A backyard pool is a great amenity, offering an easy way to relax and cool down on a hot summer day. But a pool can also be a safety hazard, especially if you have children. Sadly, drowning is the second-leading cause of death among children under the age of 14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and many of those drownings occur in residential swimming frameless glass pool fencing sydney.
To keep your kids safe, invest in a pool fence. Installing a pool safety fence will reduce the likelihood of accidents; the CDC reports that completely isolating a pool with a fence leads to an 83% reduction in the risk of a child drowning. Consider the different things you can do to make sure that your fence protects your kids.
- Make sure your fence completely encloses the pool. When installing your pool fence, make sure it completely encloses the pool without cutting off access to other areas of the backyard. There should be no reason to open the gate unless you are accessing the pool itself.
- Have a trained professional install your pool fence. A high-quality, expensive fence will do little to keep your family safe if it isn’t properly installed. When choosing a fence, look for a company that has extensive experience in pool fencing and comes with strong recommendations from other homeowners.
- Keep doors and gates leading to the pool area locked. In addition to fencing, it’s also important to control who can access the pool area through gates and doors. Even small children can be adept at opening doors and gates, so make sure you have child-safety latches to keep children out of unsafe areas; self-closing and self-locking gates provide an additional layer of protection. You can also install an alarm to alert you if someone enters the pool enclosure.
- Maintain your pool fence. Just like anything else around your home, keeping your pool fence in good working order requires maintenance. Check frequently to see that gates still lock and close properly and that there are not gaps in the fence. If your fence is damaged, make repairs quickly. The company that installed your fence may also provide repair services.
- Consider a temporary pool fence. If installing a permanent pool fence is not an option, consider installing a temporary swimming pool safety fence instead. This promotes safety and gives you peace of mind without installing permanent fencing. Temporary fences are also a good option if you do not have children in your home but occasionally host gatherings where children are present.