When it comes to making your pool safer for your children, all aspects of the removable mesh pool fence should be considered. At Life Saver, we believe that the most important aspect of the fence is the backbone of your pool fence, and that is the pole. The pool fence pole is the shock absorber of the fence. The stronger the pole, the more shock it will take.
On October 29th 2012, Hurricane Sandy swept across New York with winds of at least 75 miles per hour. This hurricane left a path of destruction to many people. After the storm, there were many fences that were swept away and damaged. When we were out to fix damaged fences that customers had, we found out that the fences were made with poles that have an average break strength and pressure of between 40-60 lbs. These poles had been broken and were rendered useless. However, those customers who chose the Life Saver Pool Fence Heavy Gauge model, with a break strength that exceeds 100 lbs. of pressure, did not break.
A mesh pool fence works on bi-lateral tension, meaning it creates its own tension from its opposing sides. Therefore, the fence is already by itself under constant duress. So the question is, can your child break a pole that has a break strength of between 40-60 lbs.? The answer is yes they can, and that’s why most pool fence companies sell and charge for replacement poles.
Fiberglass poles sound strong and there are claims that they are unbreakable. The truth is every pole is breakable, but at what point do they break? If you have a pool fence and a pole breaks, there is a very good chance a child could lift the mesh and crawl under because there is a 6′ span between poles, not a 3′ span. A fiberglass pole will split and deteriorate over time causing the pole to lose its strength over a course of a few years.
Which pole you pick is very important to both the safety and the look of your pool fence. Weaker poles and fiberglass poles both bend very easily. A bent pole at corner may not be unsafe, but making an investment in a pool fence that doesn’t look good also affects how your backyard will look. A stronger pool fence pole will not only keep your children safer but it will also keep your fence looking great for as long as you need it.
You may have a few children of different ages, and as they get older they get bigger and stronger. A fence that worked well for you when you just had 1 child may not work well when there are 2 or 4 of them. They grow up, they give the fence more abuse. Your fence should be able to handle it. You may end up with a 10 year old, a 6 year old, and now a 2 year old, your fence will get plenty of abuse. If a pole breaks, who’s going to pay for it, you or the person who told you had a Lifetime Warranty? Always know what you’re getting not just today, but 8 or 12 or even 20 years later.
Watch our video to learn Life Saver pool fence poles’ strength: