Are kid fences around pools legally required ?

Question

We're thinking about building a pool next year. Kids would be 7 and 2. We have a sliding glass door with lock, as well as a top lock at the top of the door we lock every night (kids aren't tall enough to reach it - the door won't slide open when lock is in place).
We also have a security system that blares if any door or window is open when it's armed, the security system also has a camera in our backyard and notifies us if anyone is outside. Even when unarmed, the panel will announce if a door is opened/window.
It also has a pool feature where if anyone lingers by a pool if you have one the alarm will go off/will notify you.
I'm in Florida. Is the kiddy fence around the pool with these measures in place?

Answer

Talk to your homeowners insurance. In our state, you’re legally required to have a fence at least four feet tall with a locked gate around an in ground pool. Putting in a pool without the proper safety measures can void your insurance policy. It’s not just about your own kids but it’s your liability if another child wanders over and gets hurt in your pool.

Answer

Just pay the money for the extra safety. My brother drowned when he was 4 years old (before I was born), it's just something that haunts our family and a gate maybe would have prevented his untimely death. It happens so quickly.
Kids climb and get what they really want. Your 7 year old may understand to wait for an adult but the younger child wouldn't understand the true danger.

Answer

I think it’s only required when you have foster kids. It’s just smart to have it. My kid can’t reach a lock like that either but he has no problems grabbing a stool or ladder to reach what he wants, so if I had a pool, I’d definitely have the extra fence. I would never feel safe with my kids outside without me for even a second without that fence. Even with the fence, I’d be nervous with my kid since he gets into everything.

Answer

We were required either a fenced in yard or a screened in room. We paid to get a wrap around baby gate even though we have a fenced in yard. It was worth the extra $1600 we paid to guarantee our son wouldn’t be able to fall in while playing in yard.

Answer

We’re in Florida and did not have to do that. For everything to pass inspection we did have to have alarms on doors and windows that led to it. Our in ground pool has a screen enclosure which is kept locked from inside it so if kids are in backyard they can’t get into pool area. From our house there’s a sliding glass door to a glassed in patio room if that makes sense. The patio has two doors, one to backyard and one directly into screened pool. We decided on the door from patio to pool to flip one of the locks. There’s still a deadbolt but now it also requires a key to get into pool area. In the event of a fire if anyone needed to get out through patio we’d just use other door to backyard anyway not be getting into the pool enclosure.

Answer

Insurance companies do a lot.
Friend of the family had a sliding door to the pool right outside. Their 3 year old had a great day in the pool, they snuck back out there later and drowned 😢 I’m sure there was a lock on the sliding door too but anything can happen. I personally would want an all fenced in pool not right outside the door after this experience. But that’s just me

Answer

Not sure about legally. But I know my parents homeowner's insurance requiered them to put padlocks on their fenced in backyard but didn't require another fence around the pool.

Answer

Usually it’s required by insurance. Also, it’s not just for the safety of your children, but also other children.

Answer

You could probably contact a pool company in your area or your local code enforcement. I've heard that if there's a fence around the backyard there doesn't have to be a fence around the pool but I'm really not sure.

Answer

I thought it was requirement in Florida to have something. My aunt and uncle live in Florida close to Orlando and they were required to put an encloser, which however is not very child safe.