The gate rules
Pool gates fail more inspections than every other item combined. The requirements:
- Opens outward — away from the pool area, so a child pushing on it meets resistance
- Self-closes from any position — released from fully open, half open, or resting on the latch, it must swing shut and latch on its own
- Self-latches — no help, no lifting, no second push
- Latch release at 1500mm+ above ground — or, if lower, shielded so it can only be reached by hand through a 150mm-radius opening at the top of the gate
- Never propped open — a propped gate is an automatic fail and the single biggest real-world drowning risk
Why gates drift out of compliance
Gates are the only moving part of the barrier, so they wear. Hinges sag under weight and the gate drops until the latch misses. Spring tension fades until a gently closed gate stalls short. Kids swing on them. The ground heaves and the gate scrapes. A gate that self-latched perfectly at installation can fail three summers later without anyone touching it.
Fixing a failing gate
Usually a DIY job:
- Gate drops / latch misses: re-tension or repack the hinges; most soft-close hinges adjust with an Allen key
- Won't self-close from nearly-shut: increase spring tension gradually until it closes from every position — including barely open
- Latch worn or loose: replacement magnetic latches are $30–$80 at hardware stores and fit standard gates
- Latch too low: relocate it to 1500mm or fit a compliant shielded model
Budget $30–$150 for parts, or $150–$400 for a fencing tradie to sort the lot. Full gate replacement, if the frame itself has twisted: $300–$800.
Open the gate to every position — wide, halfway, and resting just off the latch — and let go. It must close and latch from all of them, every time. The "resting on the latch" release is the one that fails.