Swimming pools and wet areas

The typical pool and wet area problem

• Evaporation from the water surface drives humidity to 60–90 % RH, with condensation on glazing and structure.
• Metal corrodes, finishes break down and mould appears in the junctions.
• Chlorinated air is aggressive towards ordinary heat exchangers.
• Air temperature has to be held 1–2 °C above the water temperature.

Recommended models

Requirement	Model
Dehumidifying the pool hall — the core solution	OXA DK
Heating the hall air	OXA D
Fresh air with heat recovery	OXA AR
Precise humidity in adjacent areas	OXA HK

Worked example

A 900 m² pool hall with a 300 m² water surface, water at 28 °C, air at 30 °C, target humidity 60 % RH. Calculated evaporation is roughly 95 l per day.

• OXA DK-2 (100 l/day at 30 °C / 80 % RH) — 1 unit plus a DK-1 as backup.
• Anti-corrosion coils specified for the chlorinated environment.
• Recovered condensation heat is returned to the hall air.
• OXA AR supplies fresh air with heat recovery to meet the ventilation standard.

The investor’s view: protecting the building itself

In a pool hall the main risk is not the heating bill — it is humidity. Condensation destroys steelwork, sealed units and finishes faster than any depreciation schedule. Dehumidification is insurance on the capital investment, and it puts heat back into the building’s energy balance as well.

• 55–60 % RH is the target band: below it swimmers feel cold and you waste energy, above it you get condensation and corrosion (the case below holds the band consistently).
• Heat recovery from humid air: exhaust heat goes back into warming the supply, which makes dehumidification partly self-financing.
• Chlorine-resistant build for coils and drain pans — the equipment is specified for the aggressive air in a pool hall.
• An OXA-DK plus OXA-AR package covers dehumidification, supply air and heating without a separate air handling plant room.

Case study

A 900 m² pool hall, 7 m high: OXA DK plus OXA AR. Humidity now sits steadily at 55–60 % RH, condensation on the glazing has gone, and air heating costs fell thanks to heat recovery.