Exactly what brand are you looking at?

I have used Unico repeatedly, Space Pak only once (not a great experience).
Both cost significantly more for equipment, but this cost can be balanced by the reduced damage to walls and ceilings (especially plaster walls and ceilings).

Hello, Brickeyee. Thank you for responding. We are starting to think about the heating system for our new build and had a friend ask if we had heard anything about the SDHV systems. I had googled and did find the Unico system and read about it so know that it uses the small ductwork, etc. but there isn't anyone I know that has used it? We are building a 3000 sq ft home (1 level with a small loft), and have an adjoining 1500 sq ft room that houses as indoor pool. So we also have to figure out the heating and dehumidification of the pool room. We are the first in our small town to build an indoor pool so resources and info are limited. Hopefully, if we are can become more informed, we will be able to get the right system (or systems) for our home and pool room. Any information you could share would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

gma,
We are also building a house with indoor pool . We are about 1/2 way
through construction . Maybe we can help each other . What part of the country are you in ? I'm in Illinois . My email is faye341969@yahoo.com . Faye

Hi Faye, I e-mailed you.

I'm not sure why you would want to use a HV system for new construction. The main selling point is smaller ducts so it can fit into existing walls. If you have new construction that is not an issue. The cost for HV is a lot higher.
As for indoor pools I have done a few and if done correctly they work great. Just be prepared to spend money upfront and in energy costs.

Funnycide, thanks for the response. I had never heard of the HV system until someone mentioned it to us, so I was only asking for information. From the research I have done since posting the questions, I agree that this is not the way to go for us (but now I do know what the system is). Thanks again.

gma ,

I did'nt get your email . My pool room is 1600 sf and my whole house
(excluding garage) is 5500 sf . I am putting in radiant floor heat with a gas boiler . I don't plan to use central air very much but am installing the traditional system . I have concentrated on how to minimize possible mold and corrosion
issues . You will find some strong opinions on what the best way to go is . It's
really important to do your homework and make your decisions before starting
construction . Faye

Hi Faye, I will respond to you here, but I will also try to e-mail you again so please let me know if you receive it so we can continue to communicate.
We are building our retirement home which is 3200 sf (excluding the garage). Our pool room is also about 1600 sf. We decided to put in an indoor pool for a couple of reasons. My husband and I wanted it for exercise and relaxation, but another main reason was for our kids and grandkids to enjoy as they all live close by. We have long winters. We do have a cabin on the water, but the water here is only warm enough to swim in July and August (though the kids will often jump in earlier and later than that). We have the pool in, the pool room and our home is framed and roofed, which is where we wanted to be before winter. We didn't do a lot of homework on finishing the pool room before starting as we had a good friend's son-in-law who installs pools in CA come up when he had a slack time and put in our pool, which saved up quite a bit.....so the pool was the very first thing we put in, then started framing.
We want to get our heating system in now and then finish the interior of the pool room. We'll be putting plastic sheeting over insulation. We'll then put on cedar boards that have been sealed and sealed and sealed some more. LOL.
So since we put the cart before the horse to get a good price on our pool, I'm now researching the heating of the room and the humidity issues. Do you have these issues figures out for your room? From what I've researched, you want to keep the humidity about 50% and the room air about 2 degrees warmer than the pool water........also, a must is to keep the pool covered when not in use. Does this coincide with your research?
I'll not waste anymore space here, but will try to e-mail again. Thanks, Jeanie

Faye, I e-mailed you again with the address you gave me. I then also e-mailed you through the link on the forum. Let me know if you got either or both of these. Thanks, Jeanie

If youÂre still interested in researching HVAC systems for indoor pools...

This link will take you to a National Research Council Canada - Institute for Research in Construction discussion on indoor pools:

http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/pubs/cbd/cbd083_e.html

You can view at the link below a full HVAC and domestic water schematic we applied for decades on homes with indoor pools in Northern Canada. Just ignore the verbiage at the bottom of the drawing - too much work to change and upload a different fileÂjust focus on the drawing contents.

You can also download from ASHRAE a recent article on indoor pool ventilation.

Google search "natatoriums" (the technical term) for more information.

Avoid if you can using salt water systems (electronators) Â if you cannot make sure everything the water sees can handle the corrosive nature of the system.

Timers on pool pumps are a nice energy saverÂbut have your electrician use electronic soft start contactors  he should know what that means.

