Glossary
Self-closing, self-latching gate
A pool gate that swings shut and locks by itself, with the latch high enough that a young child can't reach it.
A self-closing, self-latching gate is a pool gate that swings shut on its own and locks itself every time, so a gate left open by a guest or older child doesn't leave the pool exposed. It is the weak point of most pool fences, so it deserves regular checks.
The AAP (opens in a new tab) says a pool fence gate should:
- close and latch by itself;
- open away from the pool, so a child pushing on it can't get in;
- have its latch at least 54 inches from the ground;
- stay locked at all times, and be checked often to make sure it works.
The fence around it should be at least 4 feet high with no gaps wider than 4 inches, and it should surround the pool on all four sides. Pool Safely (opens in a new tab) gives the same core advice: the water should be reachable only through a self-closing, self-latching gate.
A quick test: open the gate and let go from different angles. It should close and latch every time. See pool fences and gates and use the Pool barrier check.
What you can do today: test your pool gate from three positions and fix it if it doesn't latch every time.