Pool Inspection 101: What Is It & When To Schedule One?
Understand what a pool inspection covers, when to schedule one, and what the inspection report includes — essential knowledge for Phoenix homeowners and buyers.
A pool inspection is a comprehensive evaluation of a swimming pool’s condition — its structure, equipment, safety features, and overall functionality. Whether you’re buying a home, maintaining a pool you already own, or dealing with a problem you can’t quite identify, knowing what an inspection involves helps you make informed decisions.
When to Schedule a Pool Inspection
Real Estate Transactions
This is the most common reason for a pool inspection. In the Phoenix metro area, a significant percentage of homes have pools, and a pool in poor condition can represent tens of thousands of dollars in deferred maintenance.
If you’re buying a home with a pool, an inspection should happen during your due diligence period — ideally at the same time as the general home inspection, but performed by a pool-specific inspector or licensed pool contractor. General home inspectors often lack the equipment and expertise to evaluate pool systems thoroughly.
If you’re selling a home, a pre-listing pool inspection can help you address issues before they become negotiation points.
Annual Maintenance Check
Even well-maintained pools benefit from a professional evaluation once a year. Equipment degrades gradually, and issues like slow leaks, worn seals, or declining motor performance are easy to miss in daily operation but obvious under inspection.
Post-Storm Assessment
Arizona’s monsoon season brings high winds, dust, debris, and flooding. After a significant storm event, an inspection can identify damage to equipment, electrical systems, or the pool structure that might not be immediately visible.
After a Remodel or Repair
If significant work has been done — a new pump installation, replastering, re-plumbing, or electrical work — an independent inspection confirms the work was performed correctly and to code.
What Gets Inspected
A thorough pool inspection evaluates the following areas:
Pool Structure
- Interior surface — plaster, pebble, or tile condition; cracks, stains, delamination
- Coping and deck — settling, separation, trip hazards
- Tile — cracked, loose, or missing tiles; calcium scale
- Expansion joints — condition and seal integrity
Equipment
- Pump and motor — operational check, noise, vibration, seal condition, age
- Filter — type (cartridge, DE, sand), pressure readings, condition of media
- Heater (if present) — ignition test, heat exchanger condition, gas connections
- Salt cell (if present) — scale buildup, cell life remaining
- Automation system — controller function, actuator valves, sensor calibration
Plumbing
- Visible plumbing at the equipment pad — leaks, corrosion, PVC condition
- Return fittings and skimmers — function, condition, flow
- Main drain — cover compliance (Virginia Graeme Baker Act), suction test
Electrical
- Bonding — all metal components within 5 feet of the pool must be bonded per NEC code
- GFCI protection — required for pool pumps, lights, and other equipment
- Wiring condition — exposed, damaged, or improperly run wiring
- Light fixtures — lens condition, ground fault integrity, niche seal
Safety Features
- Barrier fencing — compliance with local code (most Arizona cities require a minimum fence height and self-closing, self-latching gates)
- Drain covers — VGBA-compliant covers in place and secured
- Depth markings — present and legible (required for commercial, recommended for residential)
Water Chemistry
- Full chemical panel — pH, chlorine (free and total), alkalinity, CYA, calcium hardness, TDS, salt (if applicable)
- Water clarity and color — visual assessment
What the Inspection Report Covers
A professional pool inspection report should include:
- Current condition of each area inspected, rated by severity (functional, needs attention, safety concern)
- Photographs documenting key findings
- Estimated remaining life of major equipment (pumps, heaters, filters)
- Code compliance issues — particularly electrical bonding, GFCI, barrier fencing, and drain covers
- Recommended repairs prioritized by urgency
- Estimated costs for significant repairs (some inspectors provide this, others don’t)
The report gives you a factual baseline — not opinions, not sales pitches. Use it to budget for maintenance, negotiate a home purchase, or prioritize repairs.
What an Inspection Won’t Tell You
A standard pool inspection is non-invasive. That means:
- Underground plumbing is not pressure-tested unless specifically requested
- Leak detection is typically a separate service
- Equipment is evaluated during a single operational snapshot — intermittent problems may not present during inspection
If the inspection raises concerns about leaks or plumbing integrity, a dedicated leak detection service is the appropriate next step.
Choosing an Inspector
Look for:
- Pool-specific experience — general home inspectors often lack pool training
- Licensed contractor or certified pool inspector credentials
- Written report with photos — verbal summaries are not sufficient
- No conflict of interest — the inspector should not also be selling you the repair work (or at minimum, disclose the relationship)
Need a pool inspection in the Phoenix area? Contact Splash Mob Pools for a thorough, documented evaluation of your pool’s condition.
