New Jersey experiences high temperatures during the summer, and most people have swimming pools in their homes.
Sadly, these bodies of water often turn out to be sites of accidents if not properly barricaded.
It is estimated that about 350 children under the age of 5-year drown annually in residential pools.
New Jersey legislated William’s law requiring residential swimming pool owners to adhere to pool safety regulations due to these statistics.
Important NJ Pool Fence Code
The 2015 International Residential Code (ICC) NJ and 2014 National Electric Code NJ for single-family properties list these codes.
Our article only gives you a guide since we cannot look at every situation that might arise in your residence.
First, you need a permit for both an above ground and inground pool for maximum 24-inch depth in New Jersey.
The authority requires you to have a semi-in-ground or inground pool plan and submit it for verification with Standard ISPSC-15.
Your plan should bear the signature and seal of a New Jersey licensed design expert.
A sealed analysis of your property is also required, and it should show the pool’s and fence’s location.
NJ pool fence code requires you to have these permits:
- Building for deck, pool, and fence
- Electric for lights, bond, and pump motor
- Plumbing for gas system to the heater and drains
The code also requires proof of these inspections:
- For inground pool: concrete lock around the walls, final, and collar
- For above ground pool: deck’s footing and final
- Electric-rough and final
- Plumbing-rough and final
Pool Fence Requirements NJ
Private or residential swimming pools must be barricaded by an enclosure such as a wall or fence.
The enclosure should meet some conditions, which are outlined here:
- Its top should be 48-inch or more above the pool’s ground level when measured on the barrier’s side facing away from the pool.
- The clearance from the bottom of the fence and the ground level should be 2-inch – when measured on the barrier’s side when facing away from the pool.
- If the pool’s structure top is above the ground level, like for above ground pools, the enclosure finishing shall be on the ground level or mount on the pool’s structure at the top.
- If you mount the fence on the top’s structure, the gap between the bottom of the enclosure and pool frame shall be 4-inch or less.
- Gaps in the pool’s barrier shall not allow a 4-inch diameter sphere to pass through.
- The pool fence should be free of protrusions or indentations that can allow climbing, except for tooled masonry joints and normal construction tolerances
- The enclosure is made up of vertical and horizontal members, and the horizontal members’ top is at most 45-inch apart, and the horizontal members should be placed on the poolside.
- Spacing between the vertical members should be less than 1¾-inch in width.
- Any decorative cutout should be less than 1¾-inch in width.
- Chain link fences mesh should be at most 2¼-inch in length unless provided with slats at the bottom or top to reduce the gaps to less than 1¾-inch.
- Diagonals members opening should not be more than 1¾-inch between two settings
NJ Pool Fence Regulations: Do You Need this Fence?
Many pool owners wonder whether they should install this fence or leave the pool open to add beauty to their home.
NJ pool fence regulations require you to have this fence, but you have options:
- The NJ law requires you to enclose your facility with a fence, wall, or any other barrier of about 4-foot tall.
- The rule applies for inground and above ground swimming pools of residential use.
- With these regulations, you can opt to barricade your whole property or just the pool area.
As noted, you have several options when it comes to fencing your swimming pool in New Jersey.
Some people go for the entire home barricade while others go for the small fence to keep animals and kids out of the pool area.
It depends on how you want your garden to look and what you want to achieve with the enclosure.
In Conclusion
A pool enclosure is a vital part of a swimming pool for preventing children and pets from drowning.
But it is just one step you can take to keep your pool safe because you can add pool alarms, covers, and other safety measures found on the Consumer Products Safety Commission website.
The ICC NJ pool fence code requires you to have a fence that meets all the standards, and you can do that by seeking help from your local building authority.
Most manufacturers sell fences that meet these codes, but that is not always the case.
The vital factor is to ensure that the enclosure is included in the pool’s plan, and everything is in place from day one.