What should I know about a home with a pool in Florida?

The choices are a barrier at least 4 feet high on the outside with no gap a young child could crawl under, squeeze through or climb over, and gates that open away from the pool and close and latch by themselves; an approved safety cover; an alarm on every door and window that opens to the pool; a self-closing, self-latching device on every door to the pool, with its release at least 54 inches above the floor; or a pool alarm that sounds when someone enters the water. A wall of the house can be part of the barrier if no door or window in it opens to the pool. The law covers in-ground and above-ground pools, hot tubs and fixed spas that hold water more than 24 inches deep, and the builder or pool contractor must give the buyer a copy of its requirements. Not having a safety feature on a new pool is a misdemeanor. When you buy a home with an older pool, check which of these it has. The Department of Health puts an adult watching the water first among its layers of protection, then fences, self-latching gates, covers and alarms, and a phone close by to call 911.

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