pool barrier history

[inspectagator]

Hi Jerry, I don't mean to be too vague but I'm looking for a history of when residential pool barriers were required. The code expert (real estate agent), regardless of the safety issue is arguing that the screen door (opens toward pool and has low hardware) from the patio (patio on rear of house existed before the pool was installed) would not need to be upgraded (as we suggested) because "it was not code back then". Regardless of when the pool or the house was built, I'm curious as to the history of pool barriers.

Thanks!
Jon Bolton

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

Jon,

2000 Florida Statutes:
- 515.27 Residential swimming pool safety feature options; penalties.--
- - (1) In order to pass final inspection and receive a certificate of completion, a residential swimming pool must meet at least one of the following requirements relating to pool safety features:
- - - (a) The pool must be isolated from access to a home by an enclosure that meets the pool barrier requirements of s. 515.29;
- - - (b) The pool must be equipped with an approved safety pool cover;
- - - (c) All doors and windows providing direct access from the home to the pool must be equipped with an exit alarm that has a minimum sound pressure rating of 85 dB A at 10 feet; or
- - - (d) All doors providing direct access from the home to the pool must be equipped with a self-closing, self-latching device with a release mechanism placed no lower than 54 inches above the floor.

That is the first Florida statute requiring swimming pool safety features (barrier, cover, access, etc).

would not need to be upgraded (as we suggested) because "it was not code back then"

As you said you called it: "upgraded" - "upgrades" are not "required", however, the agent said "needed" (or maybe they said "required"?) - the difference between the two is that many things are "needed" which are not "required" ... for instance, the agent showering/bathing every week is likely "needed" ... albeit not "required" (well, unless they want to keep selling real estate).

Also keep in mind that before the Florida statute above, many municipalities had local requirements for swimming pool safety, so putting a "date" on such a requirement before that Florida statute would mean knowing what the municipality the house is located in "required" at the time the pool was constructed ... the time the "pool" was constructed, not the time the "house" was constructed as the pool may have been constructed later.

[bigdog]

FYI;
I have a copy of the 1994 SBCCI swimming pool code and it requires almost everything that the current code requires. I believe most of Florida and Palm Beach county where I live was under the SBCCI prior to the FBC.

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

The code expert (real estate agent), regardless of the safety issue is arguing that the screen door (opens toward pool and has low hardware) from the patio (patio on rear of house existed before the pool was installed) ...

Jon, that part has an easy answer: Whatever was installed "before" a pool was installed was supposed to meet the code which existed "pre-pool installation" and meet all relevant codes pertaining to it.

At the time the "pool is installed" ...

... would not need to be upgraded ... because "it was not code back then".

The above becomes an incorrect answer and only exposes the agents lack of code knowledge.

When a pool is installed, everything addressed in the codes relating to pools is now covered by the requirements for things addressed in the codes related to pools.

Ask him/her if an overhead electrical service line, installed before a pool was then installed directly below the overhead electrical service line, would be allowed to remain. I'm guessing the agent would get that one right "Goodness, no. That would totally be unsafe."

This part is nearly impossible to answer:

"Regardless of when the pool or the house was built, I'm curious as to the history of pool barriers."[/quote]

That is because some cities/towns started pool safety codes while others refused to require pool safety codes. That was not only the case in Florida, but other states as well, and still is that way in parts of the country.

Pool safety versus the almighty dollar? The answer was a no brainer for most of Florida for a long time.