Indoor Pool Resources for Contractors

The approach of a contractor towards an indoor pool project is quiet different. Whereas the architect and engineer design everything on paper, the contractor has to price it competitively, build it, make it work and warrant the project to the owner.

Bidding

This sometimes does not work out to well, mainly in the bidding phase where lack of experience and time often causes the contractor to use financial information based on the air conditioning industry. On smaller projects this often causes him to be the low bidder, only to find out that the specified 5 ton dehumidifier is several times more expensive then a 5 ton air conditioning unit. On large indoor pool projects the consequences can be disastrous.

So the first caution towards the contractor is to be very careful in the bidding process and to make sure he understands the specification and schedule and gets correct pricing information from an established supplier of indoor pool dehumidification equipment.

Dehumidification

The fact that an indoor pool dehumidifier is partly based on the same principle as the air conditioning system often causes issues when the unit needs repair or tender loving care. The principle is the same but the operation is quiet different and does require some special understanding. Again, working with a manufacturer’s representative specialized in indoor pool dehumidification can be a great help and will save many hours of "try and error".

All better manufacturers have service departments available with phone service just a call away. To resolve more difficult problems the manufacturer will have trained engineers to visit the jobsite and service the unit. Interestingly it is often found that not the unit, but the design or installation is cause for the problem. Return air ducts opposite the supply airduct will create false readings on the sensors, hot water coils connected to the spa water will not be able to provide the needed heat, heat rejecting coils to the pool water are often not connected at all because the different trades were not aware they had to work together. Not only a stiff increase in first cost for the owner, but also the loss of energy recovery for the rest of the life of the unit.

Most manufacturers have their Installation & Operation manuals on the web. All contractors, involved in the bidding and installation of an indoor pool are urged to go to the websites and read the I&O manuals. The time you take to read them will be recovered many times over during the installation of the system.

For those contractors that are also involved in the design please check the chapter under engineers.