Chicago Pool Inspections
Puddle Pool Services inspects pools and spas in Chicago and the north and northwest suburbs for buyers, sellers and owners who want to know where things stand. An inspection covers the safety features, a visual check of the structure and liner or surface, the equipment and the water system. You get a plain explanation of the findings, and a quote request is answered within 24 hours.
- Inspect safety features
- Confirm condition and functionality
- Highly trained and insured technicians
- Visual inspections of structures and liner
- Testing of water systems
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What the inspection covers
An inspection looks at four things. The safety features come first, followed by a visual inspection of the structure and the liner or surface, a check that the equipment works as it should and a test of the water system. It also looks for signs of a leak, such as water loss, wet areas and equipment issues. If a leak is suspected, dedicated leak detection testing confirms it and pinpoints the source. A spa or hot tub can be inspected alongside the pool or on its own, which helps when a property has both. Price depends on the size and type of pool, whether a spa is included and the equipment on site, so ask for a quote for your property and you will hear back within 24 hours with what is included.
Buying or selling a home with a pool
Most inspections happen around a sale. A general home inspection often covers a pool only briefly, if at all, while a pool inspection concentrates on the structure, the surface, the equipment and the water system, which is where the expensive surprises tend to be. A buyer learns what they are taking on. A seller can deal with issues on their own terms before they become negotiating points, and a clean report gives buyers confidence in a feature that makes some of them nervous. Paperwork counts too. Northbrook requires a separate permit to demolish a pool, with earth backfill and restored grading checked at the final inspection, so if a listing mentions a pool that was filled in, ask whether that permit was closed out.
Barrier rules differ from village to village
A barrier that passes in one town can fall short a few miles away. A sample of what local codes ask for:
- Northbrook: barrier height raised from 48 to 60 inches under its adoption of the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, with gates kept locked whenever no responsible swimmer is attending the pool
- Park Ridge: a 5 foot barrier around in ground and above ground pools with the finished side facing the neighbors, where dense shrubs do not count
- Glenview: a fence at least four feet high whose openings will not pass a four inch sphere
- Skokie: a 4 foot fence of number 9 gauge woven wire mesh or another approved design, with latches at the top out of reach of small children
- Winnetka: a fence at least 4 feet high around any pool or spa deeper than 18 inches, with no gaps over 4 inches
- Lake Forest: a nonclimbable fence at least four feet high with self closing, self latching gates that release only from the inside
The inspection notes how your barrier compares, and your building department has the final word.
Doors, windows and spa covers
Where the house forms one side of the enclosure, codes look at the doors as well as the fence. Glenview requires alarms on all home doors with access to the pool area. Des Plaines asks for an audible alarm on every door with direct access when a house wall is part of the barrier. Northbrook's amended code covers doors and operable windows with a sill under 60 inches that open directly to the pool, requiring a door alarm listed to UL 2017, an ASTM F1346 safety cover or an approved equivalent such as self closing, self latching doors. Arlington Heights uses the 2018 model code without amending its barrier section, so the standard alarm or safety cover options apply there. Spa covers vary as well. Hinsdale struck the safety cover exception from its code, so a locking cover alone does not stand in for a barrier there.
When the report finds a problem
You get an explanation of what was found and what it means, in plain terms. Where repairs are needed they can be quoted, so you know the scale of an issue before deciding anything. Some findings are about paperwork rather than parts. Hinsdale does not allow a pool to be used until it passes final inspection and a certificate of use is issued, and Arlington Heights asks new pool owners to sign a statement agreeing to building, electrical and plumbing inspections before the pool is used. If the home you are buying sits in one of those villages, confirming that those steps were completed is as useful as checking the pump.
Chicago Pool Inspections: Frequently Asked Questions
How high does a pool fence need to be in Northbrook?
Northbrook adopted the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code by an ordinance passed on October 28, 2025 and raised the barrier height from 48 inches to 60 inches above grade, measured on the side facing away from the pool. The village code also requires gates to stay locked whenever the pool is not attended by a responsible swimmer. A pool inspection checks your barrier against these rules, but confirm the details with the Village before changing a fence.
Does a new pool in Hinsdale need an inspection before it is used?
Yes. Hinsdale's amendments to the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code say no pool may be used until it passes final inspection and a certificate of use is issued. If you are buying a Hinsdale home with a pool or reopening a pool at a commercial property, ask for that certificate. Check with the Village if you cannot find a record of it.
Which Chicago neighborhoods do you cover?
We look after pools across Chicago, including Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Uptown, Edgewater, Rogers Park and North Center. The full list of areas is on our Chicago page. If you do not see yours, get in touch and we will confirm.
What does a pool inspection check?
We inspect the safety features, carry out a visual inspection of the structure and liner or surface, check that the equipment works as it should and test the water system. You come away knowing the condition of what is there and what needs attention.
Can you inspect a hot tub or spa at the same time?
Yes. Spas and hot tubs can be inspected alongside the pool or on their own, which is useful when a property has both.
Watch what we do
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Residential Services
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Commercial Services
Areas we serve
- Evanston
- Skokie
- Lincolnwood
- Park Ridge
- Des Plaines
- Glenview
- Wilmette
- Winnetka
- Northbrook
- Highland Park
- Lake Forest
- Deerfield
- Arlington Heights
- Mount Prospect
- Palatine
- Wheeling
- Buffalo Grove
- Schaumburg
- Hoffman Estates
- Barrington
- Vernon Hills
- Libertyville
- Lake Zurich
- Crystal Lake
- McHenry
- Elgin
- St. Charles
- Elmhurst
- Hinsdale
- Glencoe
Where you can find us
Talk to us
So Why Puddle for Pool Inspections in Chicago?
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Transparent Pricing
That’s Right. No Hidden Prices. Up Front and Straight Forward Pricing.
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E-Reports
Your Service Sent in an E-Report, in Real Time. What Was Done, What Chemicals Were Used, What Your Levels Are At etc. All With Before & After Pictures, Time Stamped In and Time Stamped Out.
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Happy Snappy Techs
Fully uniformed, CPO certified technicians in fully wrapped vehicles, so you always know who is at your gate and that your pool is in trained hands.
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