PRO FENCE DESIGN
What to Know About CT Pool Code
Making your pool compliant to CT pool code is essential for everybody's safety, approval of your build, and your home's insurance policy. Doing so does not mean you also have to compromise looks for regulations.
SUBMITTED: Pro Fence Design
POSTED: January 2024
Why Fencing for Pools is Regulated
Pool fence codes exist to ensure that pool owners, both private and public, create a space that is safe for all visitors. Each year, pool fences help to prevent the near drowning or drowning of children.
In Connecticut, this core concern is enforced by the International Swimming, Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), the International Residential Code (IRC) and the International Building Code (IRC). By the definition followed by all of these organizations, a swimming pool is defined as: ​
Any structure intended for swimming or recreational bathing that contains water over 24 inches deep. This includes in-ground, aboveground, and on-ground swimming pools, hot tubs and spas.
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Ergo, any of above mentioned accessories to a home must have a pool fence. Pool fence is also referred to as a "barrier" in some local building code books.
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Core Requirements to Meet Pool Code
Fence (barrier) requirements for pools are not numerous or difficult to understand. When considering that these regulations are designed to keep toddlers and children up to eight years old out of a pool area, they make sense.
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MINIMUM HEIGHT l the minimum height of a pool fence must be 48" (4.0') or higher. This is measured from the grade to the outside of the pool enclosure area to prevent a child from simply climbing over it.
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MINIMUM PICKET SPACING | Spacing between vertical members (AKA vertical pickets) must be 4" or less to prevent a child from squeezing through the openings.
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CONSIDERATIONS FOR HORIZONTAL SLATS OR RAILS | Horizontal members or protrusions can provide a foothold for a child to scale up and over thus they must be reinforced with wire mesh affixed to the outside of the pool fence. This abates footholds for children to climb over the fence.
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CHAINLINK SPACING | Chain link (diamond) spacing must be 2" or less, also to prevent footholds.
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GATES AND GATE HARDWARE | Pool gates are normally sized at 4.0' and MUST open outwards. Pool hinges have to be self closing and the latch must be self-locking and at least 54" above the ground.
Meeting Code in Style
A pool code fence can be equally compliant and aesthetically designed to complement you home or business. Below are some of the considerations an experienced designer will take into consideration.
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Match Surrounding Furniture like white aluminum pool chairs and chaises with a white aluminum fence.
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Pool Deck Paver Hues with vinyl panels in the same color spectrum.
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Black Panels that make landscaping around your pool pop with vibrance.
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Wood Fence that looks great with pools with a wooded area backdrop.
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