We recently bought a new home with an inground pool. The yard is enclosed with a fence, but the pool is right outside our back door and I am concerned about our 10 month old getting to it too easily this summer. I would love to hear your opinions on pool safety fences (the ones that go up right around the pool). Any one have one that they really like, that wasn't horribly expensive?
We also have small children and a pool in the backyard. One thing you may want to consider in addition to the fence is a home alarm system. We have one and I keep it set so that it beeps when a door is open anywhere in the house, including the sliding door to the pool area.
We're looking at a few new homes and one has a pool. If we get that house, we will just get a safety cover for the pool.
Hi B., I'm an insurance agent in AZ so I have many clients who have their pools fenced in, as well as myself. We all basically LIVE in our pools here in the summers. I personally like the Iron fences better, however, they are more expensive. My current home has the net fence that is "temporary" meaning the poles come out and you can put plugs in the ground if you move and want to take it with you. We shopped around and paid about $1800 for it. I would NOT get a fence that is only 4 feet high. Kids can push chairs up to it and climb right over, what's the point of that??!!! I also would not get any of the covers that you can "walk" on. They are a huge pain in the butt to take on and off and if it's too much of a hassle, then you won't do it and again, what's the point of that???!!! So that is my 2 cents and make sure you watch your baby all the time! I would NEVER live at a home without the pool having its own fence and in fact, we are renters and paid the $1800 for the fence on a home we don't even own! Protect your child at all costs. Good luck to you!!!!
I live in FL where infants to 5 year olds drown too frequently in the summer. Do EVERYTHING you can to prevent your baby from getting into the pool. Keep in mind that no product is a substitute for someone always knowing where the baby is...usually the parents say that they thought someone else was watching the baby. IF you should find your baby "missing" make the pool the first place that you check. We just had a case in Ft. Lauderdale where no one thought to check the pool for over 10 minutes. That little boy is deceased.
This website is put out by my county: http://sheriff.org/safety/drowningprevent.cfm
C.
Those are good to have. I would also invest in an alarm that floats in the pool and goes off when the water is disturbed. The other thing I would do is put a chain lock on your door high enough that your child cannot reach it. Finally, SWIM LESSONS!
I have given this a lot of thought. My parents have a pool and I have a 3 1/2 year old. I am so afraid that she is going to fall in! I taught swim lessons for 5 years to hundreds of kids. I know how dangerous this can be and am insisting that my daughter learn to swim before summer this year. She is determined not to swim! The most challenging student I have ever had!!!
Good luck. You should have an easier time teaching your child now because he is not afraid yet. Take advantage of that.
First off, make sure the back door has a couple of secure locks, at least one way taller than your child will be for quite a long time. That way if your child figures out how to open the regular one, the other one is not so easy.
Next, I would get a fence that is like the one surrounding your back yard. If it's a 6 foot fence, then go for the 4 foot version. That way it conforms to the decor. Make sure that there are a couple of locks on the fence gate as well. If the fence is chain linked, don't put chain link around the pool. We had a 3 year old in our area climb it and drown.
You might also try to explain to the child pool safety. Simply put, stove is hot, get burned, pool is bad, you can drown. I know they are young, but the know when Mommy is serious about something. So start the training now.
I agree, keeping the child in eye sight is the best, but having raised basically two sets of twins.......it's harder than it sounds. So just make sure that you have plenty of locks and plenty of safety gizmo's........you might even put an alarm on the pool gate to make a noise when someone goes in or out.....I'm sure they is some sort of movement detector that can be either put on the gate or inside for when the gate opens. Just make sure it's loud!
Good Luck and enjoy your new home and pool.
