The Design Guidelines & Preventive Measures provided
in this document are for the owner, architect, builder and mechanical
firms to review and apply as necessary to the specific project.
These are a basic overview; each project will have its own unique
requirements. Please feel free to contact Environmental Pool Systems
to discuss these guidelines or your individual project. This can
be used as a checklist to get you started. If this is a RETROFIT
or EXISTING FACILITY, some of this information may not be applicable
and you may want to call EPS directly to help you with these types
of projects that you do
WE
RECOMMEND POOL ROOM ENVIRONMENTS BE DESIGNED
AND MAINTAINED AS A SEPARATE ENVIRONMENT
FROM THE REST of the COMMERCIAL BUILDING,
INCLUDING THE DEHUMIDIFICATION SYSTEM.
Waste Ventilation (Exhaust Fan type systems
or Outside Air systems) does not constitute
Dehumidification, and generally cannot
control the high humidity within these
environments. Mechanical dehumidification
is required.
WASTE
VENTILATION AND EXHAUST FANS CANNOT REPLACE
DEHUMIDIFICATION SYSTEMS OR DUCTWORK
IN A POOL ROOM; MAINTAIN THE RELATIVE
HUMIDITY NOR CONTROL THIS ENVIRONMENT
PROPERLY. All clients need to be aware
that a poolroom conditioned with an exhaust
fan and a way to heat the room IS NOT
DEHUMIDIFICATION, NOR WILL THIS CONTROL
THE HUMIDITY 100%. THIS IS CALLED WASTE
VENTILATION. The client will potentially
have damage to walls, windows, ceilings
may cave in, and rot, mold mildew and
the cost of repairing this structure
will be more expensive than if dehumidification
was used in the initial building of the
room. With the proper dehumidification
equipment and a complete ductwork or
air delivery system in place, you will
be able to control the humidity and maintain
the proper temperatures and Relative
Humidity within the building.
II.
TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
standard
vs. non-standard and how they affect your
operating costs.
Building
Materials: (COLD CLIMATE
AREAS:) If you have a free standing steel frame
building or attached building that has little
or no R-Value, metal frames without thermal breaks,
concrete block without insulation, no insulation
in walls and no vapor barrier, we highly recommend
that the room be finished with proper insulation
and vapor barriers to prevent structural damage
and reduce heat gain/heat loss. Anywhere where
the steel frame can meet the cold outside air
and warm inside air, these areas will condense
(moisture). Standard 2x4 or 2x 6 construction
can be used. However, when we talk about standard
construction we mean a wall with an R-19-30 R-Value
(insulated) or better, Ceiling of R-30-40 (or
better), and finished inside with drywall, sheetrock,
wood, etc.
Concrete
Block Construction: Note
that when using concrete, granite, rock, steel,
all glass, etc. this is not considered standard
construction. Rock/concrete (without insulation)
has a very low insulation (R-Value) Because of
its lower R-Value (insulation value), when cold
outside air meets warm inside pool room air,
you may experience condensation on the block
wall in some areas. Good airflow is critical
in these poolrooms, as well as a high quality
vapor barrier/water proof paint on all surfaces.
Concrete block without insulation factors, can
crumble over time with humidity, and can show
signs of condensation, mold and mildew INSIDE
and OUTSIDE the building.
STEEL FRAMED, DOMED OR SOLID STEEL
TYPE STRUCTURES:
Note that with these types of structures airflow will be critical to
preventing condensation, and you still may experience condensation in
areas that are not insulated. We can maintain the recommended 50-60%
Relative Humidity recommended by ASHRAE, however, when “cold meets
warm” --outside temperature is 20-30 Degrees and inside the structure
is 84 degrees, you may experience condensation on steel building walls
and ceilings because the surface areas have reached DEW POINT TEMPERATURE.
We highly recommend that all structures be insulated with recommended
minimum R-Values to prevent surface areas from reaching Dew Point Temperature.
A MANUFACTURED ENCLOSURE IS NOT CONSIDERED
STANDARD CONSTRUCTION
MANUFACTURED ENCLOSURES/FRAME-GLASS, METAL FRAMES, ETC.
This is an area that needs to be covered extremely well for all clients.
