Question

The owner of the St. Paul Motor Inn in Minnesota is expanding the property and wants to install a new indoor swimming pool. To prevent heat loss, the owner plans to install the pool in as air-tight an enclosure as possible. As the facilities manager at the inn, you have been researching the swimming pools and pool heaters on the market. Based on what you've learned, you decide to recommend that the property should not purchase a directly fired heater for the new indoor pool, because directly fired water heaters:

A. cause algae overgrowth, which leads to severe maintenance problems.
B. cannot maintain a warm-enough pool temperature in your cold northern climate.
C. have been blamed for incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning when used for indoor pools.
D. are likely to provide uneven heating of the pool water, which would make swimmers uncomfortable.

Answer 1

Directly fired heaters are not recommended for the new indoor pool due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, a concern in air-tight enclosures. Heat pumps are a safer alternative that transfers heat efficiently and economically despite a higher initial cost.

Step-by-step explanation:

The reason for recommending against a directly fired heater for the new indoor pool at the St. Paul Motor Inn is primarily due to safety concerns. Specifically, option C mentions that directly fired water heaters have been blamed for incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning when used for indoor pools. This safety issue arises because the combustion process in directly fired heaters can produce carbon monoxide, which, in an air-tight enclosure, could potentially build up to dangerous levels if not properly vented.

While other issues such as algae overgrowth, inability to maintain warm temperatures, and uneven heating could also be problems with directly fired heaters, safety should be the top priority, especially in an environment where guests' well-being is at stake. Furthermore, when considering heat pumps as an alternative, it's important to note that although they have higher upfront costs, they operate more economically and are safer because they transfer heat rather than generating it through combustion, reducing the risk of carbon monoxide issues.