Specification of six dehumidifiers saves decades-old pool from razing
Typically, packaged rooftop dehumidifiers are specified for such projects. However, rooftop equipment was out of the question because the decades-old pool's "double T," all-concrete roof design could not be opened up for ductwork drops; cutting any reinforcement bars would weaken the structure. No interior mechanical room space was available, and while the Shillington, PA campus was spacious, ducting from an outdoor unit (including a vandalism-proof enclosure for it) was cost prohibitive as well.
The school board relied on the 37-year experience of veteran consulting engineer, Robert Swoyer, Sr., P.E., president of R.A. Swoyer Associates (Reading, PA); mechanical contractor, Shannon A. Smith Mechanical/Electrical (Myerstown, PA); and Dectron Inc., to arrive at a solution that would stay within the retrofit's $400,000 budget while still providing the 13,000-sq-ft pool with its first true dehumidification system.