Many times the structure company cannot provide realistic operating costs
for these types of enclosures, because it may deter the client from purchasing
this structure. Or the client is told these structures are built to live
with the moisture. Unfortunately, steel framed Water Park in Russia just
recently collapsed, killing people. Clients should understand that manufactured
enclosures have very little R-Value or insulation value, which protects
from cold air infiltration in winter, to the hot sun and solar gain during
warmer months. Windows should be double pane – Single pane glass
should not be considered. CALCULATIONS FOR HEAT GAIN/HEAT LOSS IN BTU’S
(SENSIBLE AND LATENT CALCULATIONS) MUST BE PROVIDED ACCURATELY TO DETERMINE
THE PROPER SIZING FOR DEHUMIDIFICATION, HEATING AND COOLING OF THIS STRUCTURE.
What
this means is that we need to determine the actual
heat gain and heat loss of the structure so that
equipment is sized to handle the load properly.
There are many cases where we can cover the evaporation
rate of the water, and heating of the room with
a smaller unit. However, the cooling load (heat
gain) may require double that size to cool the
structure properly. This has to be carefully
engineered.
METAL/ALUMINUM
FRAME STRUCTURES AND WINDOWS:All frames MUST
be THERMALLY BROKEN in these types of enclosures.
Opening
retractable roofs and windows is not dehumidification,
nor can this control humidity effectively. In
cold climates, the combination of high humidity,
low R-Value, and the use of glass require careful
design and engineering to avoid condensation
problems. AIRFLOW ACROSS ALL OF THE “GLASS” SURFACES
IS CRITICAL TO THIS STRUCTURE. Use of both underground
and overhead ducting may be necessary to address
the proper airflow needed across all glass surfaces.
These
structures are treated much like your own home – you
heat it, you may cool it and you must dehumidify
it. Opening these retractable panels and bringing
in outside air does not control humidity 100%.
Keep in mind that when opening these on a day
when outdoor temperature is 80 degrees with 80%
humidity, you will actually be bringing in more
humidity than the 50-60% RH you want to maintain.
Upon closing these for the day, dehumidification
will have to run to bring the RH back to the
recommended levels. Having these open on a “colder” day
may result in the increased need to heat the
room. On nice days, open all windows and door
walls and let the poolroom breathe
Heating
and cooling costs are generally higher for these
types of structures. Shop structures carefully,
because some structures may not be made for indoor
pool rooms where high humidity and chlorine exist.
Chlorine can pit materials and cause corrosion.
Ensure that any materials used for your enclosure
are corrosion proof. Get guarantees in writing
from the manufacturer. Single pane glass and
metal frames that are not thermally broken may
be a concern in cold and warm weather and are
not recommended. If you can’t get ductwork
to provide airflow to the top of the structure,
can ceiling fans blowing up be installed in the
structure you choose? Ensure that ductwork can
be suspended from the metal framework, so that
warm air can be moved across all glass surfaces
to prevent condensation. A pool cover is recommended
in all residential projects and some commercial
projects with glass enclosures to help lower
your operating costs.
THE
INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CODE is affecting
many structure companies today. Energy
conservation practices are being put into
place daily. Those companies that build
these types of structures can no longer
claim that cooling will be needed, required
or used as the International Code expects
people to open all the retractable panels
to save energy). In many cases, customers
do not want cooling. HOWEVER, as dehumidification
systems are electric, they give off quite
a bit of heat. We transfer that heat resource
back to pool and room. In some cases, we
need to get rid of heat once the pool and
room are satisfied or you would be overheating
one or the other. In this case, an outdoor
condensing package or fluid cooler would
still be required to REJECT THE EXCESS
HEAT to the outside of the structure. Ask
your structure company if they are following
the International Energy Codes, and this
may vary from state to state.
III.
GENERAL INFORMATION FOR YOUR STRUCTURE:
COLD AIR INFILTRATION AND INSULATION: All
potential air leaks foamed and/or sealed. Recommend
blown-on wet cellulose type insulation, or any
insulation that is “air-tight”. In
colder geographic areas good R-Factors and good
U-Factors (windows) are recommended. If attic
space is to be used for equipment, this area
MUST BE CONDITIONED (heated).
CHLORINE AND POOL BALANCING – A
VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF MAINTAINING THIS ENVIRONMENT
AND INDOOR AIR QUALITY.
