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If you plan to install a removable pool fence, consider choosing one that has a gate with a safe pool fence gate latch. This type of fence lets you enter the pool area easily, without the need to remove the fence. When you exit, the pool gate latch closes automatically behind you to keep out children and pets who may be at risk of falling in the pool and have trouble getting out. Pool safety is important and latch selection matters. Here are six suggestions from All-Safe for choosing a high-quality latch for your pool fence.
![Pool fence latch](https://allsafepool.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/pool-fence-latch.jpg)
- Choose a Latch That’s Protected Against Weather Corrosion
Because pool safety fences are typically outdoor installations, they are made for all-weather wear. Latches made from aluminum are ideal. Like most metals, aluminum can gradually corrode. However, it doesn’t rust like iron and steel. An aluminum pool fence latch should also come coated in primer for added weather-resistance.
- Select a Metal Latch, Not a Latch Manufactured From Plastic
As you explore different pool fence gate latches, you will find some that are plastic. These latches may cost less, but they have drawbacks that metal latches do not. Weather exposure can make them crack. Exposure to the elements can also make plastic latches oxidize faster than metal, making them look unsightly compared to the rest of the fence.
- For a Self-Closing Gate, Choose a Latch That’s Self-Closing & Self-Latching
Some pool gates are designed to be self-closing, which means they will glide to a close on their own if anyone forgets to close them. This helpful safety feature is designed to intervene for human error that could inadvertently leave the pool area exposed. If you choose a self-closing gate, be sure to equip it with a pool fence that will latch automatically.
- Select a Latch Model That You Can Securely Lock With a Key
Even if you don’t use a self-closing and latching pool gate, be sure to use a locking pool fence latch. The lock helps ensure that children and others who shouldn’t be alone near pools —such as the elderly and adults with disabilities—don’t open the gate. A chain and padlock combination may also work if the metals are non-corrosive, but it’s an unsightly option that doesn’t complement the pool area.
- Choose a Latch That the Manufacturer Could Easily Replace
If you choose a pool fence gate latch from the same company that manufactures the gate you select, the latch should have a lifespan that’s at least as long as the gate and other elements of the pool fence. However, if the latch happens to malfunction, the manufacturer should be able to quickly supply a replacement, as long as the product line you installed is still available.
- Select a Latch That Matches the Color of Your Safety Fence
You want your pool site to be visually pleasing, including the appearance of the safety fence that helps secure the area. Installing a fence whose elements are designed by the same manufacturer, including the pool gate latch, is an ideal way to find an installation that meets your aesthetic requirements. This is one advantage of choosing a pool fence from All-Safe.
- Get a Pool Fence Estimate: Contact a Local All-Safe Dealer
If you plan to install a removable safety pool fence in the near future, All-Safe offers ultra mesh pool fences and classic mesh pool fences that will make your swimming pool highly secure for young children and pets who could enter the pool area and hurt themselves.
Choosing a fence with a pool gate that features a locking latch adds convenience without sacrificing safety or detracting from the pleasant appearance you want from a pool fence. Prior to installation, the first thing you need to know is how to budget for the project. To find out, contact a local All-Safe dealer today to schedule a pool site inspection and estimate.