Dehumidification for Indoor Pool - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Chrishel · 04-28-2009, 10:05 PM

We are building a custom home with an indoor pool in Northern Illinois. The HVAC guy says to go with two furnaces to deal with humidity. The pool installer agrees. This is a reputable pool contractor that is highly regarded in our area with thousands of pools of experience. All my research says to go with a dehumidification system like a Desert-Aire or PoolPak, etc.

Some arguments they gave were that any HVAC guy can service a furnace. Specialty guys are needed for dehumidifiers. Also they mentioned energy costs since furnaces are gas whereas dehumidifiers are primarily electric. They threw in: what if the power goes out?

What is the right thing to do here? It's two against one!

The pool will have a pool cover to minimize humidity when not in use. The enclosure is cinder block. Insulation will be open cell foam. Ceiling and walls are cedar with a stone veneer up to about chair rail height. There's a soffit all around the perimeter so that air can be brought as close as possible to blanket doors and windows.

Is there anything we are missing or anything you would add?

**Double-A** · 04-28-2009, 11:22 PM

Is this your home or are you working building this home for spec/a client?

Chrishel · 04-29-2009, 09:06 AM

It's my home, but I have to warn you that I'm an Engineer. So take that for what it's worth. I know that I can be a sub's dream and worst nightmare at the same time. In my various lifetimes, I've done wastewater treatment, food and pharmaceutical equipment, and air and liquid filtration. We are general contracting this house. I can research and specify but I respect the subs opinions on how to install or how things are done in the residential market. I'm smart enough to know that book knowledge is not a substitute for actual experience.

I don't expect the HVAC guy to know since he doesn't have much experience with indoor pools, but I was floored when the pool guy gave those arguments.

**Double-A** · 04-30-2009, 01:37 AM

Well, the reason I asked is you're not in the trades. We welcome folks that are doing GC work on their own homes at our sister site, www.DIYChatroom.com.

Many of our regulars post there as well. I have to admit that using a furnace to dehumidify a pool enclosure/room seems sorta silly to me, but I'm not an HVAC person.

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