CHEMISTRY: MAINTAIN THE PROPER
CHEMISTRY. If proper chemistry balance is not
maintained, this enclosure becomes a highly corrosive
environment. YOU SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SMELL
CHLORINE IN A POOL ROOM. If you do, the pool
is out of balance. Uncontrolled poolroom moisture
laden with chlorine or bromine disinfectants
quickly adheres to surfaces and attacks everything
it comes into contact with. It can form rust
on and deteriorate metal or steel, (lighting,
hinges, ductwork), as well as pit and destroy
electrical wiring, thermostats, contactors, refrigerant
valves and other equipment in the poolroom. DEHUMIDIFICATION
AND BLOWING AIR ACROSS A POOL or using a Return
Air at the deck level CANNOT CONTROL CHLORAMINE
ISSUES. Dehumidification does NOT cause chloramines,
nor it can be expected to resolve the problem.
Air flow across an open pool increases the evaporation
rate of the pool water.
DOORS: All doors to the swimming
pool area should be tight sealing, automatic
closing, and installed with weather stripping.
Openings from the poolroom to other areas should
be minimized, and passageways should have an
air lock or some other arrangement to discourage
the passage of air and moisture
DROP CEILINGS: These are generally
problematic and are discouraged in pool rooms.
If used, the air above them must be ventilated
with conditioned pool room air to avoid the confined
trapped humid air in this area. Despite such
ventilation, the ceiling and lights, insulation,
supports, etc. are still subject to hidden, trapped
condensation. For this reason, EPS does not recommend
drop ceilings in a pool environment
HEATING THE ROOM WITH POOL WATER: This
should never be considered an acceptable practice
in any residential or commercial project. This
causes increased humidity levels and moisture
migration. Pool water temperatures should be
maintained at ASHRAE recommended temperatures
and a practical heating alternative such as an
inline gas duct furnace, electric duct heater,
hot water coil, boiler, etc. should be utilized
to maintain appropriate air temperatures within
the structure.
LIGHTING: SURFACE MOUNT ALL LIGHTING.
Top Hats, Recessed can in can lighting are
not recommended and are discouraged in pool
enclosures. Moisture can migrate into the structure
when using recessed can lighting. Also note:
anything not surface mounted punches holes
in your vapor barrier; now allowing moisture
to migrate into your structure.
NEGATIVE PRESSURE IS REQUIRED: This
can be accomplished by using a small variable
speed exhaust fan sized by EPS. CFM is determined
by the size of the room. The installation of
this fan ensures that when the doors from the
home or commercial building open to the poolroom,
the pool room environment does not migrate into
the house or commercial building, and prevents
moisture from pressurizing into walls and ceiling.
(Note: Negative Pressure can also be established
by utilizing the outdoor air method.)
NON-CORROSIVE
MATERIALS are
recommended for use in poolrooms. Condensation
and corrosion from the atmosphere can cause damage
and even failure of materials and equipment within
or serving a swimming pool enclosure. Ferrous
materials should be eliminated from all areas
of pool construction.
POOL COVERS: Are highly recommended
in all residential and therapy projects when feasible
to:
Lowers evaporation rate
Maintain pool water temperature settings
Use less chemicals
Saves energy (50-75% reduction in operating costs of dehumidification)
POOL WATER HEATING: There
are two methods to heating a pool using dehumidification
systems:
100% Pool Water Heating. Generally we recommend that if you use this
feature, you have a pool cover. Without the cover, a great deal of heat
is lost with the moisture to the air. Compressors of a dehumidification
system MUST START & RUN TO GIVE YOU 100% POOL HEATING. This means
your room may not be calling for dehumidification or cooling, but your
pool needs heating. The compressors now start to give you that heat.
In return, compressors are “taxed” and considerably shorten
the life span of the compressors. If you use this feature, compressors
are warranted for only 5 years.
Secondly, the filtering system for your pool must run longer for the
100% Pool Heating Option to be effective.
POOL HEAT
RECLAIM: This feature is standard
to all systems. This works as follows: Once
the pool is brought up to temperature, and
the system begins to run, we will reject all
excess heat from the dehumidification and cooling
cycles back to the pool or the room, whichever
is calling for heat. This is automatic – when
the unit is running – so it does not
utilize compressor run time as the first option.
UL APPROVED DOMESTIC HOT WATER HEAT GENERATOR. This feature is available
if you choose not to use either of the pool heating options. This new
option provides you with thousands of gallons of hot water and is generally
used in hotels or residential projects.
RADIANT FLOOR HEATING: Many
clients want to use Radiant Floor Heating to
heat the pool rooms. What needs to be understood
is that Radiant Floor heating will NOT heat the
poolroom 100%. Radiant Floor Heating HEATS OBJECTS
NOT AIR! In northern climates, radiant floor
will not cover the heat loss of the structure
because of the amount of floor surface area.
