InterNACHI Pool & Spa Inspector cheat sheet

Water turnover time equals total volume divided by flow rate; residential pools are commonly designed for roughly a 6-8 hour turnover, and a longer measured turnover signals undersized pump, clogged filter, or restricted suction lines.

A skimmer equalizer line or a second low suction outlet (anti-vortex/anti-entrapment cover) is the standard safeguard against full suction at a single blocked skimmer; absence of either is a reportable entrapment hazard.

Virginia Graeme Baker Act compliance requires an anti-entrapment drain cover rated for the pump's flow; a missing, cracked, or unlabeled cover on any submerged suction outlet is an immediate hazard, not a maintenance note.

Maximum suction outlet velocity for a VGB-compliant cover is 1.5 ft/sec for a single outlet; when two outlets are tied together the design assumes one becomes blocked, so the cover must handle the full pump flow.

A working pressure gauge on the filter plus a flow meter allows calculation of system head; a filter pressure rise of 8-10 psi above clean baseline indicates the filter needs backwashing or cleaning.

Barrier requirements: a 4-foot minimum height barrier with no footholds, self-closing and self-latching gate opening outward with latch at least 54 inches above grade, and no direct house door opening to the pool without an alarm or safety cover.

Entrapment hazards to check and report: missing drain covers, broken skimmer equalizer covers, single-blockable outlets, exposed suction pipe, and loose or deteriorated plaster that can hide a broken cover screw.

Deck and safety features: slip-resistant deck surface, deck slope draining away from the pool, no trip hazards at coping joints, and a reach pole or ring buoy within sight of the water at all times.

Electrical: all pool equipment must be on GFCI protection, bonded with an equipotential bonding grid, and no overhead conductors within the required clearances over the water surface; report any missing bond wire at the pump.

Sanitizer residuals: free chlorine typically 1-3 ppm (cyanuric acid-stabilized pools need higher free chlorine per the CYA/FC chart), bromine 3-5 ppm, and pH 7.2-7.8; report measured values without certifying chemical safety.

Total alkalinity 80-120 ppm buffers pH; calcium hardness 200-400 ppm protects plaster; cyanuric acid above roughly 50-100 ppm reduces chlorine effectiveness and is a common finding in outdoor pools.

Saturation index (Langelier) uses pH, temperature, calcium hardness, total alkalinity, and total dissolved solids; a negative index etches plaster and a positive index scales it, so record the inputs rather than the verdict alone.

Spa chemistry runs hotter and evaporates faster: a spa at 104°F is the maximum safe setpoint, and the small water volume means sanitizer and pH swing much faster than in a pool.

A spa's air blower and venturi jets introduce air, raising pH over time; combined chlorine (chloramines) above 0.5 ppm produces the 'chlorine smell' and indicates the need to shock or drain.

Inspect the spa's safety suction fitting, the heater's pressure switch and high-limit switch, and the GFCI at the spa disconnect; a spa without a functioning high-limit is a scald and fire risk.

Heater and equipment pad: check for gas leaks at unions, a sediment trap on the gas line, proper combustion air, and a check valve preventing hot water backflow into a spa's PVC plumbing.

Backflow and cross-connection: an autofill line needs an air gap or vacuum breaker, and a hose bib at the pad needs a backflow preventer to protect the potable supply.

Document water clarity, visible algae, staining, scale lines, and the presence of a main drain grate; these are observable conditions, while chemistry testing is a snapshot that must be reported as such.