Indoor swimming pool – wall detail
BenGa
| Posted in GBA Pro Help on
Hi there,
The project in question is in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Zone 7/8
I have a client with concerns about moisture in the indoor swimming pool room. (The house is currently being built)
The walls will likely be tile on cement board, and the drawings have the room details the same as a typical bathroom. The room has a good Hvac and ventilation system.
Can any one suggest a better solution, a way to mitigate the kind of mould build up that often happens in the walls, or products to recommend.?
Much appreciated
Ben
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Replies
I recommend some google searches. In summary, the most robust framed designs involve warm sheathing (eg, external foam) that remains above the condensing temperature, even with the high dew point the pool will produce. Also pressure control (low interior air pressure in Winter to stop/reduce exfiltration), source control (pool cover when not in use) and dehumidification. Consider ICFs or similar foam/concrete.
Ben,
Indoor swimming pools present an unusually high risk for moisture problems. After investigating many failures all over the country, Joe Lstiburek now advises that the exterior walls and roofs of indoor pools be insulated using the PERSIST method -- with a durable vapor barrier (usually a peel-and-stick product like Grace Ice & Water Shield) on the exterior of the wall and roof sheathing, and 100% of the required insulation installed on the exterior side of the Ice & Water Shield. (This is almost always rigid foam.)
Other approaches are risky.
For more information on PERSIST, see "Getting Insulation Out of Your Walls and Ceilings."
For more information on swimming pools, see "In the Deep End."