It would be nice to have an indoor pool at home whether for recreational, fitness or therapeutic purposes.
In areas with colder climate, this is the preferred option for those who can afford to build one at home.
The challenge with building an indoor pool is that it can pose some issues with its direct environment.
Planning is essential as it can adversely affect the entire building where an indoor pool is installed.
The presence of moisture and humidity can cause deterioration of typical building materials such as wood, metal, gypsum and paint.
Therefore you must use special materials when building an indoor pool.
Important components such as vapor barriers, insulation sheets, dehumidifiers, heaters and ventilation systems must be properly installed so that building materials are protected from deterioration.
Vapor barriers prevent molds and migration of warm air and moisture to the outer walls of an indoor pool.
These should be installed to protect interior and exterior walls and ceilings.
For interior walls and ceilings that are exposed to vapor migration, it would be best to use waterproof material.
Doors should also be provided with weatherproof or airtight strips.
Insulators can serve two purposes.
Aside from heat loss reduction, it also enhances energy efficiency of your pool heater.
Inadequate insulation of an indoor pool can cause growth of molds and allow moisture damage of your structure.
Interior ceiling and walls should be made of moisture resistant material if at all possible.
Hardware such as screws, nails and other fasteners should also be rust-proof.
Dehumidification ensures that the indoor pool enclosure is comfortable for pool users.
Moisture builds up on interior surfaces as humidity saturates the air.
This can cause discomfort and can lead to mold and mildew growth.
Dehumidification prevents this as it dries ambient air.
One way of doing this is by means of a vapor compression cycle similar to typical refrigeration in reverse.
Another way to dehumidify air is using an air exchanger.
This is the process of exchanging humid indoor air with dry outdoor air.
Heating and Ventilation systems are important components too as they prevent fogging of glass windows and doors.
Imagine a glass full of cold water.
You will observe condensation on the exterior surface of the glass because of the temperature difference between cold water and the surrounding air.
Heating and ventilation maintains this temperature gap to stop fogging of glasses.
An indoor pool cover can further help the heating, ventilation and dehumidification process by significantly reducing evaporation of pool water.
Dehumidification operates more efficiently with less moisture.
Less heating is needed with lower heat loss resulting to energy savings as well.
With all these things to consider when building an indoor pool, one may wonder why it is still a good option for homeowners.
Swimming is considered an excellent exercise that utilizes all major muscle groups and body parts.
Being a low impact aerobic activity, swimming provides a safe workout that does not tend to strain the body due to sudden bursts of movements.
At the same time, the body cools with water better than with air making it a safer option for those with medical conditions.
The whole family will surely enjoy having an indoor pool at home.
It certainly provides a full year of fun and enjoyment regardless of the season.