Installation of ventilation and dehumidification of air in the pool. Why is it necessary?

In all pools located indoors, there is an excessive level of humidity. First, it appears as condensation on the walls, then as mold. And then it spoils furniture, equipment, decoration and negatively affects people’s health.

You can solve this problem in 3 ways:

The first option is ineffective, since silica gel is disposable, and you need to constantly buy new ones. And it will be costly financially.

Therefore, there are 2 ways to deal with excess moisture in the pool: installation of heating systems and ventilation systems.

Designing a ventilation system in a swimming pool

Designing a ventilation system for a swimming pool requires a special approach. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the requirements for:

• air temperature;
• air humidity;
• air exchange.

After all, this is the only way to organize a competent ventilation system, providing comfortable conditions for employees and visitors to the pool.

Air temperature

The optimum air temperature in the pool is 26-30°C. Moreover, it should be 2-3 ° C more than the water temperature. Why is that? The fact is that when moisture evaporates from the skin, the body loses more heat. As a result, a person feels cold.

Humidity level

The optimal level of humidity in the pool is 40-50%. This is enough to avoid stuffiness, discomfort and condensation.

Air exchange

This indicator is calculated as follows:

• minimum 80 m³/h per swimmer in the pool;
• at least 20 m³/h per person in the room.

To regulate it, you need to balance the volume of supply and exhaust air. And additionally put gratings (or design certain schemes).

Additional pool features to consider

In addition to the above requirements, when designing a ventilation system, it is necessary to take into account:

• dimensions of the room in which the pool is located;
• dimensions of the pool mirror;
• window dimensions.

Room dimensions

Dimensions are taken into account in order to:

1. Calculate the likely level of air humidity (the smaller the object, the higher the humidity level).
2. Calculate the air exchange (in this case, the dimensions of the room and the number of people inside are taken into account).

Pool mirror dimensions

From this parameter directly depends on how much air will evaporate. On average, about 200 g of water evaporates from 1 m² in 1 hour of swimming.

But the rapid release of moisture often leads to mold on all the furniture located inside. And, possibly, to corrosion of the structure of the room.

Window dimensions

If the installation of the ventilation system will be carried out in the finished pool, the dimensions of the windows are additionally taken into account. And at the same time their thermal insulation, because the need for blowing windows with hot air flow depends on this.

As you know, glasses with high thermal insulation reduce the likelihood of condensation on them. But if others are used, a more complex ventilation system will have to be designed.

Also, the amount of solar heat that will enter the room depends on the dimensions of the windows. And, accordingly, the microclimate inside (air temperature and moisture level).

What ventilation systems are suitable for the pool?

For each pool, an individual project of the ventilation system is created, taking into account all the features of the room. Below are the most common options that occur most often.

Nabornaya direct flow system

2 separate systems are responsible for the exhaust and air supply. They are assembled from different elements:

The main advantage of this solution is the low cost. But the economy here leaves much to be desired. Plus, the heated air flow is removed from the room directly into the atmosphere.

Nabornaya system with recovery

This solution is similar to the previous one. Ventilation systems are also assembled from individual elements. But here an energy-saving recuperator is additionally used.

Due to the complexity of automation, such systems are more expensive. But thanks to the recuperator, they are more economical.

Monobloc system

This solution is supplied in a sound-insulated housing. Even at the factory it is equipped with an integrated automation system and a recuperator. It is compact, which is its main advantage.

Supply and exhaust system

Such equipment is installed in pools in which water is chlorinated. Its internal elements have a special coating that protects against corrosion.

The air handling unit has many advantages. But her economy is lame.

Supply and exhaust system with dehumidifiers

Often in pools a combined solution is used. That is, the organization of the supply and exhaust ventilation system + installation of air dryers. This helps to maintain an optimal microclimate in the room, and at the same time:

• extend the service life of building structures;
• minimize the likelihood of mold and fungi;
• provide comfortable conditions for visitors to the pool.

Also, this solution:

• minimizes the dimensions and solves the problem with the choice of installation location;
• reduces the cost of equipment;
• reduces operating costs during the operation of the system;
• minimizes the dimensions of the decorative structures that sew up the air ducts.

This type of ventilation system provides normal air exchange and a comfortable microclimate. And to remove residual moisture, wall-mounted dehumidifiers are used. This is the main advantage of this solution.

The fact is that one ventilation system does not cope with its work by 100%. Yes, it more or less maintains an optimal microclimate, but there are things that do not depend on it. For example, when it rains outside, air with an increased level of humidity enters the room. After all, the supply ventilation system works constantly, and it is not able to independently make decisions about which air to supply and which not.

This is where dehumidifiers come in handy. They work in automatic mode — i.e. turn on only at the right time. Just in such situations, when, due to rain on the street, moist air enters the room, dehumidifiers instantly solve the problem. Of course, provided that they are correctly selected.

Thus, the ventilation system regulates air exchange and partially reduces the level of humidity, and dehumidifiers help it maintain this very level of humidity. In addition, these devices have a modern design, so they look great in any interior.

For maximum efficiency, wall-mounted dehumidifiers are mounted closer to the water surface. So they will instantly remove excess moisture. Of course, before this, it is necessary to solve in advance the problem with the supply of power and the drainage pipeline through which the condensate will be discharged.

If desired, you can purchase dehumidifiers with different configurations:

• frameless devices are great for hidden installation in a false wall or in an adjacent room;
• devices with water-cooled condensers are able to give off excess heat received during dehumidification, thereby heating the water in the pool;
• devices with a water or electric heater are able to compensate for the heat loss of the room.

Other solutions for pool ventilation and dehumidification

Also in the pool you can install:

• supply and exhaust ventilation;
• duct dehumidifiers that can mix outdoor air (but this will require an additional exhaust system);
• duct dehumidifiers that support the supply and exhaust of air (they supply outdoor air in a much larger volume than dehumidifiers with admixture);
• supply and exhaust models equipped with an air dehumidification section.

What is better to choose?

There is no perfect solution for ventilating and dehumidifying the air in a swimming pool. Each option has its pros and cons. And not in terms of efficiency, but in terms of efficiency, complexity of installation and cost.

Therefore, when choosing a system for ventilation and dehumidification, you must first start from the available budget. And already on the basis of this amount, specialists will select a solution for you, taking into account all the features of the pool (area, number of windows, average number of people during peak hours, etc.).