Another form of heating the room is recommended
that will maintain the two-degree differential
required and move air flow across the glass surfaces
to keep them from reaching Dew Point Temperature.
RECOMMENDATION: If
you insulate 2” Rigid Styrofoam around
the perimeter to the footings – your deck
area around the pool will be warm. DO NOT INSULATE
AROUND THE POOL ITSELF. Pool heat does not travel
downward; however, it does travel towards the
outside walls of the pool – therefore into
your deck area. Your heat loss is at your outside
walls. Insulating here will stop heat loss and
help keep the deck area warm. Radiant Floor heat
would be a waste of dollars because your deck
area is warmed by the pool heat from the water.
Relative
Humidity to be maintained: Called
(RH) Recommended 50-60% RH depending upon the
season. Relative Humidity should NOT be maintained
below the recommended levels (never lower than
50% - never higher than 60%). Humidity higher
than the recommended 50-60%RH encourages corrosion,
deterioration of the building, and condensation
problems, as well as occupant discomfort. NEVER
turn the Humidistat lower than 50% or dehumidification
will run continually and may NOT BE ABLE TO
KEEP UP. IF YOU DO NOT MAINTAIN YOUR POOL AND
ROOM AND THE PROPER TEMPERATURES, YOU CANNOT
CONTROL THE HUMIDITY. i.e. – Room 70
Degrees, pool 86-90 Degrees. These are outside
of the guidelines recommended for any pool
unless it is a hospital rehab pool.
R-FACTORS for insulation:
Minimum R-19 Walls, R-30 Ceiling-- Recommended:
R-19 Walls and R-38 Ceiling or better. Where
R-Factors or U-Values are minimal or you are
dealing with a manufactured enclosure, SENSIBLE
CALCULATIONS MUST BE DONE to finalize the sizing
of equipment. A high R-Value of insulation ensures
lower costs in heating and cooling throughout
the year.
Skylights: MUST be thermal
pane type. Airflow across all skylights MUST
BE ADDRESSED IN THE DESIGN STAGE. If skylights
are deeply recessed (boxed in), it can be difficult
to move airflow across them to keep them from
reaching Dew Point Temperature and condensing.
This can be addressed with ductwork or ceiling
fans blowing up.
TEMPERATURES WITHIN THE POOL ENVIRONMENT: MAINTAIN
POOL AND AIR TEMPERATURES AT ALL TIMES according
to ASHRAE STANDARDS AND ENGINEERING COMPANY RECOMMENDATIONS.
This is extremely important and more critical
when you are not using a pool cover in your project.
Residential projects range from 80-82 degree
water temperature and 82-84 degrees air temperature.
Commercial and medical projects will vary, depending
upon use/treatment. If temperatures are not going
to be maintained within ASHRAE GUIDELINES, all
parties involved must be made aware of this as
equipment may be sized differently, and structure
guidelines may change. Outside Air Requirements
of .5cfm of pool and deck area Are REQUIRED ON
ALL COMMERCIAL PROJECTS.
Anytime
air temperature falls BELOW pool water
temperature, you have significantly increased
the evaporation rate of the
pool water. THIS IS NOT RECOMMENDED!
At this point, you are literally pulling
the water out of the pool (in the form
of increased evaporation). It is important
to maintain your air temperature 2 degrees
warmer than the pool when you are not
using a cover.
TEMPERATURES IN THERAPY/REHAB FACILITIES: In therapy & rehab
facilities, or any pool being used for rehab or therapeutic purposes,
water temperatures are generally set somewhere between 85 & 95 Degrees.
Air temperatures are generally maintained at about 80-84 Degrees w/50-60%
Relative Humidity settings. We highly recommend a pool cover be used
on all rehab pools when the pool is not in use, or is closed after the
workday. Equipment will be sized to handle these temperatures, but additional
measures may need to be taken to protect the room (i.e. vapor barriers,
vapor barrier paint). Contact EPS directly for assistance with these
projects.
WINDOWS: Thermal pane type.
Keep in mind that windows have little insulation
value. As such, we recommend double pane, Low
E glass. Airflow must be directed at all glass
surfaces (via properly sized ductwork and/or
ceiling fans blowing up) -- AT ALL TIMES to prevent
them from reaching Dew Point Temperature and
FORMING CONDENSATION.
IV.
DUCTWORK FOR THE POOL ROOM:
AIR
FLOW AND AIR DISTRIBUTION CAN’T BE STRESSED
ENOUGH AS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF A POOL
ROOM!
