LOCKER ROOMS AND HUMIDITY PROBLEMS

Symptoms:          
Mold and mildew stains Musty and/or sweaty smell Rusting lockers and fixtures Dangerous wet floors Clean towels feeling damp Inadequate ventilation (ASHRAE 62 - 0.5 cfm / sq. ft.) Use of standard HVAC system for make-up air Inadequate make-up air Improper dehumidification of the make-up air No occupied or unoccupied humidity control

Causes:

Solutions:

 Add properly dehumidified ventilation / make-up air.  Eliminate the outdoor air load on a standard HVAC system. Add Desert Aire equipment and
dehumidify the outdoor air supply prior to introduction into the locker rooms during occupied and unoccupied times.

 Renovate or design a new Desert Aire total humidity solution system.  VerticalAire humidity control during occupied and unoccupied times.
(Units up to 15 tons fit through a 36 door. See schematic on reverse side.)

 Desert Aire TotalAire Series wheeled unit with recirculation control. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
Several important IAQ issues must be addressed in order to design the most effective dehumidification system for locker room applications. To maintain proper IAQ, an HVAC system must supply outdoor air to the structure. Unfortunately, outdoor air will also introduce moisture into a facility. This moisture actually creates IAQ problems mold, mildew and the proper environment for viruses and other organisms to flourish. The solution is to control the relative humidity within the space. A standard air conditioning system cannot achieve this because it is controlled on temperature alone. Instead, a system must be implemented that can provide full control of both temperature and humidity. Meeting ASHRAE Standard 62 ventilation code in existing buildings has become a common requirement in the move to improve indoor air quality. The need for design engineers and building owners to conform to this standard in order to help eliminate sick building syndrome has been well documented. An interesting paradox is created, however, when this ventilation standard is applied to buildings in humid areas of the country. The new or existing air handler is modified to bring in more outdoor air to dilute the contaminants that already exist in the facilitys air. In such cases, the modern air handler cannot deal with the excessive humidity load from the warm, moist outdoor air. Just oversizing the system will cause short-cycling and increase the moisture problem. The air inside the building becomes excessively moist, creating a new indoor air quality problem during part loads. Mold, mildew, and other moisture-related organisms begin to thrive in this environment. Dealing with one indoor air quality problem gives rise to another.

Complete Solutions for Locker Room Applications

An easy but effective solution is to precondition the outdoor air so that it is similar to return air or neutral conditions. Any of several different technologies can be used to dehumidify the outdoor air to a level below the 60F dewpoint. (The target is a 55F dewpoint at design conditions.) In this way, the air handler can continue to do its job as designed while maintaining high efficiency and not requiring new energy to reheat the air when the system overcools the space. Solving locker room humidity problems is easy with Desert Aire equipment and the expertise of a Desert Aire representative. Complete solutions addressing moisture, cooling, and heating loads while recovering and saving energy will help ensure proper indoor air quality and comfort. Contact Desert Aire for assistance when you need complete solutions for your facility.
Outdoor Condenser Outdoor Condenser
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Additional Desert Aire Literature

The following detailed reference publications are available as downloadable PDF files at www.desert-aire.com.
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Dehumidifier

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CONDITIONED SPACE

    

Application Note 15 - Treatment of 100% Outdoor Air Technical Bulletin 14 - ASHRAE Compliance Using Modern Air Handlers Technical Bulletin 16 - 100% Outdoor Air Dehumidification Methods Technical Bulletin 19 - Energy Recovery Wheel Technology Technical Bulletin 21 - Heat Pump Design for 100% Outdoor Aire Systems

Pretreatment of Outdoor Air Schematic

Outdoor Condenser Outdoor Condenser

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Direct Feed of Pretreated Air to Interior Space

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DEHUMIDIFY
WITH THE

EXPERTS!

VerticalAire Schematic

N120 W18485 Freistadt Road, Germantown, WI 53022

PH: (262) 946-7400 FAX: (262) 946-7401

www.desert-aire.com 2/09