In-home swimming pools are great for families to spend some quality time together. But before you can fully enjoy bonding with your kids, there are a few safety precautions that you should take into consideration. For one, you need to have your pool fenced.
There’s no doubt as to why glass pool fencing is popular these days – it looks elegant, sophisticated, and offers a fantastic view of your poolside. It’s something that adds to the beauty of your home. However, most people think that glass pool fences are breakable. And the first question that pops into your mind is, how safe is glass pool fencing?
At first glance, fences made of glass may look like it can be easily shattered, causing injuries to both kids and adults. However, it helps to know that in order to avoid this problem, the glass panels have to pass Australian Standards for it to be used in households.
Let’s take a closer examination on glass pool fence and put an end to the debates on whether it is really safe or not.
What Glass Pool Fencing is Made Of
Glass pool fences are made of 8mm, 10mm, or 12m thick, toughened glass. It is designed chemically and thermally to be extremely resistant to strong impacts making it difficult to break.
The Australian Standard 2820
Glass pool fencing is able to meet all the Australian Standards and is considered to be a safe choice for residential and commercial use. The Australian Standard 2820 determines the glass gates used on a pool fence. It specifically states that a glass pool fence should safely last for at least 10,000 cycles. In other words, it should be able to withstand approximately 10 years of standard glass pool fence use. In addition, the latches that are installed together with the glass fence should be able to stand against the harsh environment of the outdoors and should be out of the children’s reach.
Fencing suppliers have a reputation to uphold and they are required abide by the law. They should only sell fencing pool materials that meet the standard requirements.
Keeping the Family Safe
Aside from aesthetic purposes, the most important use of a glass pool fence is to prevent unsupervised access to the pool. One of the good things about glass pool fencing is its smooth surface that makes it difficult for small children and pets to climb on. The glass panels are also closely set and fitted to each other and to the ground to prevent the pets and the children from squeezing in their heads within the gaps of each glass. For added safety, you should see to it that your fence is installed on a concrete hard ground as your pet may have a tendency to dig under the fence to gain access to your pool area.
Advantages of Glass Pool Fence
One cannot argue about the importance of having a fence that surrounds your pool. Despite it being aesthetically pleasing, here are some advantages of getting glass pool fencing:
- Because of the smooth surface of the glass, children would not be able to climb over the fence without any form of assistance.
- Supervising is made easier. The beauty of having a glass pool fence is that it gives you unlimited visibility on what is happening in the poolside area. So if you need to keep an eye on your kid, glass fencing makes it easier for you.
- Long Lasting. Glass pool fences last 3 to 4 times longer than a conventional pool fence. It is made to withstand even the worst weather conditions and will continue to look good even after how many years.
- Low Maintenance. Unlike any other fences, glass pool fence requires little maintenance. Just grab a microfiber cloth and a glass cleaner or even a bucket of soapy water will do and you’re good to go.
If you are considering on putting a fence around your pool, ALS Glassworks will help you in doing so. Together with our dedicated team of professionals, we make sure that we provide our clients with the best service. If you want to know more about the safety of glass pool fences, feel free to visit our website.