We equate Airflow in the poolroom (via ductwork) to a “good heart” – “bad
arteries”. One does not work without the other. The ductwork is
the most critical aspect of your installation and standards for ducting
are higher when they are applicable to pool enclosures. Many people do
not understand why ductwork is necessary to a poolroom. Question: would
you remove the ductwork from your home or office for heating or cooling?
Why not? Simply because you would have no airflow and no way to evenly
heat and cool the structure or distribute warm air to glass surfaces.
The same principle applies to dehumidification and conditioning the swimming
pool areas. Airflow can only be distributed through a duct system, moving
air across all glass surfaces to keep them from forming condensation.
The
air delivery system is key to keeping this environment
controlled properly. EPS sizes all Ductwork according
to all ASHRAE/ACCA requirements. We will exceed
ASHRAE Requirements for air turnovers. Do not
build soffits or have ductwork put into place
until EPS Engineering Department provides you
with proper shop drawings for mechanical. We
take the final responsibility for this part of
the project. If the duct is not installed to
our specifications, we cannot guarantee the system,
or the potential condensation problems as a result
of over sized or under sized ductwork. Leave
room for ducting! Decide whether you are going
overhead or underground (depending upon glass
locations and feasibility of installation.
NOTE: In areas with high water tables, or potential flood areas, serious
consideration must be given as to whether or not underground ductwork
can be utilized.
UNDERGROUND
DUCTNG: THE DUCTWORK GOES IN THIS TRENCH FIRST – followed
by the POOL COMPANY’S PLUMBING. PLUMBING
IS ALWAYS ON TOP of ductwork in case of a leak
or problem with plumbing at this stag. This
prevents ductwork from being torn apart during
the construction stages. You need to leave
a minimum of a 4-foot deck area around the
pool for 1-12 ton systems.
The
Ductwork Recommendation is: design
as a Continuous loop (peripheral ALL
THE WAY AROUND THE POOL ROOM AND BACK
TO MECHANICAL SPACE). In some natatoriums
a combination of overhead and underground
may be required. This will depend upon
window and skylight placement, how high
the ceiling is, and the kind of structure
(standard construction or manufactured
enclosure). The necessary CFM required
in the room will be distributed to diffusers
to provide a flow of warm air to all
glass surfaces. Ductwork can be PCD underground,
which is always pitched on a slight angle
back towards the drains, Overhead soffit
mounted, overhead spiral, or FabricAire– a
colored fabric Ductwork that is non-corrosive
and can be cable suspended or flush mounted.
Stainless steel ductwork is not necessary.
DIFFUSERS (or registers):
Located under (in floor) or over (soffit
mounted or spiral ductwork) all exterior
windows. Diffusers ARE NOT INSTALLED IN
WALLS ABOVE/BELOW or IN BETWEEN THE WINDOWS.
All diffusers are to be designed to deflect
airflow across all glass surfaces to keep
them from reaching Dew Point Temperature.
DUCT SIZING: EPS, Inc.
will provide all engineering/duct sizing
for the project, exceeding ASHRAE and ACCA,
SMACNA Requirements and Guidelines. It
is imperative the ductwork be done according
to specifications provided for supply and
return within this room. Inadequate or
over-sizing of the duct system leads to
problems with condensation and systems
not being able to keep up with the design
temperatures.
DUCTWORK MYTH: You can’t
put in underground duct because all of
the splashing in the pool will fill up
the ducts with water and flood them. NONSENSE!
You would have to stand over ducts in the
floor with a 5-gallon bucket and dump water
in them to create this type of problem.
The small amount of splashing that occurs
will dry very quickly due to the warm air
traveling through these ducts. Also, any
great amount of water will be drained back
towards the floor drains, as all ductwork
should be pitched slightly back to the
drains when designed and installed. If
your client has a high water table, then
underground ducting may need to be reviewed
and may not be feasible.
OVERHEAD DUCTING: Clients
have been told that overhead ducting isn’t
and shouldn’t be done, because warm
air rises and it can’t keep windows
dry. NONSENSE!!! With the ductwork designed
properly, the velocity of the duct can
move air from diffusers anywhere from 6
feet to 25 feet, depending upon the job.
Overhead ducting in commercial projects
that do not use pool covers can tend to
blow air down at the pool and increase
the evaporation rate as it goes across
that body of water. This is common to these
types of projects and is taken into consideration.
Overhead & underground ducting should
be designed as a CONTINUOUS LOOP.
