4 Important safety features of a glass pool fence

Posted on: 6 February 2019

Glass pool fencing is the epitome of style and elegance for both indoor and outdoor pools. These unique fences add a protective layer to the home without causing significant disruption. You also have the freedom of selecting from many different types of glass fences, from frameless designs to semi-frameless and fully-framed panels.

Regardless of the fencing style you choose, you should pay close attention to safety features. Safety is important for both indoor and outdoor pools, as it ensures that the fence is stable and children are kept out of the pool area if no adult is nearby. 

You may be wondering how to install a safe and secure glass pool fence. Here are 4 essential safety features your fence should have:

1. Reinforced safety glass

The glass panels used to secure your pool should be thick and strong. The thickness is meant to prevent shattering from direct impact with foreign objects. Children may also strike the glass panels while playing, thus thickness is important to prevent damage. More importantly, the glass shouldn't shatter if it breaks. Glass surfaces such as gorilla glass are capable of restricting the shattered pieces inside the main panel, so as to prevent people from cutting themselves.

2. Limited spacing between glass panels

The next important safety feature is proper spacing between glass panels. Adjacent panels should be placed close enough that kids can't easily slide in-between. Even better, outdoor pools should have panels that are close enough to prevent rodents and pests from passing through and entering the pool area. your contractor should properly place each glass panel at a reasonable distance from the others adjacent to it.

In addition, the panels should be tightly anchored to the ground (and to each other) to prevent them from easily falling off. Each panel should be firmly secured into the surrounding concrete using bolts and nuts. 

3. No sharp edges around the corners

Another feature that many homeowners forget about is the importance of smooth edges. Glass panels that have sharp corners can be an injury hazard to everyone in the home. Make sure that each panel has its sharp edges smoothed or covered by metal plates. In this way, children running around will be less likely to injure themselves against the glass panels. 

4. Weather resistance

Finally, make sure your glass panels are resistant to inclement weather such as heavy rain and strong winds. You wouldn't want your glass panels to come flying off the fence when strong winds pass by. To prevent this risk, make sure each panel is firmly anchored into a stable section of the ground. The glass should also be thick enough to resist easy movement in the face of inclement weather.

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