How to control condensation inside the swimming pool building?

Once you cover a swimming pool with any structure, be it a dome, conservatory or pool building, then you will likely experience humidity which can lead to condensation. Depending on the air temperature, the air can carry large amounts of moisture and it normally deposits this moisture when it comes into contact with cold surfaces, such as poor insulated windows and building materials, or the humidity rises above a certain level for that air temperature called the dew point.

We can control the amount of moisture being introduced to the pool air by maintaining the air temperature 1 deg C above the water temperature to reduce evaporation from the pool water surface and covering the pool surface when not being used and also removing the moisture from the air, or a combination of the above.

Fan based systems

On very old swimming pools extract fans were employed to remove the humid air from the pool complex, but this is an expensive way to control condensation as it also introduces fresh air which needs to be heated to the required air temperature, so the air heating system needs to be sized for the worst conditions which are normally from December to February in England.

Some swimming pools have been fitted with a product called an “Indux” unit which is fitted with two mix flow fans to simultaneously supply and extract air. Both streams are passed through a plastic heat exchanger which extracts heat from the stale exhaust air and pre-warms fresh air supply. Extract and supply air streams do not touch. The heat exchanger consumes no power. High Performance is achieved because of the special fan design which develops high pressure at low noise levels.

Dehumidifier

We have also seen the introduction of the dehumidifier, either wall mounted in the pool hall or located in the plant room and connected to the pool hall by ductwork. These units work by circulating the air in the pool hall and when the humidity rises above a predetermined level the unit introduces a cold surface in the path of the air which causes the moisture to condense and turn back into water. These units consume large quantities of electricity to run a compressor to generator the cold barrier and as the air leaves the dehumidifier chilled they either have their own or an external heater battery to reheat the air to the required pool air temperature. In some installation these units are responsible for the first level of humidity control and an Indux unit is employed if the humidity goes above 70%. The two main manufacturers of dehumidifiers in the UK are Calorex and Heatstar.

Air Handling Units

Over a period of time and rising energy costs, manufacturers like Calorex and Heatstar started to develop an air management system called the “Air Handling Unit” (AHU).  These AHU’s house in one system supply and extract fan systems, compressor technology and heat pumps and also connect to the external environment. Normally located in the plant room and using ductwork throughout the pool hall they supply warm air blankets in front of glass panels and windows and exterior walls that are exposed to cold UK weather. The latest units also can chill the air if it gets too hot by solar gain; either by introducing fresh air or chillers. The recovered heat is then used to heat the pool water which makes these units very energy efficient. New technology also allows them to connect to solar panels and only run fans at maximum demand when they are needed, reducing energy costs.

So if you have condensation problems, want to upgrade your existing equipment or have it checked over, then feel free to contact us as we are more than happy to send you brochures or any information you require.

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