In addition, a System3 Filtration system is nice stuff if given a choice.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hybrid Schematic for homes with indoor pools

I hope either of you are not planning on installing a traditional air conditioning system in your indoor pool room. If you do I guarantee that your interior finishes will be rotted out in less than 5 years from the moisture. I am not trying to alarm you but you should know.
You are correct that 50% humidity is a good setting. It will rise some when there is activity in the pool but then it will come down when the pool is empty. The air temp should be 2° above the pool water temp. A typical setting is 82/80 or 84/82. These settings need to be maintained 24/7.
If you are interested in more information just post more questions.

Funnyside, I do have many questions as this is a new venture for us and in our rural area, none of the local heating, etc. installers have done an indoor pool so I am really trying to do my homework. I am assuming we need a dehumidifier from what I have researched, but how do we determine which one? I have googled until I'm "blue in the face", but there is so much out there. If you could give me any information on this, I would appreciate it. Also, we are thinking of having our ducting vents blowing toward the windows as I've read that this will help eliminate the condensation on the windows. Am I thinking correctly? I'm sure I will have many more questions, if you are willing. Anything you could share on this pioneer venture would help. Thanks so much, Jeanie

The first thing you have to take care of is the construction of the room. You need a vapor barrier carefully installed. It should be installed on the interior side of the insulation. You should carefully choose the windows, skylights (hopefully not), and doors. You want a thermal break to reduce condensation. How cold does it get where you are? You are correct that you need air blowing on all window surfaces to avoid condensation. Next thing to talk about is duct layout. what is the size of your room? vaulted ceiling? skylights?

gma ,

i got your email and sent a response - I am building and am at about the
same stage as you . Getting ready to start installing pex for radiant floors and
then will pour concrete floor in pool room. I am doing the sheeting over insulation - then doing concrete board covered with a stucco like compound
called Quikwalls . It's made by Quikrete and is a cement material that will
cover all walls and ceilings . Ofcourse all switches , outlets , etc. will be caulked. As for fixtures - they will all be rated outdoor/wet to help with possible corrosion issues. I am not putting any a/c vents in the pool area
because it will not have a/c . I will have a blanket on the pool and am installing a woodburning fireplace with blowers . I have 2 venting skylights and 2 sets of french doors . It is important to try and keep the area below
the windows and doors well heated because of condensation. That's one of the reasons I went with the radiant . I have looked at the dehumidifiers but think I will wait until we are moved in and using pool before I buy. It is only
humid here for about 2 1/2 monthes of the year and it will be humid whether
I have a pool or not . I think the cross ventilation of the room and the pool
blanket will be enough. My ceilings are 16' vaulted and I will be using 6
outdoor ceiling fans on downrods . You may want to check on the radiant heat - it will be a more evenly distributed heat and I believe it will be more
energy efficent for this application. It will also eliminate worries of corrosion
and mold in ductwork .

faye-
Are you planning on keeping your windows open all winter? If not how are you planning on controlling the humidity in the winter time? Also, what temperature are you planning on keeping your pool room at?

funnycide, I'll try to answer your questions as best I can. The room is already constructed - 32x52, 10' walls vaulted to a 17' center. We will be insulating with a vapor barrier on the interior side as you suggested.
One 52' side will have 5 large, tall windows plus an 8' slider angled onto a deck. One 32' side has 2 more of the large, tall windows plus 2 shorter ones (because they will be behind a rock feature. The other 52' side is adjacent to the garage, but where it extends beyond the garage it will have two more windows. The other 32' side is adjacent to our house. No skylights. (There will be 2 regular doors - to house and to garage.)
We are in northern Idaho so have "real" winters. We do get some below zero weather, usually a couple weeks of the winter.
Thanks again for your input. I'll be looking forward to your reply. Jeanie
(It is a gunnite free-form pool if I hadn't posted that already)

funnycide ,

I don't know what part of the country you are at but where I'm from (chicagoland area ) - people run humidifiers in their homes during the winter, because of how dry the air is .
Do you have an indoor pool ? Because I don't understand why skylights that vent humidity would be a problem ? How did you set up your pool room and what problems have you had ? You mentioned problems with saltwater generators being corrosive - more corrosive than chlorine ? Any chemicals or humidity will be corrosive . That's why the finishes and envelope are so important . With a traditional forced air system their is always going to be cold spots in the room - esp a room this size . You also can't tie it into
the same ductwork as the rest of your home because you don't want to spread that humidity throughout your entire house . I'm assuming a concrete
floor in a pool room - so you will always have cold floors - because heat rises
and I would'nt want to be walking around barefoot on a cold floor in winter .

