Safety Nets???

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The install isn't that bad, though it does add a little to the cost. The main issue is connivence. If it is too much trouble to put on the safety net then you won't put it on and the pool won't be safe. The child safety fences are much easier to install/remove and usually have gates that can be opened leaving the fence installed, and thus are far more likely to actually be used.
 
We just got a quote from Katchakid : http://www.katchakid.com/main.htm

The two products look about the same and have the same function. I have no idea which would be a better product or last longer. Katchakid has an 8 year warranty. They also replaced the old "pully system" used to tighten the net with a manual crank wench.

My quote was $1440 for a 42x22 pool. I guess they bring a net 3' longer on each side and then trim it on site. That price is installed with Tax, Net Roller and Wench. We gave them a $144 deposit and just need to pick out the color and setup an install. They can install the net prior to the plaster, but I think we will wait until most of the guys are done working in the yard.
 
Not to sound like a sales guy (because I'm not), but in my opinion those black mesh fences are more ugly than the chain link fence I was forced to install for code compliance.

I have a 3.5 year old little girl. If I put her into a yard with a 5' mesh fence, I bet she could get over that fence in 5 minutes. She will drag our big heavy solid wood chairs all the way across the kitchen to climb up on the countertop.

I plan to test the net once it is installed, but it is supposed to be very difficult for a man to unclip the net without the Wench. My Sales Guy told me a story that the owner of Katchakid installed the net on Sales Guy's personal pool. The Owner offered to give him the net for free if the Sales Guy could get it off without the Pully Crank. I asked if the Sales Guy would give me the same deal and he declined ;)
 
Nightmare said:
We just got a quote from Katchakid : http://www.katchakid.com/main.htm

The two products look about the same and have the same function. I have no idea which would be a better product or last longer. Katchakid has an 8 year warranty. They also replaced the old "pully system" used to tighten the net with a manual crank wench.

My quote was $1440 for a 42x22 pool. I guess they bring a net 3' longer on each side and then trim it on site. That price is installed with Tax, Net Roller and Wench. We gave them a $144 deposit and just need to pick out the color and setup an install. They can install the net prior to the plaster, but I think we will wait until most of the guys are done working in the yard.
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I'm sure pricing will vary by region, but thats not too bad. I'm in Northern Virginia. If I did the fence myself it would be in that price range.

Jasonlion has a good point though with the fences being easier to lock (ie. close the gate). With the nets when you take them off and put them on you have to walk around and undo each anchor.

Let us know what you think Nightmare.
 
My neighbor has one...but he never puts it on. His doors and windows of his home are compliant with saftey barrier code though. So once all the kids are indoors he feels much more relaxed. But if he is entertaining outdoors its a constant worry not having a physical barrier around the pool.
 
Have you considered a auto cover?

Yes I know they are way more expensive, but not only are they really safe for the little ones, but they are extremely convient. They also help keep the pool warm, clean, and help with chemical use.

Mine also acts as a winter cover, so I don't have to mess with anything when we close for winter.
 
mnb said:
Have you considered a auto cover?

Yes I know they are way more expensive, but not only are they really safe for the little ones, but they are extremely convient. They also help keep the pool warm, clean, and help with chemical use.

Mine also acts as a winter cover, so I don't have to mess with anything when we close for winter.
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Are there any you can diy?
 
Automatic Cover (not Automotive Cover I assume) = $$$$$.$$

I don't think they work on a free form pool and you can only cover some Spas (mine is raised and outside the pool perimeter).

I asked my PB about a heavy duty (walk-on) type pool cover. He told me that a 40x20 cover would weigh a ton and be very difficult to install/remove.
 
IMO, i'd like to see a little tighter weave on those nets. Not that I'm too worried about a limb or two falling/slipping into the eye, but I would imagine a little head could get stuck in a 4" sq. hole made of tightly strung rope :shock:

I have 4 little ones of my own, so by all means I'm not trying to joke about the situation/concept at all and that certainly seems like a great secondary saftey feature to install, but to Jason's point, given it's effectives relies on manual human intervention (we all make mistakes or forget to do something from time to time) I would in no way advise the net as being a sole pool barrier in lieu of code required entry barriers. Again, if this is meant to be additive to code requirements, I think it great, but still feel that weave should be tighter, perhaps no more than 2" square, but maybe the picture is off and my eyes are getting old, but that seems to be a 4"+ weave :scratch:
 

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PoolGuyNJ said:
Teach the kids to swim. Infants two and over can tread and doggy paddle to the side.

Scott
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I have a 3 and 5 year old. 5 year old swims like a dolphin. 3 year old not so much. Even if they know how to swim, how can you be sure they won't end up in the pool (ie. fetching a ball) if your not looking? Just wondering.
 
PoolGuyNJ said:
Teach the kids to swim. Infants two and over can tread and doggy paddle to the side.

Scott
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Ever see a 5 year old experience a seizure or pehaps slip while playing around the pool and knock their little noggin on the coping while falling into the pool? I witnessed the seizure at a kids birthday party and thank goodness there were 10+ adults fully clothed in the pool in about 1/2 a sec :wink:

Trust me, I hate to be dramatic and I value your advice, and would also agree for the above to be a great secondary defense to reduce the risk of drowning, but you may want to rethink the above statement as a catch-all.

Yes I know the same can happen with adults, but at least we have some sense to stay away from dangerous situations (pools) if we're prone to medical problems, of course unless :cheers: is involved.