AIR
TURNOVERS: We exceed
ASHRAE recommended Air Turnovers. We have
found in our past experience that more
air turnovers are required for better air
quality and to prevent condensation.
BLOWING
AIR ACROSS THE POOL WATER TO PREVENT
CHLORINE AIR QUALITY PROBLEMS: Although
ASHRAE does recommend blowing or moving
air across the pool water to help deal
with chlorine and chloramines, EPS will
not recommend this in an indoor pool because
it increases the evaporation rate of the
pool, and does not solve the chloramines
issues. Diffusers should be directed at
all glass surfaces first, not across the
pool.
OUTSIDE AIR: On all
commercial projects, ASHRAE recommends
.5 cfm per square foot of pool and deck
area, or 15cfm per person, whichever is
greater. For residential projects, follow
all state, city and local codes for outside
air. Outside Air Requirements must be met
in all commercial projects.
VI.
EQUIPMENT AND MECHANICAL SPACE REQUIRED
How
to determine which system to use?
1.
Look at all of your utility rates; which is the
least expensive:
Natural Gas, Propane, Oil, Electric
2. Do you have well water?
3. Do you have city/municipal water?
4. If you are on well water, what does the well produce in gallons per
minute or “GPM” at 40 PSI? Would a heat pump application
best serve your project?
5. Dry Air/EPS can design a system that is (A). Standard using gas, propane,
boiler, cooling tower, etc., (B). DRY-AIR Geothermal using well water
or closed loop for the complete operation of the system, or (C). Well
water FOR COOLING ONLY.
6. If looking at a complete geothermal application, the first thing you
will want to do is contact your local utility company and ask them if
they have a geothermal program in place or visit www.geoexchange.org
for this information. Programs vary state to state, some offer lower
electric rates to use geothermal, some offer rebates, and some offer
other incentives to use geothermal. If you do not have a state program
for geothermal, then check you utility rates to see what the cost is
per KW per hour.
DEHUMIDIFIER: High Grade
(304) Stainless Steel, G-90 Galvanized or
Galva-Lume. Equipment should be UL or ETL
Listed, CAN/CSA Certified, and Carry the
Energy Star Label, and utilize the least
amount of refrigerant per ton.
EVAPORATOR COILS: 3,
4 or 5 Row Cleanable Coils. 8 Row coils
are not recommended. This is old technology
and 8 Row coils are impossible to clean
as well as expensive to replace. (See Coil
Articles enclosed.) We do not recommend
equipment with 8 Row coils, or rooftop
equipment that cannot be maintained properly
for regular maintenance or service.
MECHANICAL
SPACE REQUIREMENTS:WE
NEED TO CAUTION CLIENTS HERE ABOUT
THEIR MECHANICAL SPACE. ALLOWING
THE PROPER ROOM FOR EQUIPMENT AND
INSTALLATION IS BECOMING A SERIOUS
PROBLEM IN THIS INDUSTRY. THIS
EQUIPMENT MUST BE LOCATED IN A
MECHANICAL ROOM THAT IS CONDITIONED
AND INSULATED. GARAGES, ATTIC SPACES,
CRAWL SPACES, CLOSETS, ETC. ARE
NOT CONSIDERED THE APPROPRIATE
MECHANICAL SPACE FOR EQUIPMENT
UNLESS THE PROPER ROOM AND ADEQUATE
CLEARANCES ARE ALLOWED.
MECHANICAL SPACE REQUIREMENTS:
A great deal of consideration must be given
to the proper mechanical space. The size
of this room is dictated by the size of your
system, whether you will be using natural/propane/oil
to heat with or our liquid source units.
Generally, you will need to leave approximately
12 feet by 6 feet for THE 4-12 TON UNITS
--for the installation of the unit, the ductwork,
an inline gas/propane duct furnace, serviceability,
etc. Larger units require more space.
ABOVE GRADE MECHANICAL ROOMS: (second
floor, crawl spaces, attic spaces) Installations:
In these cases, note: The area must be
insulated and conditioned; a secondary
drain pan must be installed under the unit
with a drain line. Also bear in the mind
serviceability when placing equipment in
areas such as attics or spaces that have
a “trap door access”. This
is not recommended.
FLOOR DRAIN: A floor
drain and condensation drain in the mechanical
space is required. A condensate drain is
also required. This is applicable to on
grade and above grade mechanical rooms.
HEATING WITH GAS OR PROPANE: A
gas line to the unit is required if using
natural gas or propane to heat the room.
