subject: Choosing a swimming pool gate [print this page] Choosing a swimming pool gate Choosing a swimming pool gate
A swimming pool can offer you many hours of fun and enjoyment as well as adding to summer family memories, but keep in mind that they are dangerous to young children if safety compliance issues are not properly addressed. A swimming pool gate is not merely an accessory, they are something you need to keep children from accidentally falling into the pool and drowning. Gates also prevent the family pet from falling into the pool.
For a swimming pool gate to be truly effective it needs to have a lock placed up high so that children can't fumble around with it and open it. The gate must also be locked at all times when there are no adults present to watch the swimmers. Another feature to consider with your gate is to have one that sounds an alarm if the gate is breached. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that the major risk factor for drowning of children between one and four years old is because there was no protective barrier surrounding the pool area.
Swimming pool gates have gone beyond the old-fashioned chain link type. These type of fences are discouraged as they offer toe-holds that a child could use to climb.
They can be fashion accessories as well as safety devices. Some individuals install swimming pool fences that can be removed in sections to make it easier to clean the swimming pool or deck. As with any type of pool device, the fence shouldn't be removed while there are children in attendance. If you're involved in a clean up project, it's easy to lose attention of the child.
Another type of swimming pool fence to consider is one that has a self locking and self alarming mechanism. As soon as it closes behind you it latches and locks and sets an alarm. Having a fence with an alarm that will sound if it's opened is a great way to offer double protection.
When it comes to the height of safety fences, the Mayo Clinic says you should have a fence that is at least four feet tall and if it's a slatted type fence, the gaps should be narrow enough that a child shouldn't be able to squeeze through it.
Having a safety fence should be something that every pool owner complies with in addition to considering installing pool alarms for the safety of friends, family and pets. After you've decided on the gate you'd like for your pool enclosure, talk to the contractor about ways to make it blend in with your pool landscape.
