Various Options OwnersShould Consider
Drowning is the 2nd leading cause of accidental death for children under age 15.
Children less than 5 years of age have the highest drowning rates. For every child who drowns, four children are hospitalized for near-drowning. One third of those removed from water after a near-drowning are comatose on admission, survive but suffer significant neurological impairment. Irreversible brain damage may occur after 3-5 minutes.
These types of scary statistics lead all swimming pool owners to reconsider all protection options available. Fences are one solution. Yet all too often, they fail when an adventurous child figures out how to use a chair as a stepping platform to climb up and over.
Fact: Over two-thirds of pool drownings were in pools with barrier fences in place.
Don't get us wrong, fences can be very effective barriers. Fencing is very convenient and if well maintained will offer excellent protection, particularly for toddlers. The greatest benefit of fencing is the fact that it is up all the time and can act as a continuous filter keeping non-swimmers and animals away from the water while allowing swimmers to enjoy the pool. However, parents should be aware of fencing's limitations and potential for problems. Generally, by keeping potential stepping platforms (tables, chairs, etc.) away from the outside perimeter of the fence, one can reduce the chances of children getting over a fence system. Older children will however continue to attempt to find ways to get over, through, under...you name it. And unfortunately, while they may be good swimmers, sometimes they will open the gate for other non-swimmers to join them. Bottom line, fencing is not infallible and parents should be aware of this fact. A much safer option is our San Francisco pool safety net covers.
Removable Mesh Fencing's convenience is its primary feature.
We recommend a particular brand of removable mesh type fencing in a 60 inch (5 foot) tall version where older children will be present or 48" tall version for infants through toddler ages. At Baby Proof, we design layouts for and install one of the finest mesh fence systems available. The self-closing, self-latching, key-lockable swinging gate system is second to none and we believe it is the finest gate system found. We particularly like the thick-walled extruded aluminum square tube construction which will take considerable abuse (e.g. children hanging on gate as toy, etc.) yet is still completely removable for parties, etc.
Seasonal covers are generally impractical as everyday safety barriers.
Seasonal covers are generally impractical as everyday safety barriers due to the excessive amount of time required to remove and reinstall them after a swim. Don't expect to use (and don't get talked into using) a manual seasonal "safety" cover (mesh or solid vinyl) as a convenient day-to-day safety barrier. Again, don't get us wrong, these work if you live in say Cleveland, Ohio and you just want to "shut it down for the winter." Of the types on the market, we recommend a mesh type vs. a solid type (typically PVC) due to the impending safety hazard of a solid cover collecting rain or snow during the winter season and possibly creating a drowning hazard if not kept pumped out. Additionally, a solid cover will not allow complete visual inspection of the entire pool below should a rescue become necessary. To further compound its hazards, should someone somehow find themselves under the cover, swimmer or not, one cannot just "come to the surface for air" as the vacuum effect will not allow air to flow to the victim if the victim is under the cover attempting to push it up for air. Our San Francisco pool safety net covers eliminate many of the problems inherent in seasonal covers.
Automatic covers are convenient and effective, but very expensive.
Generally priced from $6,000 to $9,000, automatic (retractable with a push of a button) covers are a convenient barrier. However, they are generally impossible to install for most free form shaped pools. And expect to pay big bucks to maintain. Our picture portfolio has a picture of an Aquamatic brand auto-retractable solid vinyl cover that cost the owner $6,000 originally and lasted only 6 years before the dealer said it needed near total replacement in order to be safe. The customer decided $1,000 per year for pool safety was excessive and called us. We reviewed their requirements and presented viable options. Rather than throwing good money after bad, they chose a pool safety net with an optional leaf cover for approximately $2,500. This combination solution should last approximately 7 to 10 years.
Swimming Pool Safety Nets offer the safest solution we believe.
Attractive, affordable, and easy to use, our San Francisco pool safety net covers "lock off" any water hazard, with minimal inconvenience to remove and reinstall after a swim (only 3 - 5 minutes to take off, 7 minutes to put back on) Rather like a large tennis racket, the net is pulled tightly over the pool and anchored with flush mounted brass or nylon anchors with stainless steel hooks woven into the net. Using a system of pulleys in the center and a special tool, the final tension of the net is pulled drum-tight locking off the pool keeping children supported off the water surface. The net’s 3.50 inch mesh size is specifically designed to keep a child’s head out of the water when properly tensioned.
There is no question that this type of solution is not as convenient as either an auto-retractable cover or fencing. But we believe that the inconvenience of a few minutes before and after a swim is easily balanced with the level of safety that a pool net provides.
As to the choice of installation company you ultimately choose, we highly recommend that your Baby Proof pool safety net cover is fitted and made safe by a qualified installer who knows how to do it right the first time. Long term performance of the net is critical and Baby Proof Pool Safety Systems specializes in the installation of these types of barriers.
Pool nets can protect any shaped water hazard including swimming pools, spas, water features, waterfalls and ponds. See our picture portfolio for examples.
Baby Proof Pool Safety Systems pool nets are in compliance with the American Society For Testing and Materials (ASTM) under the code F1346-91 for manual safety covers. Please contact us should you need documentation to supply your building department official that ascertains this certification. Pool safety nets have been used over 30 years with a perfect safety record here in the United States.
We recommend a pool safety net cover as a primary barrier even if a customer plans to include removable mesh fencing. In some instances however owners, upon seeing the net installed, realize the level of protection provided by the pool safety net and forego the installation of the additional removable fencing. However, fencing is a great additional barrier, particularly as a filter during swim time to keep out non-swimmers and family pets.
Should you have any further questions, please feel free to give us a call at 925-285-5555.
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