Determine whether this should be power
or gravity vented. Combustion air is required
when utilizing this method of heating.
If oil is the only available heat source,
oil duct furnaces are generally not available.
Use oil fired high temperature boilers
to heat the room with a hot water coil
in the supply duct, instead of a gas duct
furnace. This boiler will also heat the
pool and spa.
STRATIFICATION: Poolroom
moisture is similar to boiling pot of water
on a stove. The warm air rises and stratifies
along the ceiling area. To properly move
air to prevent stratification, a high return
air is required. Returns at the deck level
do nothing to remove stratification at
the ceiling level. If ceilings are high,
ceiling fans blowing up are also recommended
to move air within the envelope. The ceiling
fans can also be utilized to move air up
into skylights to prevent condensation,
when it is not feasible to do so with ductwork.
WELL WATER: Well water
can be used for standard applications for
cooling only, or a complete geothermal
application. No outdoor condenser is required
for these applications. When you have well
water available, it is very advantageous
to utilize it for cooling and for a number
of reasons.
First,
our DRY-AIR line is unique since
it is the ONLY energy-recycling product
on the market that reclaims and rejects
heat to 3 places simultaneously as
required. Example, in the dehumidification
mode, the reclaimed latent heat and
added compressor heat is rejected
first back into the space. If the
space is satisfied, it is then rejected
back to the pool and if the pool
has reached its set point temperature,
the excess heat is rejected to the
drain using a very small amount of
well water. Cooling with well water
has lower equipment first costs;
lower operating costs, and extends
the compressor life considerably.
Installation costs are also reduced
along with a significant reduction
in maintenance factors. Water usage
is also efficiently metered based
on what function is being performed.
If for example, you are cooling with
only one compressor, only enough
water is metered based on temperature
to efficiently cool the one compressor.
Spring, winter and fall, little or
no water is used since we need the
reclaimed heat put back into the
room.
WATER LINE: If using a
well: a water line to the unit is required.
Well water should not be conditioned to the
unit.
Vapor Barrier: Recommended
10-12 mil. Polyethylene sheeting (6- mil.
Minimum) continuously overlapped and sealed,
or Vapor Barrier Paint. Avoid penetration
of the vapor barrier (i.e. lighting-NO
TOP HAT RECESSED CAN LIGHTING! electrical
boxes, conduit for wiring, switching – should
be surface mounted if placed on surfaces
incorporating the vapor barrier. If some
electrical boxes penetrate, ensure they
are taped up tight when finished. To prevent
moisture migration, use a suitable sealant
material wherever any device (i.e. nail,
screw or ductwork) penetrates the vapor
barrier. (See Vapor Barrier information
enclosed in this package.) Vapor Barriers
MUST be installed on the WARM SIDE of the
poolroom in walls and ceiling, prior to
putting on your finished surface.
ON
VAPOR BARRIER AND PLACEMENT OF VAPOR
BARRIER:
Warm, humid air inside a pool building naturally migrates to the
cooler, drier air outdoors. As it does so, moisture condenses in
the exterior wall cavity, causing mold, rot, and deterioration
of the exterior wall materials. This effect is especially pronounced
in colder climates, where the contrast between the humid indoor
air and the dry exterior air is greater. Proper selection, placement,
and installation of a suitable vapor barrier can minimize this
unwanted moisture migration. If a vapor barrier can’t be
installed, then vapor barrier or waterproof paint should be used
on all surfaces that come into contact with the poolroom.
VAPOR
BARRIER SELECTION Select
and specify a vapor barrier with a permeance
rating of 0.1* or less. A vapor barrier inhibits
moisture migration. The objective is to keep
the water vapor in the space. The permeance
rating (perms) measures the amount of moisture
that can migrate through a particular vapor
barrier. A vapor barrier with a permeance
rating greater than 0.1 ... the kind typically
used in standard construction ... will allow
too much moisture through it and is not recommended
for use in indoor pool enclosures. Green
board, Brown board, blown-in insulation,
sheet rock, DRI-VET, fiberglass bat with
foil face, are NOT substitutions for vapor
barriers.
