The Importance of Pool Fences

If you are a home owner with a pool or are thinking of building one then you should know that by law in the state of North Carolina you are required to have a fence around the pool. As well as fencing, although not required by law, it may be worth looking into cleaning services for your pool. Pools can easily become very unhygienic from a mixture of things, including pathogens from swimmers themselves, so cleaning is necessary for your own health. Of course, the cleaning doesn’t have to be a tedious task done yourself, and hiring a professional will get the job done to a higher quality. The exact regulations may vary slightly from county to county, but by in large here are the basic requirements for pool fencing whether private or public under the North Carolina Residential Code (NCRC).

  • All pools must be enclosed by a fence at least four-foot high.
  • Openings within the fence cannot be wider than four inches.
  • If using chain link fencing then the openings should not be any larger than 2 ¼ inches across.
  • Self-closing self-latching gates are required.
  • Gates must open out away from the pool.
  • Gate latches must be on the inside, 54 inches above the bottom of the gate or 3 inches below the top of the gate.
  • Maximum clearance below the fence should be no more than 2 inches.

It is important to note that these fencing requirements also apply to temporary, above ground swimming pools that hold more than 24 inches of water for example if you’re thinking of purchasing or making shipping container pools.

Ensuring that your pool fencing meets state and county guidelines is essential to protect small children and domestic pets from accessing the pool area without proper supervision, reducing the risk of drowning as the owner of any swimming pool is liable. If you live in a more rural area proper fencing can also reduce the risk of finding a deer or other wild animals drowned in your pool, which has been reported on occasion and can be a hassle to remove.

fenced pool

For your pool fencing needs contact Diversified Fence Builders, Inc. at (336) 510-5561. We provide fence building services for commercial and residential clients in the Greensboro, High Point, Winston Salem and Burlington regions of the Piedmont Triad, as well as the surrounding North Carolina areas.

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