pool gates are critical for keeping kids and adults safe from falling into a pool. Alarms, proper safety equipment, gates and all other protocols should be met. Inspect for any missing or improperly used safety equipment.
Having proper filtration is critical to a pools lifespan. Properly cleaning and maintaining pool filters allows the home owner to enjoy their pool for years to come. Without properly cleaning and maintaining pool filters you can end up with dangerous levels of chemicals and early wear and tear of equipment and the pool itself.
No, this isn’t a stock photo, this is a photo of a private, commercial pool area at Atlantis in the Bahamas. I was there last year and took pic this because I liked the design and have been a pool owner for 25 years.
A few things of interest, the pool was concrete based, with gunite and tile along the upper third walls. There were two center floor drains (grated) on each end, and a gutter-skimmer system along the right side of the pool to skim the surface. The intakes were on each end of the pool as well. Pump-Filter equipment was not visible, however, based on the clearness of the water, it is pulling its weight. I don’t care to know how much chlorine gas they using.
Pool Alarm article from Library:
- Drowning is the second leading killer of children under 14
- Many of the deaths occur when unsupervised
- Many different kinds but none fool proof: surface wave sensor, sub-surface disturbance, & wristband.
- Study showed that sub-surface disturbance performed more consistently for true alarms
- Voluntary grant program in place to encourages states to pass pool safety legislation; very few did
Overall, Pool alarms are a useful strategy but should still be used in conjunction with other safety mechanisms
How to Inspect Pools and Spas Course
This is a picture of the Aux. Distribution Panel dedicated to the pool and spa equipment. There are timers for the pool/spa filter system and heater. There is a GFCI breaker installed. There was no damaged wiring, the box is properly located and in good condition.
While doing this exercise I came across the whirlpool tub illustration. I am amazed every time I come across a whirlpool tub with no access to the pump or plumbing. I am putting this pic on my phone to show clients what I was unable to see.
I am posting a picture of my friend’s pump and filter system. All valves were fully opened. There were no leaks found in any of the piping. The pool’s pump and motor can be seen in the bottom left of the picture, where the inlet piping is attached to a strainer basket. The water travels from there to the Cartridge filter. From there a chlorinator is attached to the piping where the chlorine pellets are added and then on through the discharge piping. The black motor in the picture is an axillary motor for the pool’s vacuum system.
For my research article I read “Pool Water Pathogens.” Although I do not plan on testing the pH of the pools I inspect. This can be an important educational tool when I am explaining pool maintenance to my clients. In the article it stated that most pool pathogens can be mitigated by pool disinfectant within an hour. However some contaminants, such as Cryptosporidium can live in a properly chlorinated pool for up to 10 days. It is also important to make sure that swimmers are educated to remain out of the pool when they are ill, especially when they have symptoms such as diarrhea.
Here is a pool pump system using a sand filtration method of filtering the water before it enters the pool. All the PVC connections appear to be in good condition and free from leaks. Unions are properly installed to ease the repair and removal of components. Pump unit is is unobstructed and free from rust. I would add protection around the PVC pipes going into the ground so weed eating string does not damage the pipes.
This is a picture of a swimming pool and safety barrier. The safety barrier is at least 48" tall from grade. There is also no more than 4" distance between the bottom of the barrier and grade. Openings in the barrier do not allow the passage of a 4" sphere. Gates have a self closing and a self latching device installed.
I chose to study an image from the gallery about pools and spas. The image I chose was service drop clearances over a pool. The proper distance a service drop should have around a pool is as follows: 22’6" above the pool and 10’ away horizontally. In other words there should be no overhead service lines above a pool. The closest that the service lines can be is 10’ away horizontally and at least 22’6" high.
With the liability of inspecting a pool, following a solid checklist is very important. Your list should iterate making sure safety measures are followed such as the border fence is at least 48” above grade with no more then 4” from the bottom of the fence to grade. The gates need to be checked to make sure that they swing out away from the pool and spring loaded to close. Only a 1/2” gap within 18” of the latch to prevent a child’s fingers from reaching the latch and opening it. This is just a few of the many important items on your checklist that need to be followed every time you inspect a pool.
