Temporary pool fence - need opinions and ideas

[JessieBird]

Hi everyone - My mom and step-dad just bought a new country house with a very large in-ground pool and we hope to visit often (me, DH, and our two sons currently 2.5 years and 8 mos). Unfortunately the pool is not currently fenced nor is it required to be by law in her area. Intending to fence it immediately, we hired a childproofing company that specializes in these mesh removable pool fences. They came to do the initial measurements last weekend and found that the patio around the pool is not solid enough to install the fence footings (it is old). We're all crushed because we hope to visit for a week or more in July and none of us can relax without a fence. We've spent one weekend there already and we were all surprised at just how stressful the presence of the pool is. I thought that as long as our toddler is closely supervised, it would be okay for now but there's no way. 

My mom intends to replace the patio around the pool eventually but not for a few years for financial reasons and also so that it can be worked into the overall landscape design, which needs an overhaul. As it is, the only way we can see to put in a proper fence is to dig concrete post holes all around the outside of the patio. If we have to do that, we will. However the expense and mess of a job like that would be pretty significant considering it would likely all be undone/redone in a few years when the landscaping and patio are redone.

So I'm trying to think of removable temporary fencing options that would work in the mean time and that are somewhat affordable. At most until there is a permanent fence we would be visiting two or three times a year for 3-5 days each time. We would prefer not a cover-type barrier, though the company did say that the pool surround is stable enough for that so maybe we have no choice. These are the other ideas I've come up with so far:

- several of these connected together

- orange plastic "snow" fence tightly strung on iron or wood posts hammered into the ground

- wood snow fence (comes in a roll, 2" vertical wood slats wired 2" apart) strung on iron or wood posts hammered into the ground

- chain link fence that comes on a roll strung on iron posts hammered into the ground

- rental modular fence from a special events supply rental company

Each of these options would be a few hundred dollars instead of $4000+ (which we will gladly spend when my mom is ready for a permanent fence). I'm thinking not of total prevention but rather accident deterrent with the understanding that children are never allowed outside alone and will be closely supervised at all times.

Am I nuts or would one of these options suffice for the occasional short visit? We're lake people so we have very limited experience hanging around pools and have no idea what is reasonable. Do you have any other ideas?

Thanks so much for reading! Sorry this is so long!

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

Is there a reason you want to stay away from a cover type safety solution?  We have a pool and I really loved our safety "net".   It looks like this: 

http://www.allsafepool.com/pool-nets/?gclid=CNL_8Y3ex6kCFQUogwodsTorZw

It is strong/tight enough to keep most small children (I think to about 100 lbs.) up out of the water if they fall on it.  It attaches to the ground with metal "hooks" and then has a central tensioner that really sets everything so that a child cannot get the hooks out or crawl under the net.  But its light enough that I can get it on and off without help (not true of some of the solid covers).  It doesn't need maintenance.  It doesn't block our view.  And when its not needed all the evidence that it exists is the holes in the patio concrete.  It was not as expensive as a fence and was installed with little mess in about a couple of hours (by pros -- not by us).

The problem that I see with some of your temporary solutions is that they are easy to climb and I know that kids can climb fast when you aren't looking and they want in somewhere.  And some of them might have additional safety problems (thinking splinters and such with the wood, rust and poking wires with chain link). Around a pool you really need something that kids can't climb over or pull down.  I know you think you can watch them so they couldn't get that far but having lived through toddler and preschool-hood with 2 now, I  think this is unrealistic.  Especially with 2 -- one escapes through the front door and the other heads for the pool and all h*** breaks loose.

The other option might be a pool alarm that the kids always wear while at grandmas and is always in the pool.  But that assumes you are always close enough to rescue before any damage is done and that they could keep themselves afloat until you could get there.  Yours might be too young for that to be true right now.

[hildare]

trash cans (attractive metal ones) or big flour pots filled with concrete and posts can support several kinds of temporary fencing. 

[JessieBird]

Hmmm...I do really like the look of your mesh cover Evan&Anna's Mom. And I'm excited to hear that you can take it on and off on your own. That was one of my concerns as all the covers I've seen (except for mechanized ones) looked like they might be hard to take on and off by one person. My parents are in great shape but getting older so that is a factor. Or if we just had one or two adults present, if one is with the kids that leaves only one person or no one at all to put the cover back on. My DH also feels that these sorts of covers just look flimsy and can't possibly work but obviously they do and we can look into it further.

Thanks for the ideas you guys, keep em coming!

[zebra15]

http://www.babysecure.ca/products/outdoors/child-immersion-pool-alarm

how about the kiddie alarm?

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

I agree that they look crazy flimsy.  But they really do work.  They won't hold an adult out of the water but they really will hold a child.  We've hard ours since DS was a baby (we moved into the house when he was 6 months) and he's 11 now.  Two kids, one pool, no accidents or anything near an accident.  I also think it helps to have something covering the pool, even if its not a solid barrier.  It reminds kids that there is something there that they can't walk on.  Our kids have played around the pool for years and only a few times have they actually fallen into the cover -- its always held them up.  We did have one small boy visitor who tried to walk across it once.  His legs got stuck in the mesh and we had to rescue him.  But he didn't get into the water or even get his face wet -- just his dangling feet.

[CEG]

My husband's aunt and uncle have alarm bracelets that kids are required to wear at their house.  We have yet to have a kid get in the pool when they weren't supposed to, but we have had false alarms when someone washed their hands and set off the alarm so they seem to work well and be very sensitive.  They are a little bracelet with a turtle on it-- sorry I don't know the brand or anything.  Obviously you would have to watch them still but it would be a good second level of protection.  I liked knowing the kids had them on at night in case they got out of bed and made it to the pool or something.

[ameliabedelia]

I would go for the mesh cover.  That seems the safest by far.  We used to have the orange driveway mesh thing and no way would I use that around a pool.  It is meant to be a visual barrier only, not an actual physical barrier.  A child could quite easily crawl underneath that,  which would actually put them, in a more dangerous situation as an adult would have a harder time reaching them.