Are you someone who’s in charge of swimming pool safety? Then you know the importance of using a pool barrier. Swimming pool drownings are often known as silent deaths, and can happen in a matter of seconds. The fact that pool drownings can be prevented by adding one or more pool barriers to backyard pools makes it essential for anyone who owns a backyard swimming pool or is in charge of supervising children in or around a pool area, to choose a pool barrier that is right for them.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the U.S.

Pool Barriers Prevent Pool Accidents

Barriers are very important, as they are put in place with a goal of preventing anyone from experiencing any type of swimming pool accident. While one correctly installed barrier is sufficient when it comes to keeping all ages safe from swimming pool accidents, many pool owners choose to add two and even three different layers of protection to prevent unauthorized pool access.

While it’s essential for every pool owner to have at least one pool barrier in place for safety reasons, understand that some states have laws in place that require homeowners to install a pool safety fence, as well as swimming pool signs.

Types of Swimming Pool Barriers

There are many different types of pool safety equipment for swimming pools, making it necessary to understand the different options in order to make the right decisions. While the four types of safety equipment below are some of the more popular types of equipment options that pool owners are choosing nowadays, additional types of safety equipment also available include gate alarms, pet alarms, and swimming pool safety signs.

• Pool Fence
• Pool Safety Net
• Self-Closing Sliding Door
• Pool Safety Alarm

What Kind of Pool Safety Fence is Right for You?

Choosing the right type of safety fence for protecting entry to a swimming pool area is necessary, as there are a few different types of fences to choose from. Choices include temporary mesh fences, vinyl fences, glass fences, traditional metal fences, and traditional wood fences. It is necessary for all types of fences to have four sides vs. the three-sided fences that are also an option, as only four sides can prevent unwanted entry to a swimming pool area.

What’s the Pool Safety Fence Installation Process?

How are safety fences installed? Installing a pool fence requires holes be made in order to place the posts to keep the fence in its proper place. Once the designated points are selected by professional fence installers to place the fence posts, making the holes to anchor the posts is the next step. Once the posts are anchored in, installers will begin attaching the fence to the posts, with the majority of safety fences being installed in one full day.

What Kind of Swimming Pool Safety Net is Right for You?

Choosing this type of pool safety cover is a great idea. This pool barrier choice is one that helps prevent children from entering a swimming pool, and thus needs to be made using high-quality and durable materials in order for it to work properly. When choosing a net to protect children from drowning, it’s recommended that pool owners buy pool safety nets that are tested and certified by the American Society for Testing and Materials Standards.

What’s the Swimming Pool Safety Net Installation Process? 

How are safety nets installed? All swimming pool safety nets need to be installed by a professional installer in order to ensure that the pool safety cover is installed correctly. The insulation process requires a number of small holes to be made about a foot away from the pool, in which anchors will be placed to connect to the net. It takes an average of 5 hours to complete the entire project.

What Kind of Self-Closing Sliding Door is Right for You?

Pool barriers also include in-home barricades. Many pool owners are choosing to install one or more self-closing sliding doors as a way to prevent their young one’s from getting outside in the first place. Since many sliding doors in homes lead directly to an outside pool, choosing one that automatically closes and includes a safety latch is necessary. Hiring a professional allows homeowners to get advice on which type of door barrier is best for them.

What’s the Self-Closing Sliding Door Installation Process? 

How are self-closing sliding doors installed? There are two choices available for this barrier option. The first choice is buying a self-closing sliding door that is all in one piece, and the second choice is buying one of the many different types of self-closing hardware that can be attached to an existing sliding door. Both types of door options should be installed by a professional installer to ensure that the door works exactly as it’s supposed to.

What Kind of Pool Safety Alarm is Right for You?

There are many different types of pool alarms available nowadays to choose from. This means pool owners can choose the type of pool alarm they think will work best for them to protect their loved ones. A pool alarm barrier works by sounding an alarm when any changes are detected in water movement, alerting those in charge that something is wrong. Some of the more popular pool alarms include floating motion sensors, pool mounted infrared sensors, fence or wall mounted alarms, underwater motion alarms, and a personal immersion detector.

What’s the Pool Safety Alarm Installation Process? 

How are pool safety alarms installed? While it depends on the type of safety alarm chosen when it comes to installing this type of pool barrier, they all work by either using sensors or by recognizing pressure changes, i.e. a child or a pet falling into a pool. Even though it does not take very long to install pool alarms, it’s essential that they are installed properly in order to work properly. This makes finding a professional to install a pool alarm for safety reasons a great idea. 

Bottom Line

A pool safety fence is one of the more popular choices homeowners are choosing to protect their family and friends from drowning in a backyard pool. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends when fences are installed, they are installed using a few safety standards. These standards include making sure a child cannot climb over by installing a fence that’s at least four feet high, avoiding using any fence patterns that may allow children to climb over, under or between the fence, and making sure to add a self-closing or self-latching door that is completely out of the reach of children.

Have you decided which of the above pool barriers will work the best when it comes to protecting your loved ones from experiencing any type of swimming pool accident? If you still need some guidance and advice, feel free to contact us so we can help you choose the right type of pool barrier for your swimming pool.