Pool shed - heater inside and floor type

[LaiMi]

Hi! We are about to have a pool installed and would like to enclose our equipment in a shed. We had a few questions:

1) Should the pool heater be inside if we vent appropriately? It will be next to large trees so there will be lots of leaves falling on equipment.

2) should the flooring for the shed be concrete or wood?

3) would an 8x8 shed be large enough to fit all plus salt bags?

Thank you.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

1) Yes if you have a gas heater in there it *must* be properly vented to the outside.
2) Your choice, although cement is much nicer and doesn't rot. Equipment tends to get wet at times when servicing so cement is preferable.
3) Yes, I believe so. Keep in mind other "stuff" like poles, other chemicals, and consider where they will go.

Maddie

 

[ajw22]

The heater exhaust must be vented through the roof of the shed and the heater must have sufficient air intake though windows or louvered doors. Pool heaters take a lot of air in. We have seen heaters in shed that did not perform properly because they could not get sufficient intake air.

You also need to leave enough room on the sides of heaters and other equipment for maintenance access. Leave space to walk and work in between equipment.

Depending on the type of filter you get, some filters get the surrounding area wet during maintenance more than others.

Don't bury pool PVC plumbing under concrete where you can't easily dig down to the pipes. Bring the pipes up through crushed stone.

 

[LaiMi]

The heater exhaust must be vented through the roof of the shed and the heater must have sufficient air intake though windows or louvered doors. Pool heaters take a lot of air in. We have seen heaters in shed that did not perform properly because they could not get sufficient intake air.

You also need to leave enough room on the sides of heaters and other equipment for maintenance access. Leave space to walk and work in between equipment.

Depending on the type of filter you get, some filters get the surrounding area wet during maintenance more than others.

Don't bury pool PVC plumbing under concrete where you can't easily dig down to the pipes. Bring the pipes up through crushed stone.

Thanks so much. If we kept the heater outside to allow for extra air flow and ventilation, is there any danger with all the leaves falling for on the heater? Our pool builder would be putting in a venting kit into the shed which I believe would be installed by the natural gas installers.

 

[LaiMi]

1) Yes if you have a gas heater in there it *must* be properly vented to the outside.
2) Your choice, although cement is much nicer and doesn't rot. Equipment tends to get wet at times when servicing so cement is preferable.
3) Yes, I believe so. Keep in mind other "stuff" like poles, other chemicals, and consider where they will go.

Maddie

Great thank you. We were debating placing the gas heater behind the shed outside but read you need to keep debris and leaves off the heater which would be annoying given they’re up against a tree line.

 

[ajw22]

Thanks so much. If we kept the heater outside to allow for extra air flow and ventilation, is there any danger with all the leaves falling for on the heater? Our pool builder would be putting in a venting kit into the shed which I believe would be installed by the natural gas installers.

A venting kit covers exhaust gas. It typically contains nothing for combustion air. The design of the shed has to account for it.

You have to check pool equipment every few days. A quick blow with a leaf blower clears leaves away. Most heaters are sealed and leaves around them are not a fire hazard.

 

[JamesW]

If you put the heater inside, I would not use a wood floor. The floor should be non-combustible.

In addition, water will get on the floor and wood will begin to rot once it gets wet.

I would go bigger than 8 x 8. I think that 10 x 12 would be better.

 

[Newdude]

If you put the heater inside, I would not use a wood floor. The floor should be non-combustible.

In addition, water will get on the floor and wood will begin to rot once it gets wet.

Depending on the ambient temperature and humidity, my heat pump can dump a gallon or two of sweat/condensation in an hour. I imagine a gas heater would do the same so the wood floor would not last for sure.

 

[Chickinvic]

Thanks so much. If we kept the heater outside to allow for extra air flow and ventilation, is there any danger with all the leaves falling for on the heater? Our pool builder would be putting in a venting kit into the shed which I believe would be installed by the natural gas installers.

Our heater is outside and we have loads of trees and debris that can get on it. That hasn't been an issue. You can unscrew the top and clean it out from time to time?

 

[jimmythegreek]

Stone base so you can access the pipes in future. 10x10 is minimum x12 is better as said. The leaves wont bother it you can build a metal shed roof over it a ways up above the flu exit