Is a Pool Safety Fence right for you?

When you and our technicians plan the installation of a Katchakid removable pool fence you want to make sure it will effectively block all access points to the pool area. You’ll also want to consider access to yard maintenance, pool equipment, play areas for the children, and access to grass for pets. A Katchakid representative would be happy to consult with you regarding your choices of pool safety barriers based on the configuration of your pool and yard.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS

The Katchakid removable pool fence is a concentric tension-based fencing system which uses a series of 14-foot sections of fencing panels. The panels are manufactured from Textilene, a durable polyester woven mesh coated in a marine grade polyvinyl.

The fence is anchored into non-conducting, non-corrosive polypropylene sleeves that are core drilled four inches deep into the pool’s decking or other solid surface. We provide deck caps to cover the deck sleeves and give a finished look. The fencing panels are connected at the top of each pole by a two inch safety latch.

THE PATH OF THE POOL FENCE – SURROUNDING THE POOL

In most cases the fence should be positioned a minimum of 24 inches from the water’s edge. This makes it safer for you and your children or guests to walk around safely inside the fence while maintaining the pool, or retrieving a person or object from the pool. We do not recommend the fence be located any closer than 18 inches from the waters edge for safety reasons. Swimmers need space to pull themselves out of the water and to sit on the edge of the pool.

CONCRETE FOOTINGS

Sometimes the path of the removable pool fence traverses across areas where there is only grass or dirt and in these situations concrete footings are required at every fence post interval. Concrete footings are placed every three feet or less. Gates must be installed onto firm decking (i.e. concrete, paved stone, etc).

DECK OR SURFACE REQUIREMENTS

The primarily area for the pool fence positioning must be across a solid surface such as concrete, pavestone, flagstone set in mortar over concrete, or coated concrete decks, preferably level. Remember, the fence is tension-based, and must be set into a rigid structure. This surface must be at least four inches thick and six inches wide to facilitate proper tension and installation.

CONFORMING TO YOUR POOL OR DECK

While we would all like to have our fences go in a straight line, most of the time it’s not possible. We need to provide bends or gradual turns to conform to the curvature of your pool or deck. A removable pool fence should avoid tight turns, U-turns, S-turns and 90- degree turns whenever possible, as they can create odd and opposing angles in tension- based fences. Katchakid, Inc. uses 45 degree turns for an aesthetically pleasing, safer and stronger tensioned-based fence.

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN ROUTING YOUR POOL FENCE:

• Is the surface level? If so, the fence will be safer and will be more aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
• Are there any steps in the pool deck that the pool fence will cross?
• Are there any sprinkler lines, gas lines, electrical lines possibly buried in the path of the fence?
• Will the fence traverse over any large dips in the surface (concrete or dirt) that would allow a child to crawl underneath and access the pool? Some concrete decks have in-deck drains that have drastic slopes in the concrete to the drain.
• Are there any windows, doors, or pet doors that can easily be opened by the child to allow access to the pool area? If so, the fence should follow a path that blocks access.
• Is there a structure too close to the fence path that a child can use to climb the fence? Common structures include: pool furniture, large toys, potted plants, trees, boxes etc. Use your imagination, because kids certainly will!
• Is there an outdoor cooking, or bar area that is too close to the fence path? Can children use this structure to climb over and have access to the pool? Most cook areas are too short, or difficult to attach a pool fence to due to counter-top design, or poor construction materials.
• Have you chosen the safest possible route? For maximum security the fence should not be routed less than 36 inches from permanent backyard features such as natural rocks and barbecue areas.