Question:
Hi: I am putting in a pool soon and am struggling with what to do regarding ventilation. What kind of systems/brand names of ventilation systems have been used to control moisture?
Thanks in advance, Ann Marie
Answer (by Sandy Fisher):
Hi Ann Marie,
I, personally, have a system put in by MM Comfort Systems (they are located in Redmond, WA). It is a full heating/dehumidification system. It works perfectly but was very pricey. Some people choose to just use an exhaust fan. Those are the only two options I have heard being used.
A lot of your needs will depend on your building and your pool area. Is the building heated? What are the materials the building is made of? Are the materials susceptible to damage from the humidity. It is very easy to have mold and mildew problems if humidity is not controlled. Do you have a lease or own the building? If you have a lease, you could be liable for all damages to the building from humidity so you will want to proceed with caution. Talk to the landlord and make sure you do whatever needs to be done to protect yourself. When I was looking t leased space, they required the walls to be painted with special paint and a dehumidification system to be installed (that wouldn’t be allowed to leave when the lease expired).
There is currently a discussion on dehumidifiers on the Yahoo discussion group. If you are not yet a member, you may wish to join that group. Here is the discussion:
Original Post:
Hi, Anyone out there tried or researched using a self standing de-humidifier to help with the moisture in your building or room? They have them that suck up 32 pints or more in a 24 hour period. Is this enough?
Response #1: A lot of it will depend on if you are heating the building (and to what temperature) when the weather turns cold. The colder the air, the more condensation you have, the more humidity you will have. Also, the surface area of the pool, how long the pool will be uncovered and what kind of cover you have will make a difference. What kind of building do you have and how tolerant of wet conditions is it? Can you use the dehumidifier in wet locations? Sounds silly since it is taking humidity out of the air, but they aren’t all necessarily made to be used around a pool.
Here’s a link to some dehumidifiers that can be used in pool areas: http://www.sylvane.com/ebac.html
The ones that handle indoor pool areas talk about taking care of 200 pounds of water a day (not pints). They start around $2,000. I would try and find out how noisy they are (not sure if they are like heaters where they make a lot of noise or not). Maybe call the company and see what they would recommend for your particular situation.
We have a full dehumidification system and are extremely happy with it. Our system is set to heat the air (and pool) as well as take the humidity out. A great system. However, very pricey but it is an investment. If you try shortcuts and have mold and mildew or the building gets damaged because the humidity couldn’t be controlled, you will end up spending more money in the long run. I’m amazed at how often our system is running even in the summer when it’s hot outside.
Response #2: I think that is about the size of my dehumidifier, and I don’t have a problem with it. I don’t even use it in the summer, I just have fans on and keep the windows open. I also have my pool covered when not in use, I will even put the covers back on if there is more than an hour between appointments. That really cuts down on the humidity. In the winter I have more of a problem, of course. It does get humid during the day, but I always have the windows open at least a little bit. At night I put several fans on and keep the dehumidifier running. I usually empty it before I go to bed and then as soon as I get up in the morning. If you can run a drain to the outside so the container doesn’t fill up, that would be preferable. It is an option for mine, I just haven’t done it yet! If you are trying to use the pool for heat and have it uncovered all the time, this size would definitely not work.