Pool Inspections and Certification
A pool inspection is important and sometimes required when purchasing a new home or during an insurance claim. We can work with you, your real estate professional, or insurance company to make sure the swimming pool aspect of your purchase or claim is as painless and thorough as possible.
A thorough professional pool inspection lets home buyers and home owners know about the condition of the pool and its mechanical processes. If left unchecked, easy to detect issues could become costly to repair. Here's everything you need to know about pool inspection, including what we check for and cost, so you can enjoy your pool and yard in peace.
Safety
Safety and security features are of utmost importance when it comes to the pool or spa inspection. We are professionally trained and certified to look for safety features according to local code and the VGB (Virginia Graeme Baker) Safety Act. We are committed to not only ensuring the safety of your pool for your inspection purposes, but that it is safe for you and your family to use at all times.
We will first look at the pool’s fencing and securing. An ideal pool should have a fence that is at least 5 feet high. This helps prevent children and other persons concerning from climbing it and finding their way into the pool. The accessible perimeter of the pool should ideally be securely fenced and also have a gate which opens away from the pool. This gate should also if possible be self-locking.
Additionally, a home may also be required to have safety alarms on passageways leading to the pool. This helps notify adults whenever a child or any unauthorized person tries to make their way into the pool. The issue of safety alarms, however, depends on your location, there are states which mandate pool alarms and also others in which they aren’t a requirement.
Furthermore, we can also look for other security features such as pool covers. A pool cover should be strong and durable. It should be made from a material that can withstand a child’s weight should they accidentally step on it.
Pool Structure
Another important consideration of ours is the inner condition of the pool. The right pool should have the best interior conditions possible. To start with, the plastering (floor) should be intact. There should be no visible cracks in the plaster. Presence of cracks or tears is an indication of a fault beneath the pool. Also, the plastering should be free of stains or any suspicious marks.
Secondly, the tiles lining the pool’s walls should also be intact. They should not have any cracks or chipping. Aside from performing decorative roles, tiles help waterproof the pool structure. Should they have cracks, water will seep into the surrounding soil from the pool. In regards to chipped tiles, there’s the danger of one sustaining cuts while inside the pool.
Still, on a pool’s tiles, the grout between tiles should extend into each tile and must not show signs of deterioration. This ensures that the tiles are firmly held in place. Falling tiles are a potential source of harm for pool users.
Equipment
Pool equipment is also a key concern for us. While conducting an inspection, we usually look for three main equipment. These are the pool filter, the pump, and the pool heater. The importance of any of these three can’t be downplayed. The pump, for instance, controls the flow and circulation of water inside the pool. It also further operates other pool components such as waterfalls and cleaners. We check to ensure that a pump has GFI (Ground fault interrupter) and proper bolting. We also check the pump’s speed and wiring alongside other details.
In regards to filters, we ascertain the filter material to ensure it’s right for the pool. Cartridge filters are in particular more recommendable for large pools in comparison to sand and DE filters. On the part of heaters, they should also be firmly grounded and properly function. An inspector will ascertain that the heater is fit for the pool’s size. Also, the heater should be running on readily available energy such as electricity, natural gas, and solar.
Leaks
Pool leaks can easily go undetected, particularly if the pool has an automatic fill device. We can check for the presence of leaks very quickly and ascertain the need for a full leak detection should we find any. We can give a detailed report of the amount of water loss due to the presence of a leak versus normal evaporation.
