Ridgefield Aquatic Club

The Issue

The Ridgefield Aquatic Club received a sound solution for their pool where they provide a competitive swim program to encourage athletic empowerment in and out of the water. The club believes in providing a positive, motivating atmosphere for all their members. They contacted Acoustical Solutions to correct the excessive echoing and reverberation in their pool area.

The Challenge

The Ridgefield Aquatic Club houses a six lane, twenty-five-meter swimming pool within the building with all hard surfaces. During their swim meets, the noise levels would become completely unbearable. When the room would fill with people, the students, parents and instructors couldn’t communicate, therefore impeding instruction. This was very frustrating for the coaches and team members.

The Solution

For this application, Acoustical Solutions installed a series of 4′ x 4’x 2″ thick AlphaEnviro^® PVC Sound Baffles. The PVC surface of the hanging baffle provides a wipe-able surface that is resistant to moisture. As an economical alternative to other materials, these offer exceptional acoustical performance since they are installed vertically, exposing both sides to the sound.

The installation crew utilized special lift equipment to install the baffles. This allowed them to complete the installation without having to drain the water. Stainless steel cables with turnbuckles span across the ceiling to support the baffles. The baffles are then hung using the factory installed grommets. When treating a swimming pool, be sure to select materials and hardware that will stand up in a humid environment.

A series of 4′ x 4′ PVC Baffles installed at the Ridgefield Aquatic Club Pool to lower the reverberation and to improve the communication efforts between the coaches and athletes.

The Result

Before installing the baffles, the space was unbearable for everyone in the Aquatic Center. After installing the AlphaEnviro^® PVC Sound Baffles in the pool area, everyone was very happy with the results. The baffles helped reduce the noise level and improved the overall sound quality. The students, parents and coaches can carry on conversations without feeling like they are screaming at one another.

From The Client: “The panels helped reduced the noise at the pool! Sounds much better. The install crew was very pleasant to work with!”