5 Factors to Consider for Pool Fencing

Featured Image Caption: Pool Fencing

Jump to read...

Safety is crucial when it comes to residential pools, especially when it comes to children. The risk of drowning starts as soon as the child starts to crawl, and peaks after the child turn one year old. According to a report by the Royal Life Saving, about 532 children below five years old have died from drowning over the past 19 years, and more than half of these happened in a swimming pool.

Almost 80% of child-related drowning accidents were caused by the child falling into the water after being left unsupervised by an adult, with half of the victims at around one year of age. A slight distraction can lead to disastrous results as children innocently explore their surroundings while the adults get busy around the house.

Despite our good intentions and best efforts, there may be times when we would inadvertently take our attention away from our kids, like when answering the phone or opening the door. These few moments can mean life or death for an unattended child. Thus, it is important to prevent children from getting into places that could pose a risk to their health and safety, and this includes our swimming pools.

Wandering children who are curiously exploring different areas of the house may accidentally fall into pools that are left open and unobstructed. Most of the time, the sound it makes will not be loud enough to call the attention of the adults inside the house, which makes immediate rescue impossible.

The best way to prevent this from happening is to block the child’s access to the pool without the accompaniment of an adult, and this is through pool fencing. There are different types of pool fencing, and your choice should be able to match your specific requirements. Here are some factors to consider when building pool fencing for your house:

Budget

Set aside an amount that you are willing to pay for your pool fencing. There are many designs and materials available for use in pool fencing, and having a budget pinned down from the start will help your service provider narrow down his recommendations.

Of course, you should allow for buffer in case needed, so you won’t have to compromise on the quality in order to save on the production and installation cost. In case the initial costs seem too high for you, work closely with your service provider and ask for cheaper alternatives that will fit your budget while still meeting the safety and regulatory standards for pool fencing.

Durability

Perhaps the most important factor to consider when building fencing for your pool is the durability of the materials to be used. They should be sturdy enough and will not easily break or fall down when met with a collision as it is meant to block off unintentional visits from kids.

Aside from the choice of material, the manner of installation also affects the resilience of the fencing. This should be done by a proper contractor who has the skills and experience to do the job properly. Each material has a different requirement for handling and installation, and the right service provider would be aware of this.

Lifestyle and Usage

Your pool fencing should match your lifestyle, particularly when it comes to children. Take note of how often children would stay in the house, as well as their height and body structure. You do not want to have fencing those small kids could easily squeeze into, or older kids can climb over.

The more conventional materials used are wood or steel and are often used for basic pool fences. For a more modern feel, you may opt for glass pool fencing. Aside from giving you a clear view of the pool as well as a seamless finish, there are also no loopholes that kids can take advantage of to enter the pool area when you are not watching.

Make sure to work with credible suppliers who can guide you and make proper recommendations that would suit your needs. If you want to know more details about glass fencing for your pool, feel free to get in touch with us at Wood Glass Group. Our staff would be happy to assist you with your pool fencing inquiries at any time.

Design

Ask your service provider for available designs to choose from and make sure they match with the aesthetics of your house and of the pool itself. While pool fences are primarily there for functional purposes, they can also double as accents and help make the property look more appealing from the outside.

You can go for a basic design if you want a minimalist look, or opt for a more intricate style if this is more in tune with the overall look of the house. However, you have to be prepared for maintenance costs should you go for the more complex and intricate designs.

Regulatory Requirements

Work with your service provider and make sure your pool fencing is compliant with government regulations. You don’t want to be spending your hard-earned money for customized pool fencing only to find yourself in trouble later for failing to meet the minimum requirements.

Currently, the minimum height requirement for pool fences in Australia is at least 1.2 meters from ground level. The area where it is installed must also be a permanent stable surface, so the structure will not easily cave in or collapse. If the fence is not installed directly on the surface, the distance between the ground and the bottom of the fence must not be more than 0.1 meters.

Aside from these, there must not be any nearby structures that kids can use as a platform to climb over the fence. For example, a pool fence that is 1.8 meters high must not have any nearby elevation of up to half of its height, or about 0.9 meters. There are many other regulations that you may need to watch out for, and it is best to discuss these with your service provider after they have seen the actual location of the pool.