faye,
I don't own an indoor pool. I design heating and cooling systems for a living, including indoor pools. Maybe if I chose another career I would have an indoor pool. :) Anyway, I know nothing about saltwater and very little about pool chemicals. What I do know about is humidity and temperature. Before we can continue a discussion you need to tell me what temp you plan on keeping your pool water and air temperaure at? Also what humidity level would be your goal? summer or winter?
I live in SE pennsylvania and a lot of people here also run humidifiers in their homes.

Funnycide ,

I was posting in response to GMA . I researched my build for 3 yrs before breaking ground so I'm not looking for advice - my plans are complete . GMA-
you have my email if you have any other questions for me . Good Luck

funnycide, if you check here, I would still like a response from you to my post to you of Friday, Nov. 2., if you are willing to share your knowledge. Thank you, Jeanie

The main goal of an indoor pool is to reduce/ eliminate condensation. Condensation occurs when the surface temperature is lower than the dew point of the air arount it. So to reduce condensation you need to raise the surface temp or lower the dew point. Lets look at a window surface, since we can't control the weather we are stuck with that. If it is 10° outside the surface temperature inside will be higher but how much? That is where the quality of the window and doors come in. You need to buy a well insulated window that has a full thermal break.
It is also important to blow air across the window to reduce condensation. When a dehumidifying system is running you will have relatively dry air blowing across the cold window surface. So you need to ductwork circling the pool with diffusers blowing air on the windows. You can accomplish this with underground ductwork and floor diffusers or exposed spiral duct above the ceiling with diffusers point down to the windows. If you don't like the look of spiral duct you could probably build a soffit to hide it.
We haven't talked about the air conditioning/ dehumidifying unit yet. I'll let you digest this a little.

Dectron is manufacturer that sells units for indoor pools.

Here is a link that might be useful: dectron

We had pretty much decided to go the route of ducting above blowing down on the windows (but do want to research radiant floor heating).
We have a Hayward H400 heat pump, if you are familiar with it, to heat our pool.
So, I'm ready to hear your air conditioning/dehumidifying advice any time you have time to post back.
Thanks for the Dectron link. Jeanie

For an indoor pool cooling is not as important as dehumidifying and heating. Most people keep the air temperature around 80-82°. So the only time you will need air conditioning is when the outside air temp is close to or above that temperature. The rest of time you will be heating or dehumidifying. Hopefully I will be able to convince you that a normal residential hvac system will not give you decent results. You will need to buy a system specially designed for indoor pools.

To control humidity, you may want to consider a condenser gas reheat coil attached to your a/c. Hot condenser gasses are circulated through a coil just beyond the cooling coil. This will help reduce the humidity by heating the cooled air allowing the a/c to run for longer periods without over cooling the space. This way you won't have to run a dehumidifier with the a/c.

Check with your local Lennox dealer.

Funnycide, we are planning to keep the air about 82 and the pool about 80, as that seems to be the ideal recommendation from what I've researched. Being in northern Idaho, I would guess there would be two months, at the most, when our outdoor air temperature is above 80 degrees. I am already convinced we need a seperate pool system. My biggest problem is that in my area, we don't even know anyone else with a pool to bounce this off of. The dealers here that I have contacted have to do their own research, so I doubt they know much more than I do.
Did I ever give you the size of our pool or the size of our pool room? Would you be able to recommend a system? We want to put in what is needed - we don't want to put in more than is needed. Thanks so much for your help, Jeanie

bonanza- hot gas reheat is the basic principle behind a pool dehumidifier. I am not familar with what Lennox offers.

gma- I don't think you included the size of your pool or if there is a whirlpool attached. The manufacturers that I have dealt with are dectron and desertaire. I also know that poolpak is well known in the industry. There's probably others especially on the west coast that I am not familar with.

32x52, 10' walls vaulted to a 17' center. We will be insulating with a vapor barrier on the interior side.
There will be a total of seven 4x8 windows, four 4x5 windows, and an 8' slider. So there are a lot of windows that we could open. (No skylights planned). There is a spa of about 8' diameter.

The most important dimension is the surface area of the pool.