Pool Fences: An Indispensable Safety Feature

You'd rather be safe than sorry. You've heard it, you know it, but you're probably not doing it. So here's something you may or may not know. The number one cause of accidental death for children under the age of 5 is drowning in a pool. Pool fences are designed, not only to protect your children, but also for plausible convenience and aesthetics. You don't need to spend a lot of time removing your fence and it doesn't need to be an eye sore. Fences are designed to incorporate your lifestyle and still provide an effective boundary to keep your toddlers safe. If you have small children, you have no excuse not to get a pool fence.

Safety Statistics
You may be thinking, it sounds like a good idea, but I'm a responsible parent. I keep an eye on my children. You don't have to be negligent to have disaster strike. More than 75 percent of the children who drown are seen less than five minutes before they are found in the pool. More than two-thirds of the children were last seen somewhere else other than the pool area and almost half were seen INSIDE the home. Children are children are children. They are curious. You know this, already, but you can't think that your will alone can keep them safe.

Cost and Options
A dependable pool fence can cost less than $100 but may range upward depending on the size of your pool and the intended longevity. You'll want to find a quality pool fence that combines adequate safety measures with the convenience and appearance of your preference. High end materials will be more resistant to sun damage and rust, but depending on your situation you may not need a pool fence designed to last more than a few years. By the time your baby boy hits adolescence, he and his friends will probably be dragging a trampoline into the yard to jump over the fence into the pool. This doesn't mean you should buy the cheapest fence available, but the most expensive fence doesn't necessarily mean safer, either.

Many pool fences are designed to be versatile and fit any pool size or shape. They can be built for in ground or above ground pools. They can be built to a number of different heights. More customized options include a self-closing and latched gate. For slightly older children, you can also get a lock for the gate, but again you don't want to entice your children to attempt dangerous ways of getting into the pool. For constant monitoring, you can also get an alarm system installed to alert you the minute someone enters the pool area.