Introduction
Climate change has brought soaring temperatures to some of the unlikeliest regions and that’s why more people are building pools in their backyards. If you need to get the pool fenced, you can search for a “fencing company near me” and hire professionals to do the job for you. However, some people choose to not build pool fences. Unfortunately, the amount of money saved may not be worth the risk. Let’s check out the benefits of pool fences.
The Benefits
Safety – Pool fences are not pet or child-proof. However, it provides substantial protection for them. The CDC reports drowning as the second leading cause of death among kids who are younger than 14. Young toddlers and furry pets are naturally curious about the world around them and aren’t aware of the many risks that come from exploring that curious itch. So, if you have pets or young children in your home, a pool fence becomes a necessity. Even if your toddler or dog is an expert swimmer, it’s best to not risk them falling into the pool.
Moreover, kids are not the only ones who are vulnerable to falling and drowning in the pool. Adults may be equally vulnerable in certain situations. For instance, if you’re hanging out in the backyard, you don’t want one of your friends who doesn’t know swimming to fall for a prank, lose their balance and go into the pool. You don’t want people drunk at your barbeque party to fall into the pool either. Isolating a pool with a fence can cut down the probability of someone drowning in it by around 80 percent.
Additional privacy – You may be self-conscious while going into the pool or have creepy neighbors who like to peek into your backyard. You may not want someone to see you in a bathing suit. Either way, if you want additional privacy at the pool, a pool fence goes a long way. Instead of using glass or a style that allows people to look into the pool, you just need to build one that’s opaque and blocks the view. An additional layer of privacy always helps.
Affordable – Most people shy away from a pool fence since they assume that it’s expensive. However, that’s simply not true. While the cost of pool fences differs depending on the size of the pool, the materials used, location, and other factors, the average cost of fencing a pool varies from $15 to $20 per linear foot. If you want to cut down on your budget, you can get a chain link or mesh fence.
The average size of a backyard inground pool is around 10ft by 20ft. That gives the pool an edging of 50 feet. On average, you can get that built for around $1000. If you have a much larger pool. Even if you have a giant swimming pool with an edging of over 200 feet, you can get it fenced for around $4000.
Regulations – With soaring temperatures, most people who live in the suburbs and have a substantial income are building pools in their backyard. However, pools are safety hazards and may cause drowning and harm people in other ways. A lot of cities and municipalities are waking up to this. While there are no federal regulations, several states have pool regulation that involves fences.
Even if you live in Florida, which doesn’t have a lot of regulations compared to other states, you’ll have to face pool regulations. The state added pool fencing regulations around a decade ago. On the other hand, if you build an outdoor pool in New York, you’ll need to erect a four feet high pool fence around it.
Even Arizona, famous for its deserts, has a pool fence as a requirement in its regulations. The states that don’t have pool fencing regulations are considering these regulations and may pass them in the future. It’s better to be ahead of the curve and get your pool fenced before the demand for pool fences rises due to such regulations and increases the cost of fencing.
Convenience – A pool fence has a few disadvantages. It doesn’t allow you to rush in and do a cannonball anytime you want. However, the advantages are clear as day since the fence keeps your kids and pets safe. A pool fence allows you to hit the balance. It allows you to lock the pool when necessary and prevents your kids from going into it without your supervision. On the other hand, you can easily unlock it and access it when necessary.
Insurance benefits – Any structure that increases safety and reduces the risk of accidents and damage to your property helps to lower your insurance premiums. A pool fence is a structure that perfectly fits that definition. It reduces risks in and around the pool and increases the safety of the pool by a substantial margin. After you get your pool fence, you can negotiate with your insurance company to lower your homeowner’s insurance premium. That way the pool fence pays for itself in the long term.
Keeps the wildlife out – Another less discussed benefit of installing a pool fence is that it helps to keep the wildlife out of your pool. While the sight of a raccoon chilling in your pool seems nice, it comes with a lot of risks. Your pool can easily get dirty from those critters and pests and wear out the pool’s filtration system quicker. Apart from that, there’s the risk of pathogens that may get transferred to the pool. Local wildlife may also drown and make your pool a biohazard site. A fence helps you to avoid such situations.
Conclusion
Pool fences have numerous benefits. The greatest benefit is obviously safety. You get to keep your family members and pets away from harm. Apart from that, pool fences can also pay for themselves indirectly by lowering your insurance premiums. You can search for a “fencing company near me” and hire professionals to build a pool fence on your property.
