickets and the height of the rails). In other places, the pool itself needs a fence around it to separate it from the rest of the yard.
It’s not hard to find out the codes that are applicable to you as they’re generally on your city or county website. But here are the common codes, Appendix G and Section 3109 of the International Residential and International Building Codes:
- The fence must be at least four feet high with the bottom no more than two inches off the ground.
- The fence’s pickets should be close enough that a 4” sphere cannot pass through.
- Any gates or doors must have a lock. They must open outwards (away from the pool) and be self-closing and self-latching.
There are several more detailed rules, but this gives you a good idea of what to expect when you are preparing to install your fence. You should ALWAYS check your local laws.
Pool Fencing Increases the Value of Your Property
A pool fence can increase the value of your property in two ways. For starters, if you have a pool fence, and a pool fence is required by law, then the buyer knows that they won’t have to sink additional money into the pool fence to get your home up to code if they decide to buy it. In other words, having a pool fence brings a premium.
But your pool fence will also add value to your property because there is nothing you can do to increase the value of your home that will have as immediate an impact, dollar-for-dollar, than enhancing the quality of your yard. If you’re selling and you have the ability to renovate a bathroom or install a quality aluminum fence, the aluminum fence will bring you a higher selling price. This also applies to appraisals.
Conclusion
There are many ways that pool fences make your yard what it is, and they’re not just limited to safety. Yes, safety does give you peace of mind when you go to sleep at night, but the attractiveness of a quality aluminum pool fence will immediately increase not only the beauty of your yard for you to enjoy, but the beauty of your yard that others will want to buy.
Are you ready to install a new pool fence today?
