We are trying to decide on which safety measure we will do for our new pool build. I've narrowed it down to a removable mesh fence (mostly likely from diypoolfence.com) or the katchakid pool net. Anybody have experience with either? I'd love to hear from anyone who has lived with it and can tell me pros and cons. I'd love something that is pretty fast and easy to install and remove and can be done with only one person. I am convinced of the safety of both products so it comes down to ease of installation, how it looks and cost. Thanks!
Removable fence or pool net cover for safety?
- Thread starter shannnon
- Start date
Taking a cover off and back on is going to be a lot more effort and time that walking through a gate in the fence or even pulling up a few of the fence posts to make an opening (although admittedly I am not sure how they actually work).
- Jun 7, 2017
- 9,062
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
Do you have any codes there for fences? That fence would not even come close to passing safety fence inspection here. Just looking at it I personally do not think it is good to use as a safety fence for keeping kids out of the pool. I would not sleep well at night if that was my only defense.
Hands down the barrier.
By the time they make it to the net, it may be too late.
Those nets are far too permeable imo.
By the time they make it to the net, it may be too late.
Those nets are far too permeable imo.
Can you tell me why?
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Have you seen videos of the fence and how they work? It is impressive to me how something temporary and removable like that could be so strong. I am convinced it is quite safe. At least for what I am looking for. I am looking to have something removable to keep a wondering toddler from the pool only when we have people come to visit us because I no longer have any non-swimmers. It's not going to keep out someone with a knife who wants to get in my pool but I'm not worried about that.
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I am really impressed by the katchakid net. It can hold up to 500 pounds. No toddler is getting through that thing. I am totally convinced it is 100% safe when installed properly.
- Jun 7, 2017
- 9,062
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
Code is code. If your area has codes pertaining to pool fences, there is little chance this type of fence will meet the code. Most areas do have pool fencing codes. If you have no codes to worry about, then it's whatever lets you sleep at night. When my son was 5 this fence would have kept him out all of 30 seconds.
Removable barriers are merely supplemental. The satisfy zero standards or codes as they can be willfully removed with out being damaged.
I have the Katchakid safety net and am very impressed. We bought a house last fall with an inground pool in the backyard. The yard is fenced, and we restrict access to it. We nevertheless wanted something that would protect even a disobedient child. The safety net does just that. We have four children, only two of whom were swimmers at the time.
It takes me less than ten minutes by myself to remove and reinstall, faster if my older children help. It takes some effort to work the ratcheting strap (I have bad shoulders), but I appreciate the security. You have to be committed to reinstalling it after use for it to be effective. We are and are very glad we have it. We feel much more comfortable letting our children play outside or opening our home to families with small children with it in place.
Our pool is free form with a raised spa and rock waterfall. Katchakid was great with the custom fit and installation. We also have a leaf net because we have many, many trees and a lot of wind.
I have no experience with the fence you’re considering. I just wanted to share our experiences with the net. Overall, very postitive. If a tree fell and tore through the net or some other odd event to harm it, we’d replace it immediately.
It takes me less than ten minutes by myself to remove and reinstall, faster if my older children help. It takes some effort to work the ratcheting strap (I have bad shoulders), but I appreciate the security. You have to be committed to reinstalling it after use for it to be effective. We are and are very glad we have it. We feel much more comfortable letting our children play outside or opening our home to families with small children with it in place.
Our pool is free form with a raised spa and rock waterfall. Katchakid was great with the custom fit and installation. We also have a leaf net because we have many, many trees and a lot of wind.
I have no experience with the fence you’re considering. I just wanted to share our experiences with the net. Overall, very postitive. If a tree fell and tore through the net or some other odd event to harm it, we’d replace it immediately.
Thank you DuaeGuttae! This is exactly the type of experience I was hoping someone would share. I was mostly curious to know if one person really could install and remove it alone how quickly. I definitely think we will go with the net. I have been trying to get a hold of a katchakid rep to get a ball park of how much they cost. Can I ask how much you spent and how big your pool is? We will also have a raised spa so I am happy to hear they can design it to cover that as well. Thanks!
