With summer here in full swing, you may have noticed a change in the productivity of your employees. At temperatures above 90ºF, people get sluggish, uncomfortable, more prone to mistakes, forgetful, and irritable—and some areas reach this hot, sweaty temperature much faster than others. Here we will cover how to cool your facility without air conditioning in summer so you don’t drive up your electricity bill, and the answer is surprisingly simple: large diameter HVLS fans.
Why Is It Important?
A performance study by NASA shows that the higher the temperature, the more mistakes people make (9 mistakes per hour at 90ºF, and 60 mistakes per hour at 95ºF), and any hot environment will produce a proportional amount of errors regardless of the task. And obviously, it’s important to keep your employees cool and safe, but cranking up the AC just isn’t in the cards for some facilities whether it be from budget or building constraints.
It may be hard to believe that one fan could provide the same cooling benefits as AC, but high volume low speed (HVLS) fans aren’t just your run-of-the-mill product. They don’t just blow air around—they destratify it, pulling hot air up and pushing cooler air down and evening out temperatures in your facility. They can also be camouflaged and designed with many different colors to fit right into your building’s aesthetic. This makes them ideal for large, open areas, and many types of areas can benefit from this type of fan. This is just a small list—the fans can be used virtually anywhere that can accommodate them.
Commercial
In commercial buildings, comfort can go a long way for employee productivity and customer satisfaction. An HVLS fan can regulate temperatures and help filter air pollutants, providing a safer environment and boosted employee morale. Commercial facilities can include car dealerships, malls, distribution centers, retail facilities, restaurants, office spaces, theaters, outdoor venues, churches, and more.
Manufacturing & Warehouses
Summer for manufacturing and warehousing facilities can be particularly tough. On top of the fact that manufacturing areas quickly become sweltering, air pollutants and humidity are becoming and increasing concern for employees, equipment, and inventory. Many manufacturing areas are adding HVLS fans in addition to their existing HVAC systems to achieve more efficient cooling while reducing costs and keeping workers safe and comfortable.
Recreational Facilities
Since more and more people use indoor recreational areas during the hot summer months, efficient air circulation is paramount for safety and comfort of users. HVLS fans can both cool and reduce humidity, odors, and contaminants in the air. For example, HVLS fans are great in gymnasiums, indoor swimming pools, ice rinks, and more.
Agricultural
Too much heat and humidity leads to stressed, unhealthy animals and spoiled produce. Efficient ventilation and air quality is essential to the quality and safety of livestock and farm products. The ASHRAE recommends up to 50 air exchanges per hour in poultry, cattle, and hog barns. If you can’t install a large diameter fan due to size restrictions, 7-foot directional fans are also available for cooling and ventilation in small spaces. The fans have also been used in dairy barns, sheds, riding arenas, and training centers.
Turnkey Systems
The large diameter HVLS fans can be installed on their own, but are also designed to work in tandem with our directional fans and wind-powered turbines for the most efficient ventilation and cooling possible. We will inspect your facility and provide you with a free consultation to help you determine what would work best for you and your specific application. Call us at 1-800-803-1083 or contact us today for more information.