Improper Barrier.
The pool deck is lacking a proper barrier. There is no approved fence separating the pool from the house and there are two doors that lead to the pool, and neither have any sort of alarm on them. I recommend that the buyer add a proper barrier, or a locking gate and proper alarms on the doors.
I chose to write my essay on the pool alarms article. The reason I chose this is that I have never come across one of these and as a parent of a toddler it seems like a great safety addition.
The pool alarm is a device that alerts adult if a child goes into the pool. These come in three types; surface wave sensor, sub-surface disturbance sensor, and a wrist band device the child wears. A surface wave sensor floats in the pool and picks up any disturbance. A sub-surface sensor is mounted to the pool and picks up disturbances under the surface (these can also be used under a cover). A wristband device is worn by a child and cant be removed without a key (think court mandated tether) and an alarm will sound if it gets wet.
It should also be noted that no safety device will work if you forget to turn it on or attach it, but in this man’s opinion it is a great idea.
There is a non GFCI protected electrical receptacle located within 20 feet of the pool. This is a 15 amp circuit as confirmed at the electrical service panel by the inspector at the time of inspection. All 15- and 20- amp, single phase, 125 volt receptacles located within 20 feet of the inside walls of the pool or spa are required to be GFCI protected to reduce possible injury to the residents from ground faults. Any GFCI receptacles installed upstream of the locations where protection is required will be an effective means of meeting the requirements and will repair the deficiency.
I inspected an in-ground gunite pool approximately 20 years old. The pool surface had been recoated about 10 years ago. Considering its age the pool was in good condition. The pump showed no signs of leaks or discoloration. The PVC pipe looked good but should be painted to prevent deterioration since it was in direct sunlight.
There were no overhead wiring issues and the pool is encased in a 6’ wood fence. There are no alarms on the exterior doors leading to the pool but the owner has wrist bands for the grandchildren, if the wristband comes in contact with water an alarm sounds - pretty cool.
The cool deck was in great condition considering the age of the pool. The only issue I could see was some discoloration on the pool wall, dark brown stains. The owner had had the pool etched but the stains came right back. I would probably recommend a licensed pool contractor to take a look.
I read the article concerning safety hazard with pool drains. The statistics are scary considering how many injuries are caused by entrapment with an uncovered drain.
Limb entrapment, body entrapment and hair entrapment are the primary areas of concern. Of even greater concern is the possibility of evisceration when a child bottom becomes entrapped.
There are some basic guidelines to prevent injuries from entrapment.
First check that the drain cover is intact and covers the drain properly.
There should be a vacuum release system in place that will automatically should down the pump is something becomes entrapped.
Ensure there is a safety snap fitting on the automatic pool cleaning hose. If the hose becomes disconnect from the vacuum head, it will prevent any suction through the hose.
Check for anti-entanglement drain covers. These covers are designed to prevent hair from becoming entangled.
And lastly, suggest additional drains be installed, which would reduced the pressure on a single drain and therefore preventing entrapment.
I chose to take a picture of the skimmer/basket in the community pool where I live. The lid is plastic with poured concrete to match the pool deck. The basket looks in good condition although full of trash. I’m unaware of the maintenance schedule for the pool.
I chose to take a picture of the skimmer/basket in the community pool where I live. The lid is plastic with poured concrete to match the pool deck. The basket looks in good condition although full of trash. I’m unaware of the maintenance schedule for the pool.
I read the article about Pool Alarms. The pool inspection course talked about door alarms that should be used when the house wall is part of the barrier to the pool. The article goes further and discusses alarms for windows, gates and the perimeter. The article also describes three other alarm types: surface wave sensor, sub-surface disturbance sensor, and wristband. Unfortunately all these alarm technologies require someone to turn them on (and conversely turn them off if they go off to often) to be useful. At the end of the article it came back to what I’ve always heard, supervision is still the best for safety around a pool.