Having pool fences around your swimming area is one of the best ways to keep children, the elderly, people with disability, and pets safe. Without it, accidents can happen that can lead to unfortunate outcomes.
Because of the safety and protection it offers, you want to make sure that your barriers are always in great shape. The best way to do this is to perform pool fence maintenance the right way.
So, how do you maintain yours properly? Check out these maintenance tips that can help you keep your fence in top condition.
5 Pool Fence Maintenance Tips You Should Know
Inspect for Any Signs of Damage
The most important thing about pool fence maintenance is to find out what needs addressing. So, inspection is the first thing you should do to ensure that your barriers are in a good state.
The first thing you should do is check the physical appearance of your barriers. Keep in mind that different materials can have various issues.
If it is made of steel or aluminum material, you should look for any signs of rusting. Make sure to remove the rust as best as you can and paint over it. Remember, rust is not only a mere flaw in appearance but also affects the integrity of the structure.
The next thing you need to watch out for in steel and aluminum fences is dents. These are often caused by impact, so this means you need to keep an eye out for objects, animals, or people who might have bumped into your fence.
Wooden barriers can be vulnerable to rotting, especially caused by water. You might need to replace the rotted part with perfectly new ones.
Meanwhile, glass fences can have cracks that can then shatter with impact. Make sure to replace the affected panel immediately to avoid potential hazards.
You should also look for tears in your mesh fences and patch them up promptly. Any cuts in your chain link barrier should also be repaired right away.
Check the Attachments
Another way to ensure that your fence is in top condition is to check the attachments. This refers to any part that keeps pieces of your fence together including screws and sealants. You should also take a look at the points where your barriers are attached to the ground.
Checking your fixings is important to make sure that your fence stays in good shape to prevent it from tumbling down when children try to climb it. This also helps minimize the possibility of the structure falling over the pool while swimmers are in.
Overall, checking the attachments lets you prevent horrible accidents caused by impact, weight, and wind.
What you need to do is to tighten any screws that might have come loose over time. For glass fences, removing loose, old sealant and applying a new one can help freshen up your pool barriers.
You should also check the attachment points to the ground to make sure that it has not come loose. Any cracks or vulnerabilities on surfaces should also be addressed to reduce the possibility of the situation getting worse.
Clean Properly and Regularly
Cleaning the barriers is an integral part of maintenance. Any minor dirt can turn into major problems later on if you fail to remove them over time. Your best bet is to regularly clean your fences, but it has to be in the right way.
Take note that there is a proper way of cleaning different types of materials. For glasses, your best choice is to hose them down every time you go swimming to wash off any chlorinated water that splashed onto the glass. It is really hard to keep glass fencing clean, it needs constant maintenance.
You should also wash it with a gentle cleaning solution and a soft cloth. Remember, harsh chemicals and scratchy materials can damage not only your glass panels but also the metal fittings.
It is also important to use mild cleaners and cloths when cleaning wood, aluminum, and steel fences. This is because they are coated in paint intended to protect the material from moisture and keep it from rotting or rusting.
The easiest to keep clean is mesh pool fencing. This type of fence doesn’t need much maintenance. Hosing it down occasionally will do the trick.
When cleaning, make sure to remove dirt and stains that can make your barriers look less visually appealing. Plus, the buildup of such filth can damage the material over time.
Make Sure the Gate Works Well
The gate is an essential part of your fence because it serves as the entry and exit point of the swimming area. In most states and cities, pool gates should be self-closing and self-latching. This way, vulnerable individuals and animals cannot enter the area without your permission and supervision.
So, another thing you should do to maintain your barriers is to make sure that the gate is in good working condition. You can start by checking the hinges. Does it swing without problems? Or does it get stuck, leaving the swimming area easily accessible for kids?
Another thing to watch out for is the latching mechanism. It should work seamlessly to prevent unauthorized individuals from entering the pool.
Some of the things you could do include tightening fixtures, applying lubrication, and installing working mechanisms such as latches and locks.
Replace Parts as Needed
Installing fences can be costly and you want to make the most of what you currently have. However, you need to make sure that you are not compromising your security for the sake of maximizing your use of the barriers.
You should replace any parts that are beyond repair instead of doing make-shift solutions. If the barrier is mostly damaged, you should consider replacing it with something more cost-effective yet functional such as mesh fences because these are easy to install, budget-friendly, maintain, and remove.
The Bottom Line
Your pool fences are the key to making your swimming area a much safer place for kids, the elderly, people with disabilities, and pets alike. Make sure to perform proper maintenance on your fences to prolong their life span and keep in functional for the years to come.
