Pools and Children - Safety Fence Questions

[dollerprod1]

Hello I have just purchased pool with a home and I have 2 small children. The first order of business is going to be installing a Child Safety Pool Fence, among other safeguards.

I am here for one main question: Can anyone with experience/knowledge of several brands/types recommend a particular product? The internet has seemingly hundreds of different options, and I want to be sure I am getting the most reliable.

I plan to span it the entire width of the pool from one end of the enclosure to the other, completely blocking it. I also will install it myself. Just need product recommendation.

Thank you for your help with this all-too-important question!

[CarlD]

It is hard to recommend a specific product but do not assume just because its advertising says it is a safety fence that it meets either your community code or the general national one. Rules for the gate are different than for the fence.
Generally 3 rules are required for the fence: Must be 4' high, spaces between the pickets must be under 4" (I used a 2x4, which is 3 5/8") and the fence cannot have climbable cross bars.

Rules for the gate and spacing are more stringent, but it must be self-closing and self-latching and out of reach of a small child, either inside the gate or above the gate...about 5' up. A Magnalatch is one solution.

[SunnyOptimism]

@CarlD covered the basics of proper fence design. Please consider using a professional installer. I had a wrought-iron fence installed around my pool during construction and the PB's subcontractor did a great job. It did not add a huge amount to the overall build cost and it's solid workmanship.

Also consider the following options as well -

- ADT alarm system so all external doors from home to pool are alarmed. Most systems can be programmed to give off an audible chirp anytime someone opens a window or door.

- Pool-code deadbolts. All my doors have pool-code DBs which is just a fancy way of saying the deadbolts are hung 30" below the top of the door frame. Impossible for any child under 9 years old or so to open the DB.

- Swim lessons for all kids and Infant Swim Rescue (ISR) training if applicable. I have personally witnessed an 18 month old baby let go in deep water, flip herself on her back and kick-swim to the coping....totally amazing!!

- Red Cross CPR training and rescue kit. Having at least one adult in the house that knows how to resuscitate a child can literally mean the difference between life and death.

And the simplest, no cost solution - never, ever under any circumstances let your children use the pool without an adult present AND poolside at all times.

[CarlD]

I did all my own fence and gate, my own design, all cedar. Inspector said "Wow!" and passed it. I studied the code carefully, but refused to have a diagonal brace on the gate. So far the gate is fine after 12 years...you can see it and the fence in my FantaSea rebuild thread.

I had a dreadful experience with ADT and would never, ever use them again or recommend them. We now have a local company we are far happier with.

[SunnyOptimism]

I had a dreadful experience with ADT and would never, ever use them again or recommend them. We now have a local company we are far happier with.

Sorry to hear that. ADT has always worked out great for me. I guess I used "ADT" as a common noun when I should have used "home alarm" instead. I wasn't trying to sell ADT just the concept of monitored doors. I find the audible tone I get when a door opens to be very helpful especially when the misses comes home from work through the garage door. The kids act like Pavlov's Dogs when they hear the beep and all go running to the back door.

Anyway, I still recommend alarming the doors with whatever company is best.

Also, DIY is fine too, I just wanted nice wrought iron and going with a pro was the fastest solution. Being up to proper code is all that matters no matter how you get the job done

[CarlD]

I am obviously a do-it-yourselfer, because that way I get what I want, exactly.

In my town, code doesn't allow a sliding door to access a pool, even with a door chime. Of course, people get easements all the time on this.