Beautiful Pool Fence Requirements

Pool Fence Requirements

In the summertime it can be great fun to have a swimming pool in your own backyard. However, it is important that you are responsible. There is the upkeep and maintenance of the swimming pool but even more importantly, you need to put up a fence to protect yourself and others. Although there are some guidelines associated with swimming pool fencing, the best guide is the county or city's fence building and swimming pool codes. You should visit your local permit department to determine the specific requirements. Members of a homeowner's association may also be guided by the bylaws for pool fencing. In order to put swimming pool fencing on your property you'll need to know your property boundaries. You can go to the planning department of the courthouse to find a plat map of your property. You should ensure that whoever installs the swimming pool fencing has all of the required permits that may be required. If you hire a contractor you should have him pull the permits because it provides you with some protection if the workmanship is substandard. You want to select swimming pool fencing that accents the design of your swimming pool rather than draw away from it. There is some fencing that is specifically designed for swimming pools. In order for you to be able to see what is going on inside the pool area, most experts agree that the fencing should have a minimum of 65% visibility. Although the standard chain link fence meets this visibility requirement, it also provides footholds for climbing. Your swimming pool fencing should permit you to see through it but not having any openings that are large enough for feet to climb. As a result of these factors, fine mesh and glass panel fencing are popular options. Wooden and metal post fencing will work as long as the opening between the posts isn't sufficiently wide for children to slip through. The gate needs to be self closing and latching. The reason for this is to will minimize the chances of children wandering into a pool area by means of an open gate. Also, the release mechanism should be a minimum of 54" high to prevent children from reaching it. This gate needs to open outward away from the swimming pool. The swimming pool fencing needs to be a minimum of 48" above the grade and shouldn't have footholds or handholds for climbing. The openings need to be as small as is practical. Lastly, the clearance above the grade shouldn't be any greater than 4".