During a recent remodel of their Phoenix home, Rachel and Carter Lipton researched options to protect their four young children — Adlai, 8, Satchel, 6, Sol, 3, and Abe, 6 months — from unsupervised access to the family pool.

They decided to install a grid-style, rust-colored wrought-iron fence. They looked into other options but wanted something permanent.

"There wasn't any time we wouldn't want to have a pool fence up for our kids, our friends' kids, nieces and nephews … even grandkids," Rachel Lipton says.

Safety around water is a year-round concern in the greater-Phoenix area, where 42.8 percent of homes have a pool — well over the national average of 15.7 percent, according to a recent American Housing Survey.

Arizona statutes require any family with a pool and children younger than 6 to erect a wall, fence or barrier that surrounds the pool area. The Arizona Department of Health Services has a set of requirements for each type of barrier, but some city and county government mandates are even more restrictive.

As president of the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona, an organization that has studied and kept statistics on drowning incidents for nearly 26 years, Lori Schmidt knows what happens when pool barriers are not in place or properly installed.

"Research shows that the safest choice is a 5-foot wrought-iron pool fence," she says.

But for homeowners, cost, aesthetics and the "hassle" factor also figure into the decision.

Wrought-iron fencing ranges from $28 per linear foot for a standard fence to $150 per linear foot for a decorative fence that might feature twisted iron and detailed scrollwork. A self-closing, hinged gate adds another $235, and a security lock on the gate runs around $115.

Some families prefer the flexibility of mesh fencing, which can be removed and replaced as needed. Scottsdale residents Krista and Doug Robinson have two children: Isabella, 10, and Aidan, 8. The couple chose mesh fencing when baby-proofing their home for then 6-month-old Isabella.

"We went with a mesh fence because we wanted to be able to take it down for aesthetic reasons," Krista Robinson says.

Compared with a standard wrought-iron fence, the powder-coated aluminum poles used in mesh fencing are lighter, stronger and resistant to rust, says Chris Amato, owner and president of Pool Barrier of Arizona in Scottsdale. The mesh comes in three quality levels — "good, better or best" — that provide a "break strength" of 40, 60 or 100 pounds, respectively.

"I go into so many people's homes and once or twice a week I see a wrought-iron fence that is literally falling over from rust damage," Amato says.

For families choosing this type of barrier, Schmidt recommends the 5-foot fence over the 4-foot option.

"Higher is always better," says Schmidt, who also stresses the importance of immediately replacing the fence after temporarily taking it down for reasons like adult parties.

Amato says the "good" midlevel price is $13 per linear foot, plus $280 to $400 for a self-closing gate. Mesh fencing for an average-size pool costs up to $1,400.

Parents who don't like the look of mesh or wrought-iron fencing might be interested in a frameless-glass pool fence, which uses tempered safety-glass panels and stainless-steel hardware for a contemporary, high-end look — and a price to match. A frameless-glass pool fence that uses the clamp system with heavy-duty hardware and heavy glass will cost approximately $200 per linear foot.

Schmidt advises parents looking to install any barrier to consider what is approved in their city, the usability of the product and any reported breaches.

Pool covers offer an alternative to pool fences and come in a variety of types, from nets to mechanized vinyl covers.

Scottsdale interior designer Sara Uribe and her husband, Luis, — both are architects and the parents of Oscar, 9, and Oliver, 7 — chose a mechanized pool cover when their pool was remodeled. They knew they wanted an uninterrupted view to their large backyard from the glass-walled entrance of their contemporary home.

"We like the aesthetics, but it's not maintenance-free," Sara Uribe says.

The vinyl cover needs a thorough cleaning every couple of months, and the track must be cleared of rocks and debris. When it rains, they use a pump to clear water that forms a "pool on top of a pool."

Uribe says safety has never been a concern, but admits that the pool water can get too hot to swim in when the cover is closed all day during the summer. Prices for mechanized covers vary, but can run $7,000 for a standard-size pool.

COOL HOME PHOTOS: POOLS WE LOVE AROUND PHOENIX

Pool nets offer many of the attributes of a mechanized pool cover but with a lower price tag. Krista Robinson of Scottsdale says her family decided to use a Katchakid net during the winter months because the pool fence made half of their yard's grassy play area inaccessible.

But during the summer swim season, when the play area isn't as appealing, Robinson puts the net away and relies exclusively on the fence.

Schmidt stresses the time commitment a pool net requires: "It takes at least five to seven minutes each time you take it off or put it on. You must be committed to keep that barrier in place. It won't do you any good if it's sitting in your yard."

Liz and Perry Mathis of Phoenix used a Katchakid net when their daughters — Avery, now 11, and Allison, now 9 — were younger. Liz Mathis agrees that it took effort to put the net on and take it off but says the peace of mind was worth it. She appreciated a clear view of her pool without looking at "an ugly fence."

A Katchakid net, roller and ratchet for a standard-size pool costs approximately $1,400.

Pool alarms, wearable alarms and high latches on windows and doors also count as barriers. But although they may satisfy city code requirements, Schmidt warns that they should be used as added protections — not as replacements for a pool fence or cover.

No matter which pool barrier you choose, "no barrier is 100 percent effective if you're not going to use it correctly," says Schmidt, who says that there is no substitute for adult supervision.

Arizona's requirements for pool barriers

•Must enclose entire pool area.

•Must be at least 5 feet high (4 feet high when the living area makes up part of the enclosure).

•Must have no openings, other than doors or gates, through which an object 4 inches in diameter can pass.

•Must have no openings, handholds or footholds that can be used to climb the barrier.

•Must be at least 20 inches from the water's edge.

•Must require a key switch to operate.

•Must meet American Society of Testing and Materials standards (astm.org).

Doors or windows with access to a pool

•Must have self-latching devices located not less then 54 inches above the floor.

•Must have either a screwed-in wire mesh screen covering or a keyed lock that prevents an opening of more than 4 inches.

•Must have non-climbable exterior sides that are a minimum height of 4 feet.

•Must have removable access ladders or steps.

•Must be able to be secured when the pool is not in use.

•Must open outward from the pool.

•Must be self-closing and self-latching.

•Must be located at least 54 inches above the ground on the pool side of the gate.

•Must have a release mechanism located at least 5 inches below the top of the gate.

•Must have no opening greater than ½ inch within 24 inches of the release mechanism.

•Must be secured by a padlock or similar device that requires a key, electric opening or integral combination.

— Source: Arizona Department of Health Services Office of Environmental Health. City and county requirements may be more stringent and supersede state requirements.

Editor's note: This excerpt is from the May issue of Raising Arizona Kids magazine. Find more at RaisingArizonaKids.com and facebook.com/RAKmagazine or follow @RAKmagazine on Twitter.