General Information For Indoor Pool Owners

 On this general page you will find all information you will need to run, own, manage or deal with an indoor pool. This page is currently under construction but items will be added every week. A lot of the items mentioned here will be a results of the questions we receive over time. It will allow us to place those most important items up front. Thanks for visiting the Indoor Swimming Pool Institute.

This page is always under construction.

Psychrometric Chart. 

The Psychrometric Chart is the most important tool for any indoor pool designer. It will allow the designer to evaluate the different conditions of the air and make sure that no condensation will take place anywhere within the space or even inside the walls and ceiling.Correct use of the Psychrometric Chart defines moisture load and sensible cooling requirements. 

Dry Bulb Temperature.

The dry bulb temperature is the most common way to talk about temperature. It is the number we see on our thermostat or hear from the weather report on our TV. In general we like the temperature inside our house just around 70 degrees F, however in the indoor pool the general accepted temperature hoovers around 82 degree F.

Relative Humidity.

The relative humidity is an indication on how humid the air is. Again, in general, once the RH level goes above 60 % we start feeling a little warmer, more tropical. Places like Miami and Honolulu often see RH levels around 80 % and even up to 100 % during tropical rain fall. Below 40% RH we start feeling dry and if the RH level continues to drop we are looking for our "chapstick" to keep the lips moist. We have also learned that in dryer air, the water on the body evaporates quicker, giving us the shiffers. That's why, in an indoor pool the RH levels normally vary between 50 % and 60%.

Dewpoint.

The dewpoint is the temperature at which condensation will start. If air has a dewpoint of 70 degrees, then any surface that is cooler then 70 degrees will show condensation. Take a shower. If your mirror fogs up, the temperature of the mirror was below the dewpoint of the air in your bath room. The dewpoint is so important for an indoor pool designer because, if any part of the indoor pool building gets below the dewpoint temperature, condensation will take place, water will form and damage will occur. It is up to the indoor pool design team that condensation will not happen inside the pool and inside the walls and ceiling.

Vapor Barrier.

That brings us to the vapor barrier. A vapor barrier is a layer of special material that will greatly reduce or completely block the moisture migration through a wall or ceiling. Think about a sheet of plastic or layer of special water proof paint. The vapor barrier is the most essential in any indoor pool and must be placed on the inside of the wall to prevent moisture migration into the wall to a place where the dewpoint is lower and condensation will start. Without a vapor barrier any indoor pool will ultimately deteriorate.