ACCEPTABLE
VAPOR BARRIERS:
10
mil.-12 mil. Polyethylene Sheeting 0.090
perms
Zero-Perm by Alumiseal Corp. 0.00 perms
NOT RECOMMENDED:
Foil-Faced fiberglass bat insulation 0.50 perms
6 Mil Polyethylene Sheeting 0.113 perms
*Using ASTM-E-96-80 Procedure A
PERMEANCE
OF VAPOR RETARDERS
MATERIALS PERMS
Aluminum Foil 0.0 - 0.05
Polyethylene Film - 10 mil 0.03
Polyethylene Film - 8 mil 0.04
Cross-Laminated Poly Sheeting - 4 mil 0.04
Polyethylene Film - 6 mil 0.06
Vapor Retardant Paint, 1 coat 0.06 (Courtesy of ASHRAE)
Polyethylene Film - 4 mil 0.08
Expanded Polystyrene Board 1.2
Concrete (1:2:4: Mix) 3.2
VII. VAPOR
BARRIER PLACEMENT IS CRITICAL!
Place
the vapor barrier as close as possible to the
inside finish surface of all exterior walls and
ceiling. Exact placement of the vapor barrier
is critical. All materials on the pool side of
the vapor barrier are highly susceptible to moisture
damage. Use only waterproof or highly moisture-resistant
materials on the pool side of the vapor barrier.
Place
the vapor barrier between the pool area (between
insulation and drywall) and other areas (including
ceiling) of the building. When adjacent areas
without humidity control share interior walls
with the pool enclosure, unwanted moisture may
migrate to those areas and cause problems. Incorporate
the vapor barrier into the pool side of the walls
or ceilings separating those areas. Also, provide
weather-tight passage doors between those areas
VAPOR
BARRIER INSTALLATION
Install a CONTINUOUS vapor barrier. Envelope the entire building interior
with a continuous over-lapping vapor barrier. Seams, gaps, tears, punctures,
or breaches will permit moisture migration and must be avoided. Overlap
(recommend overlapping 12” walls/ceiling) the material and positively
seal vapor barrier joints. Avoid penetrations of the vapor barrier. Design
the building to avoid penetrations of the vapor barrier. Any puncturing
of this vapor barrier now allows for moisture to migrate into those areas.
For example, electrical boxes and conduit for wiring, switching, lighting
fixtures should be surface mounted only if placed on surfaces that will
incorporate a vapor barrier.
The
effectiveness of a vapor retarder system may
be greatly reduced if openings, even very small
ones, exist in the barrier. Such openings may
be caused by poor workmanship during application,
poorly sealed joints and edges, insufficient
coating thickness, improper caulking and flashing,
and other factors. Air infiltration around a
vapor retarder can carry considerable quantities
of water vapor into the insulation, creating
a condensation problem. The air finds passages
through gaps in joints, tears in the barrier,
or cracks where pipes or similar items penetrate
the wall. Seal any necessary penetrations of
the vapor barrier. To prevent moisture migration,
use a suitable sealant/caulking material wherever
any device (such as a nail, a screw, and ductwork)
unavoidably penetrates the vapor barrier. Patching
- repair all tears and punctures with oversized
patches of retardant materials and tape before
vapor barrier is covered.
If
you are not using a vapor barrier due to construction
design (i.e. concrete block), then high-grade
vapor barrier paint must be used on the inside
surface of walls and ceiling. General latex house
paint is NOT VAPOR BARRIER paint! Concrete block
and other non-insulated type construction have
little R-Value and are water permeable. If you
are not using a Pool Cover, it will be imperative
that you use some kind of vapor barrier paint
if you cannot install this barrier between the
insulation and finished wall.
This
information was obtained through ASHRAE Fundamentals
Handbook and at IndoorPools.com, and is not expressly
the opinion of E.P.S. A licensed professional
should be contacted for your particular application,
as there are many options available. EPS recommends
a 10-12 mil continuous overlapped and sealed
vapor barrier in the warm side of walls and ceiling.
A vapor barrier is a must in all indoor pool
enclosures. A vapor barrier is not a substitution
for dehumidification. Green board, Dri-Vet, brown
board, etc. ARE NOT VAPOR BARRIERS.
FREE
ANALYSIS!
How much could YOU save by making your pool "Energy-Smart"?
The Department of Energy has developed a software package called Energy
Smart Pools to perform those difficult calculations for you. You can
download the Energy Smart Pools software from this site. Using the Energy
Smart Pools software, you can obtain a detailed analysis and projected
savings with just a few inputs. The best part, there is no cost to you! (This
information was obtained from www.eren.doe.gov/spec/Indoor.htm)
EPS is the home of DRY-AIR & VERI-DRY. We provide Design, Engineering, Consulting and Manufacturing for Residential and Commercial Indoor Swimming Pool Applications.
