Swimming pool dehumidifier or Controlled Mechanical Ventilation?

What are the differences between a dehumidifier and Controlled Mechanical Ventilation?

The indoor or covered swimming pool provides, in many ways, great satisfaction and a lot of joy. The only downside would be excessive condensation which could damage the decor, the building and cause some discomfort for bathers. Fortunately, technical means are being implemented to limit and control this scourge and know how to limit condensation in an indoor swimming pool. By installing Controlled Mechanical Ventilation and/or a dehumidifier, the disappearance of humidity in the air is ensured. But, which one to choose? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

What interior air treatment for my indoor pool?

The installation of a VMC and/or an electric dehumidifier is essential in a room with a swimming pool, spa or shower. They eliminate superfluous humidity and avoid bad odours, mold and other deterioration linked to the natural but excessive condensation of the pool hall.

Controlled Mechanical Ventilation, dehumidifier: for what use?

The VMC, which operates mechanically, allows air to be expelled from the pool room to the outside. Its system can cover several rooms in the house and its action is continuous, the device therefore runs constantly. As the VMC is mechanical, it inevitably generates a little noise. But if it is too noisy, it is because it is poorly installed, poorly maintained or the system is dirty. Generally, the sound level does not exceed 30 dB(A).

The electric dehumidifier recovers the humidity present in the ambient air, transforms it into water, stores it in a container that must be emptied manually (the dehumidifier can stop working when it is full!), but more often than not, the dehumidifier for swimming pools evacuates the water to the waste water network via a pipe. The device works for a single room and it can be stopped, especially in summer, when the aquatic room benefits from the opening of the bay windows. The sound level of a dehumidifier varies depending on its power, the noise oscillates between 40 and 50 dB(A).

Controlled Mechanical Ventilation, dehumidifier: which installation?

The installation of a VMC is complex. With extraction and discharge vents, pipes running through the floor, walls, attic, mechanical extractor... all of this requires the intervention of a professional.

The free-standing dehumidifier requires two simple connections: one electrical and one for waste water. It can be installed by everyone. The ducted dehumidifier requires the intervention of a professional and the work that must be planned during the construction of the water feature. As for the built-in dehumidifier, it can be installed by a professional to ensure the guarantee or by your own care if you are a very good handyman.

Controlled Mechanical Ventilation, dehumidifier: what maintenance?

The VMC requires rigorous annual maintenance to guarantee user comfort. Care should be taken to ensure that the filter can be easily found as it needs to be changed quite often and access can be difficult to reach.

The dehumidifier should be checked once a year as the unit is subject to to intensive operation in an aggressive environment. This makes it possible to prevent or detect a malfunction which could lead to a breakdown. The correct connection of terminals and electrical relays should be checked regularly. The cleaning of the tank is to be planned if there is no direct evacuation into the waste water of the dwelling.

Controlled Mechanical Ventilation, dehumidifier: for what investment?

For a VMC, you need to count around 900 euros for the purchase of the equipment, everything depends on the quality of the device, the number of exhaust outlets and the options: double flow, automatic settings... to which must be added the professional intervention. Unless you have a solid foundation in DIY!

For the dehumidifier, everything depends on its power and its additional features, you have to count for the pool part between 1,500 and 5,000 euros. Due to the speed of its installation, the dehumidifier is the option most often chosen to combat condensation in the aquatic room.

The VMC can of course do the trick, and if however, in the future it proves insufficient, it would be possible to install a dehumidifier. Both are not incompatible, they are even complementary since one renews the air while the other removes humidity. A study when designing the indoor or indoor swimming pool allows you to clearly target needs and limit costs.

Knowing what the conditions are for controlling condensation will allow you to understand the different possibilities for effectively combating this phenomenon which is created in the indoor swimming pool area. If it is possible to limit condensation with swimming pool covers and to limit condensation of the covered swimming pool by ventilation, to fight against condensation thanks to the swimming pool dehumidifier remains the most appropriate means. Discover the differences between the chemical dehumidifier VS electric dehumidifier to correctly choose the device best suited to your installation.