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SWIMMING
POOL FENCING Q & A
Q: How
do I choose between a fence, tarp or net pool covering?
A: Removable safety fencing has proven, over the past thirty
years, to be the most practical and effective barrier against pool
drowning short of putting up a permanent rail fence.
Q: How
does it work?
A: The concept is simple. Isolate the pool from your home
and eliminate all access to the water by a toddler. For the pool
to be truly isolated and the barriers serve effectively, there must
not be a reason to open the pool fence other than to use or service
the pool itself. That means not having to open the pool fence to
go out a screen enclosure door or into your backyard. These areas
should be accessible to you without opening the swimming pool fence.
The more times a fence is opened, for a reason other than to use
the pool, the greater the possibility that it will be left open
for whatever reason. Children learn quickly to operate door locks
and open doors that have not been locked. Your last layer of protection
to the pool should be your pool fence.
Q: What’s
the pool fence made of?
A: Pool fence is constructed of see through, polyester mesh
mounted on aluminum or fiberglass support poles. The fence is placed
into aluminum or plastic sleeves installed into your deck surface.
The bottom border of the fence material should be flush to your
deck so as to prevent a child from pushing under.
Q: How
does it work?
A: The basic principal that keeps pool fence in place is
bilateral tension and the fence should be checked periodically to
insure that you have benefit of its full function.
Q: Can
I take it down easily?
A: A standard pool fence is removable in approximately twelve
foot sections. Each section can easily be rolled up and weighs only
eleven pounds. The average one hundred foot fence can be removed
in less than fifteen minutes and be put back up in approximately
the same amount of time. Most fences, however, are never taken down
until children in the home are old enough not to require this safe
guard any longer.
Q: We’re having a pool party but adults
will be there to supervise. Do you advise removing the pool fence
for the event?
A: Think
twice about removing the fence. Family gatherings and social affairs
contribute to distraction and drowning accidents involving young
children. So that the pool fence does not have to be removed for
day to day use of the pool, a "gate" section is provided at the
steps or another convenient location. A pool fence "gate" is formed
by two connecting sections that can be opened by an adult. Extra
sleeves are placed into the deck at this point to act as pole holders
when the "gate" is open.
Q: What type of fence gate do I need?
A: Self-closing,
self-latching gates are automatic and provide better protection
if there are folks in the house that can't remember to close a gate
behind them. Because it does not have to be physically closed or
locked by the user it is a more practical option when there are
older children in the home who have unsupervised access to the swimming
pool . A self-closing gate and its lock are mechanical devices located
outside and subject to corrosion, wear from use, misalignment, and
mechanical failure. Extra care must be taken to insure that the
gate is functioning properly. Be sure that your gate is always installed
to swing out or away from the pool or water.
Q:
How high should my pool fence be?
A: Pool
fence ranges from 3 1/2 feet to 5 feet high. For an average toddler
we recommend you look at the 4 foot height. A child capable of climbing
a 4 foot high fence will most likely also be able to go over 5 feet.
It's just a longer fall down the other side. A child with this kind
of capability should already be well into a swimming program.
We talk to parents moving into a home with a pool for the first
time who are nervous about a six year old around the pool accidentally
falling in. Since a six year old can go over any height fence and
the fence is being installed to basically keep them from just falling
into the pool by accident, we would recommend a shorter height like
3 1/2 feet as long as this is the only child in the household.
Q:
How far apart should the fence support poles be?
A: Support
poles provide both tension and strength for the fence, so the less
distance apart the better. We normally recommend 30 inches as a
standard if you are making any turns with the fence at all. For
straight runs, like across a patio, 36 inch pole spacing should
be adequate.
Q: What mesh material is best?
A: The
majority of pool fence manufacturers today use polyester mesh with
vinyl coating. It is a continuous basket weave construction and
is the strongest method today for manufacturing pool fence. The
smooth vinyl coatings are mildew resistant and allow easy cleaning
of the finished product, unlike the grainy finishes of older style
dipped interlocking nylon products that had a tendency to trap both
growths and dirt. The newer polyester meshes are also much more
resistant to punctures and are virtually impossible for even an
adult to rip.
Q:
Should the mesh be bordered?
A: To
be a finished product your pool fence mesh should also be bordered
on all four sides with vinyl border. Not only does this provide
a finished look to your fence but also prevents unraveling of the
mesh itself. Check the border material to insure that it has visible
reinforcing built into the vinyl to provide additional strength
to the fence and eliminate sagging over time.
Call 800-940-1977 or email us at PoolFence@BooBooBusters.com today to set up an in-home estimate. Please give us your name, contact
info and where you live and we’ll get back to you with the
soonest appointment available.
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