How to Install a Pool Safety Fence

A pool safety fence is an important way to protect your family, neighbors and pets. Children are particularly vulnerable to pool accidents. Annually, thousands of children are treated in hospital emergency rooms after falling into residential pools. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that 300 children under 5 years old drown every year in swimming pools. According to the CPSC, residential pool barriers and constant supervision are the best ways to reduce the rate of children drowning in home swimming pools.

Things You'll Need

• Fiberglass, wood, aluminum or steel pool fencing material
• Pool fence gate
• Gate safety latch
• Drill
• Polyvinyl sleeves
• Poles
• Section latches

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Instructions

• 1

  Review pool fence safety guidelines and local government safety ordinances. Safety guidelines are designed to prevent children from getting over, under or through a pool barrier. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, all fence openings should be narrower than 2 inches and have less than 4 inches of clearing between the ground and bottom of the fence. Fences should also be at least 4 feet high, when measuring the side of the fence facing away from the pool. The fence should also include a self-latching or self-closing gate with a locking device that swings out. Above-ground pools should also have a fence and gate around the ladder leading up to the pool.

• 2

  Measure the pool area. Determine how much material you would need to fence your pool. If your home doors open directly onto the pool or patio where the pool is located, the wall of the house becomes part of the barrier and you should install a door lock and alarm. Use a garden hose as a practical way to both assess the distance around the pool and visualize the look of your fence.

• 3

  Purchase the fence material and installation equipment. Pool safety fences can be made of fiberglass, aluminum, mesh, steel or wood. You can buy materials and installation supplies from a local hardware store or a commercial vendor specializing in pool fencing material and supplies. Buying your own material provides the greatest flexibility in designing your pool. Another option is to purchase a pool fence kit. These are ideal for individuals new to pool fence installation. Kits come with specific installation instructions and customer support from the manufacturer.

• 4

  Begin installation. Check that you have all your supplies and local safety specifications on hand before you begin your pool safety fence installation. You can approach fence installation in two ways, depending on your skill level. Individuals with more experience can proceed by marking pole locations, drilling all the holes at once, inserting the polyvinyl sleeves, lowering the poles into the sleeves, and attached the fencing material and gate to the poles as a last step. The other approach is to tackle installation of each fence section at a time to help correct any mistakes as you proceed around the pool.

• 5

  Inspect the fence. Remove and clear all the debris from the pool area when the installation is complete. Once the installation is completed, you should inspect your work before allowing anyone, especially children, into the area. Depending on your city, a local government inspector may have to inspect the pool to issue a permit.