I had a different experience with the net. We had one installed when my children were small and I wouldn't do it again. At least not with this pool.
1. Mine was difficult to handle, remove and install. My pool is a big rectangle 40+ feet long and the length required there be two cinches. It was hard to handle as is was very bulky due to the size. When I was uninstalling, by the time I made it around the pool most of it had sank. I had to drag it out it was awkward. All rolled up it was the size of a 30 gallon trash can. Putting it on was worse. There was really no other way to do it but basically throw it in the pool and start working around the deck. The anchors are basically key holes and the hooks are stainless steel nails that they blunt the tip on and bend around the edge of the netting. As you work your way around the nail heads would basically snag and often I had unhook big sections to pull them to the opposite side so I could untangle. The ratchets were hard to get really tight and I'm as strong as most homeowners with no particular limitations.
2. After installing and being stretched across the pool for a while the netting material gives somewhat and the net gets loose. Eventually I had to have them come re-stretch the net. My setup also had a fixed endpoint on the tension rope so it only had one level us tightness. I couldn't just keep puling tighter.
3. With my setup, due to the size of the pool there was really no way to eliminate all give. If a child fell face first onto the net, more than about 2 feet from the edge the net would give enough to have their face in the water.
Regarding the fences I haven't had one but wish I would have gone that way. Regarding codes, of course you should check. From what I've seen there are plenty of systems out there that will meet state and local codes. If installed properly it would be extremely difficult for any small child to climb and/or breech. They can be used in California in conjunction with at least one other safety measure such ad door alarms. There is also a ASTM standard for them. If you do the fence, I would for sure go with the 5' tall.
Good Luck.
1. Mine was difficult to handle, remove and install. My pool is a big rectangle 40+ feet long and the length required there be two cinches. It was hard to handle as is was very bulky due to the size. When I was uninstalling, by the time I made it around the pool most of it had sank. I had to drag it out it was awkward. All rolled up it was the size of a 30 gallon trash can. Putting it on was worse. There was really no other way to do it but basically throw it in the pool and start working around the deck. The anchors are basically key holes and the hooks are stainless steel nails that they blunt the tip on and bend around the edge of the netting. As you work your way around the nail heads would basically snag and often I had unhook big sections to pull them to the opposite side so I could untangle. The ratchets were hard to get really tight and I'm as strong as most homeowners with no particular limitations.
2. After installing and being stretched across the pool for a while the netting material gives somewhat and the net gets loose. Eventually I had to have them come re-stretch the net. My setup also had a fixed endpoint on the tension rope so it only had one level us tightness. I couldn't just keep puling tighter.
3. With my setup, due to the size of the pool there was really no way to eliminate all give. If a child fell face first onto the net, more than about 2 feet from the edge the net would give enough to have their face in the water.
Regarding the fences I haven't had one but wish I would have gone that way. Regarding codes, of course you should check. From what I've seen there are plenty of systems out there that will meet state and local codes. If installed properly it would be extremely difficult for any small child to climb and/or breech. They can be used in California in conjunction with at least one other safety measure such ad door alarms. There is also a ASTM standard for them. If you do the fence, I would for sure go with the 5' tall.
Good Luck.
Thanks MouseMan54! That is very helpful information. Our pool will be 40' long. I did not consider the length being a factor in making it more difficult to put on and take off but it makes sense. Is yours the actual katachakid brand?
I had the removable fencing around my 40x20 pool when my kids were small. It worked great and lasted for many years. I also used it when we got a puppy until he was trained properly. We left it up semi-permanently and had a gate for access. Except for the gate, the fencing was pretty easy to remove when we had people over.
No experience with the net cover but we did use a pool alarm before getting the fencing. That I would not recommend as it had many false alarms when large frogs would it set if off at 3 AM! Plus I agree with others that your goal should be to keep kids out of water entirely which the fence does well.
No experience with the net cover but we did use a pool alarm before getting the fencing. That I would not recommend as it had many false alarms when large frogs would it set if off at 3 AM! Plus I agree with others that your goal should be to keep kids out of water entirely which the fence does well.
I honestly don't remember the brand as it was ~10 years ago. That being the case maybe they've gotten better.