We all know what a ceiling fan is. Chances are we have one or multiple in our home or office. If you have ever worked in a warehouse or a production facility, you know how stagnant the air can feel and how hot or cold it can be. A common misconception regarding industrial ceiling fans is that they only help cool the air. Did you know that ceiling fans can actually increase warehouse productivity? We will explain the physics of the ceiling fan to first understand how ceiling fans work. The four main components of a ceiling fan: the fan mechanics, airflow, evaporative cooling, and destratification. And how they can actually lower energy bills and improve efficiency and productivity in the workplace.
Ceiling fan mechanics: Besides ceiling fan installation and the fan motor, the diameter of the ceiling fan blades is the most important component. The main point is not how many blades but the size of the blades and the speed. Ceiling fan blades help push and pull a downdraft to move air through the space. Ultimately creating a more comfortable temperature overall for both cooling and heating across larger square footage.
Airflow: Ceiling fans do not necessarily cool or heat a room. They merely increase and distribute the airflow in the room. By pulling air up from the floor level, and pushing air down from the ceiling, there is constant airflow – creating a warm or cool breeze. Making the temperature feel more comfortable.
Evaporative cooling: A ceiling fan evaporates moisture. When we are hot and feel the airflow from the fan, it helps cool our skin. In a warehouse, it can also lower condensation and minimize the dampness in the air.
Destratification: When warm air rises and cool air falls, the air separates into layers. HVLS ceiling fans help mix the layers of air together, called destratification. When the air is destratified, the air layers are blended, and evaporative cooling happens to increase the comfort level.
High-volume low-speed fans create up to 30% more air movement than a traditional ceiling fan. The blades are made to help destratification and evaporative cooling without increasing energy costs.
MacroAir fans can adjust temperatures by 30 degrees by pulling hot air from the ceiling and cool air from the floor level. The mixing of the two air layers helps eliminate hot and cold zones by circulating trapped air. Overall, helping your HVAC unit to not work as hard to improve and minimize cooling costs. In the winter, you can maximize your ceiling fan by switching the blade setting to run in reverse.
We know that poor air quality can cause health issues and decrease productivity. When HVLS fans increase the air movement, they actually help remove the moisture in the air, chemical and fumes, pollen, and other volatile organic compounds improving the air quality, and cutting down on sick building syndrome. This is just one more way that ceiling fans in a warehouse can improve productivity.
When moisture and condensation are minimized or eliminated, there is less chance of sweating slab syndrome. Sweating slab syndrome happens when moisture collects on concrete or other hard surfaces and can cause slipping hazards and damage inventory.
If you have ever worked in a production warehouse, you know pesky pests often wander into the facility. A ceiling fan can help eliminate birds and other flying pests from entering the building because of the continual fan movement.
Since most warehouses do not have air conditioning, the summer months can feel brutal. Consistent air movement can reduce the chances of overheating or heat stroke. Leading to a more productive environment.
Even though ceiling fans are big, they are quiet. They do not interfere with work productivity or stress your employees with continuous noise.
Interested in how HVLS fans can help you reduce operational costs and improve air quality in your facility? Click the link below to learn more.