With 5 kids in the family there was no question that we needed some sort of safety device to prevent drownings. The 2 most obvious choices were the safety fence and the safety net. Our thinking process...
Fence:
Pros: Easy access to pool. Always "on" providing a barrier. Can be taken down in the future. Self closing gates.
Cons: Pricey, not the most aesthetically pleasing, deck space. At first we thought about the fence but had some reservations about drilling into our travertine. Alternatively, we could have small foundations poured in the yard for the poles but that was going to be expensive. Another concern was the possibility of a younger child sneaking behind the older one while they go through the gate. Others mention kids crawling on top of furniture to get over the fence but that's just plain nonsense. Another issue was having the fence routed through our outdoor liiving area. Easiest plan would've been to run a straight fence down the middle of the yard, but then we'd have concerns with pool access when we would be in the fireplace/tv area during the winter.
Net:
Pros: Barrier between pool and child. Low profile, looks good. Small holes in deck. Cheaper. Access to all of backyard except the water itself.
Cons: Installation and removal each time you want to use the pool.
So we called the local Katchakid rep who was very courteous and professional. She sat down with us and explained all the different options with both the fence and net.We decided to with the NET and boy was that a great decision. They came out on Friday, installation took about 6 hours. Showed me how to use it, let me put it on and off by myself and that was about it.
Turn key cost was just at $2k, for a 26x35' cover.
First the thing looks pretty cool. Second, the installation and removal of the new is much easier than I could have thought. They said 15 to 20 minutes but that's very conservative.
Whole system is based on tension. Essentially the net is anchored around the pool via small fittings inside of brass inserts in the deck. There is a pulley system in the center of the pool. The ratchet tool allows you to increase the tension on the net and lock it in place.
For removal, you release the tension, unhook the fittings, and roll it up on the PVC roller they give you. Crazy thing is that it does not tangle (another concern).
--Takes less than 5 minutes to remove the net and roll it up. With my kids helping we've done it in 4 minutes.
Installation is a bit more difficult. You have to pull the net across the pool and then hook the net all around the perimiter. The net isn't heavy, but some of the hooks to require a bit of muscle to put them into the grooves. Once you hook everything in you have to make another walk around the pool to make sure no hooks came out (always 3-5). Then you hook up the ratchet and draw the net tight. Ratchet gets stored separately and you're good to go.
How long does it take? 7min 14 seconds last night to do it by myself, from start to finish.
I figure by the time my kids put on their trunks and sunscreen, there's plenty of time to get the pool ready!
Feel free to ask any questions that you may have.
small holes
attaches to coping
pulley system in center of net
Ratchet tool
Fence:
Pros: Easy access to pool. Always "on" providing a barrier. Can be taken down in the future. Self closing gates.
Cons: Pricey, not the most aesthetically pleasing, deck space. At first we thought about the fence but had some reservations about drilling into our travertine. Alternatively, we could have small foundations poured in the yard for the poles but that was going to be expensive. Another concern was the possibility of a younger child sneaking behind the older one while they go through the gate. Others mention kids crawling on top of furniture to get over the fence but that's just plain nonsense. Another issue was having the fence routed through our outdoor liiving area. Easiest plan would've been to run a straight fence down the middle of the yard, but then we'd have concerns with pool access when we would be in the fireplace/tv area during the winter.
Net:
Pros: Barrier between pool and child. Low profile, looks good. Small holes in deck. Cheaper. Access to all of backyard except the water itself.
Cons: Installation and removal each time you want to use the pool.
So we called the local Katchakid rep who was very courteous and professional. She sat down with us and explained all the different options with both the fence and net.We decided to with the NET and boy was that a great decision. They came out on Friday, installation took about 6 hours. Showed me how to use it, let me put it on and off by myself and that was about it.
Turn key cost was just at $2k, for a 26x35' cover.
First the thing looks pretty cool. Second, the installation and removal of the new is much easier than I could have thought. They said 15 to 20 minutes but that's very conservative.
Whole system is based on tension. Essentially the net is anchored around the pool via small fittings inside of brass inserts in the deck. There is a pulley system in the center of the pool. The ratchet tool allows you to increase the tension on the net and lock it in place.
For removal, you release the tension, unhook the fittings, and roll it up on the PVC roller they give you. Crazy thing is that it does not tangle (another concern).
--Takes less than 5 minutes to remove the net and roll it up. With my kids helping we've done it in 4 minutes.
Installation is a bit more difficult. You have to pull the net across the pool and then hook the net all around the perimiter. The net isn't heavy, but some of the hooks to require a bit of muscle to put them into the grooves. Once you hook everything in you have to make another walk around the pool to make sure no hooks came out (always 3-5). Then you hook up the ratchet and draw the net tight. Ratchet gets stored separately and you're good to go.
How long does it take? 7min 14 seconds last night to do it by myself, from start to finish.
I figure by the time my kids put on their trunks and sunscreen, there's plenty of time to get the pool ready!
Feel free to ask any questions that you may have.
small holes
attaches to coping
pulley system in center of net
Ratchet tool