PS...with our 2.5 year old last summer, now 3, I fished out more swim diapers than leaves :shock: , but I'd agree they can learn to swim quite well...by end of summer, she could hold her breath for a good 4-5 secs, and paddled from one end to another (24ft) very well....not so well with her brothers and sisters in the pool and dad standing next to her seeing if she could handle the waves on her own :?
 
Nightmare said:
Automatic Cover (not Automotive Cover I assume) = $$$$$.$$

I don't think they work on a free form pool and you can only cover some Spas (mine is raised and outside the pool perimeter).

I asked my PB about a heavy duty (walk-on) type pool cover. He told me that a 40x20 cover would weigh a ton and be very difficult to install/remove.
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Yes, I meant Automatic cover. And yes you are correct they are an investment. In my mind, well worth it because of how easy and safe they make things. My wife can easily get the cover on/off with a flick of a switch in about a minute or two.

They do work on free form pools, you just do a surface mount track or one embedded into the surface if you are putting in a new deck. Probably wouldn't work for your spa though.

I also saw this one, which is basically a safety cover (with the tracks) but with a hand crank and pulley system instead of a motor. Might be more reasonably priced, but I'm not sure.

http://www.poolcoversinc.com/trackman.shtml
 
Just a reminder, NOTHING replaces a watchful adult when it comes to kids and pool safety. Here is an account of a tragic drowning last summer. Two of the skills a child learns early on are "cause and effect" and "object permanence".

Cause and effect is when the child learns "if I do this (push button) that (tv turns on/off) happens" They will test this new found knowledge over and over. You first see it when they continually drop a toy out of the playpen so you will pick it up and give it to them again. Over and over and over!

Object permanence is when they discover that an item that is hidden still exists even if they can't see it. Thus simply tossing a blanket over something you don't want them to have loses its effectiveness early on.

In this article we have a tragic convergence of "cause and effect" and "object permanence" in relation to a desired object (the pool).

If you choose to rely on an auto pool cover as a safety cover for the pool, have the controls installed so they are not accessible to children. Kids are smart. If they see you operate the cover they will try it themselves.

Not trying to be preachy, just passing on some concerns. :cool:
 
zea3 said:
Just a reminder, NOTHING replaces a watchful adult when it comes to kids and pool safety. Here is an account of a tragic drowning last summer. Two of the skills a child learns early on are "cause and effect" and "object permanence".

Cause and effect is when the child learns "if I do this (push button) that (tv turns on/off) happens" They will test this new found knowledge over and over. You first see it when they continually drop a toy out of the playpen so you will pick it up and give it to them again. Over and over and over!

Object permanence is when they discover that an item that is hidden still exists even if they can't see it. Thus simply tossing a blanket over something you don't want them to have loses its effectiveness early on.

In this article we have a tragic convergence of "cause and effect" and "object permanence" in relation to a desired object (the pool).

If you choose to rely on an auto pool cover as a safety cover for the pool, have the controls installed so they are not accessible to children. Kids are smart. If they see you operate the cover they will try it themselves.

Not trying to be preachy, just passing on some concerns. :cool:
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I agree. Our cover is controlled by a switch which is in a locked switch box and we don't leave the key in there. Safety cover wouldn't be much good to us if the kids could easily open it up. Even though my 5 and 7 year olds can now swim like fish, we still keep it covered and locked.
 
Kids can't put a safety cover on. It's not meant for that purpose anyway.

Watching the kids is a must, whether you have a pool or not.

Nets like Katchakid are a PITA. When used, they work. The fence is there, always, unless you take it down.

Fences are great deterrents. If the kid can climb over and land on his feet, great, if not, he or she will fall on the deck, not in the pool. If they get a boo boo, great! They won't make that mistake again. Catch them trying to climb it and a LONG TIME-OUT is demanded. When they whine, remind them they are there because they didn't listen to you.

If your kid kids has seizures and your not watching them, shame on you.

Be a responsible and present parent. The phone will wait and TV has reruns.

Scott
 
PoolGuyNJ said:
Kids can't put a safety cover on. It's not meant for that purpose anyway.

Watching the kids is a must, whether you have a pool or not.

Nets like Katchakid are a PITA. When used, they work. The fence is there, always, unless you take it down.

Fences are great deterrents. If the kid can climb over and land on his feet, great, if not, he or she will fall on the deck, not in the pool. If they get a boo boo, great! They won't make that mistake again. Catch them trying to climb it and a LONG TIME-OUT is demanded. When they whine, remind them they are there because they didn't listen to you.

If your kid kids has seizures and your not watching them, shame on you.

Be a responsible and present parent. The phone will wait and TV has reruns.

Scott
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Scott...thanks for clarifying and maybe my prior point was not clear, but I was not trying to make an example of irresponsible parenting (we all know there is plenty of that), but that learning to swim alone is not a stand alone deterrent to drowning, although it can only help :goodjob: As you have noted above, I strongly feel that nothing replaces a well designed pool fence, however once you've let the kids in, you better be watching them like a hawk or as the OP is exploring, have a secondary deterrent to entering the pool.

I hear you about responsible and present parenting, and no doubt agree with you, but even the best drivers have car accidents :roll:
 
I've paid 2500 for a custom fence for a pool, and 1500 for a custom katchakid net. I'd take the net any day. The fence is simply a deterrent. If i had the money I'd do both. The net is fantastic when no one is swimming and you want to let the kids play in the back yard. Neither are 100% failsafe and nothing can save your kid if you arent responsible enough to watch them.

I had a friend lose a 2 yr old daughter to a pool with a fence because someone propped open the gate at a BBQ. The best safety device is both in my opinion, and responsible adults. My pediatrician hires a life guard at her BBQ's.
 

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