The feasibility of owning an outdoor swimming pool depends on where you live. In the last 50 years, I have only owned one home that did not have a swimming pool, so I consider myself very fortunate.

Periodic inspections?

I am also very cognizant of the cost and upkeep of a pool. For a new pool, you must decide the size and shape, whether to use salt water or fresh water and if it needs to be heated to extend the swimming season. Should you include a heated spa connected to the pool or keep it simple? Do you want to put a cover on or leave it totally open? If you put a cover on it, should you install a more expensive electric cover or use a manual version? So many questions to answer! 

Qualified contractors must install the pool. The city or county inspectors (the authority having jurisdiction, or AHJ) will oversee the installation based on the pool-building permit and local building codes, plumbing codes and the National Electrical Code. Then someone needs to maintain the chemicals, clean the pool, brush it and maintain the equipment.

Maintenance might include a safety inspection. While safety inspections have traditionally only been applicable to commercial or institutional swimming pools, municipalities, counties and states may now potentially require them for all pools.

The new Section 680.4 in the 2023 NEC states that “the authority having jurisdiction can require periodic inspection and testing of the pool.”

This addition is unusual, since the NEC is an installation code and does not normally recognize follow-up compliance programs with periodic inspection and testing. This section recognizes the importance of the safety measures implemented during construction, such as important grounding and bonding connections and ensuring that GFCI protection remains fully functional even after the construction phase. 

Corrosive environments

One major maintenance issue for most swimming pools is the corrosive environment caused by the required chemicals. This corrosion affects the pool equipment and the wiring methods supplying power. 

Section 680.14 provides the requirements for wiring and equipment in corrosive environments. Rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, rigid PVC conduit, reinforced thermosetting resin conduit and liquidtight flexible nonmetallic conduit are suitable wiring methods and can withstand the corrosive effects of the pool chemicals. For safety reasons, the use of aluminum conduit, tubing and pool equipment is strictly prohibited. 

Chemicals should be stored in corrosion-­resistant enclosures or kept outside, away from the pool pumps, heating equipment and circulation equipment. Any equipment installed for the pool and spa must be listed and suitable for the corrosive environment.

Heating and cooling

For many years, pool water heaters have been installed to extend pool use at the beginning and end of the season. These systems are required to comply with 680.10(A). Most of these heaters are, and have been, of the resistive heating element type or natural gas heaters. Electric pool heaters incorporating resistive heating elements must have the heating elements subdivided into loads not exceeding 48A and protected at not over 60A. This is a safety issue to ensure any ground fault or short circuit will safely clear the circuit before safety is compromised. 

New in 680.10(B) and to the swimming pool industry is heat pumps, rather than resistive heating, and using chillers to cool the water. Heat pumps are now manufactured and listed for swimming pools. They are more costly than conventional natural gas or electric resistive heaters, but they have much lower operating costs due to higher efficiency. The heat pumps can cool and heat the pool water and will have a longer life span than traditional heaters.

There have been substantial changes in the last few years with pool and spa installations. There will be many more in the next few years. Innovation is great, but we must maintain the highest safety standards when dealing with swimming pools. 

Tomasz Zajda/stock.adobe.com