What is Pool Fencing?

Pool fencing is an easily installed safety measure used in many homes to prevent young children and pets from jumping into a swimming pool without proper supervision. This simple pool barrier is a responsible form of pool safety, because the fencing helps to minimize the chances of an accidental drowning. Most forms of swimming pool fencing are easily installed and can be removed with very little difficulty when desired.

Pool fencing is often composed of simple aluminum posts that are embedded or attached to the ground area surrounding the pool. The fencing is sometimes made of a strong natural or synthetic material that is woven into a fine mesh. At some point in the fencing, a simple latch-style gate is installed, making it possible to enter the protected area when necessary, but also possible to lock the latch and prevent entrance when desired. The mesh is durable enough to prevent people and animals from walking directly up to the pool and jumping or falling in. Generally, pool fencing is at least waist-high on the average adult, and sometimes is taller to prevent the possibility of children from attempting to climb over the barrier.

In most cases, pool fencing is focused on the necessity of providing child safety around the general area of the pool. Even when children are properly supervised, young ones have a way of exploring forbidden territory when the adults are momentarily distracted. The presence of pool fencing becomes especially important when children are around the home on a regular basis. Young children rarely have a fear of water and can quickly move into an unguarded pool before the adults have a chance to stop the child. From this perspective, the pool fencing is one way to ensure the space is secured and offers an acceptable level of drowning prevention.

Along with keeping children out of the pool when the adults are not free to supervise pool activities, pool fencing also keeps pets from wandering into the pool. While there is much less chance that the family dog or cat would actually drown in the pool, loose fur that is left in the pool can often clog the purifying systems of different types of pools, leading to expensive and time consuming repairs. Rather than incur a large repair bill each season, investing in pool fencing prevents those costly repairs and will soon pay for itself.