As any savvy business owner will tell you, there are usually many aspects of a company’s operations that can lead to a big profitability in the long run, aspects that are sometimes overlooked because they are not well understood. The relationship between airflow, energy usage and worker productivity offers a perfect example for this kind of situation.
Although you might not realize it now, if your company owns or operates a large indoor space, improving the airflow in the building through the use of high-volume, low-speed (HVLS) fans will help boost profitability in three important ways:
- By reducing energy needs,
- By increasing productivity
- By preventing a variety of costly health problems that could hinder operations
Read on to learn more about how HVLS ceiling fans can benefit your business.
What are HVLS Fans?
High-volume, low-speed fans are industrial fans with a diameter of more than seven feet. They move air in large volumes thanks to their large diameters and the huge surface area of their blades.
Because they rotate slowly, they distribute air throughout large indoor spaces with great efficiency. In contrast to traditional ceiling fans or directional fans, which operate at high speeds, HVLS fans create far less turbulence and air resistance, which allows them to operate far more efficiently.
Lower Energy Costs
The design of HVLS fans makes them highly efficient, both in terms of how they move air and how little energy they need to operate. A single HVLS fan can be more effective at improving airflow than multiple standard overhead fans or standing pedestal fans, all while taking much less energy to operate.
If you are about to undertake a new construction project, incorporating HVLS fans into the design will reduce HVAC requirements to save on ductwork and overall weight, which will help manage costs even before the building is operational.
Once things are up and running, the low operating cost of HVLS fans will be quickly offset by the savings in energy demands.
Large, indoor spaces face environmental control challenges that HVLS fans are uniquely suited to meet. In warehouses or industrial spaces, HVLS fans effectively combat thermal stratification, which is a natural process that is probably eating into your company’s bottom line.
What is Thermal Stratification?
Thermal stratification is the layering of different air temperatures from floor to ceiling, which results from the cycle of warm air rising to the ceiling and cold air falling to the floor. Although it might sound innocuous, thermal stratification actually has a huge cost.
Especially in large spaces, this effect makes heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems work much harder, and consume more energy, than they should have to in order to maintain a consistent temperature. This applies to both heating needs in cold conditions and cooling needs in hot conditions.
The process of diminishing thermal stratification is known as destratification. To achieve this result, the most cost-effective solution is the installation of HVLS fans. Because HVLS fans effectively facilitate destratification, they reduce energy needs, which will save your company a lot of money.
Protect Your Staff and Boost Productivity
Integrating HVLS fans into your building will not only make life easier on your HVAC system but on your staff as well. Excessively hot or cold working conditions undermine productivity, hurt morale and increase the risk of accidents.
The most important benefit of HVLS fans for workers is the improved temperature regulation. Especially in places where heat is a factor, keeping workers comfortable keeps up productivity.
Issues related to heat stress, like dehydration, muscle cramps, heat exhaustion and even heat stroke, pose serious hazards for staff on the ground. They make physical tasks slower and more difficult, which hurts morale and increases the risk of injury, as well as absenteeism.
Avoiding these pitfalls will pay great dividends in the long run because your operation will keep running smoothly, and staffing issues won’t hurt your output.
Reduce Health Hazards
Through consistent airflow, HVLS fans also help promote a cleaner work environment with improved air quality. Airborne pollution, like dust and other potentially hazardous particulates, becomes much easier to control, reducing the health risks for your staff.
By regulating moisture levels, HVLS fans help reduce the chances that condensation will accumulate, as well as create the conditions for mold to develop. The health hazards of mold are well understood, but many people fail to grasp how difficult it can be to eliminate.
A mold problem in a production facility or warehouse could lead to huge inventory losses, days of lost production and major clean up costs. Also, condensation is more than just a nuisance, it can easily ruin inventory or machinery and create the conditions where someone could easily injure themselves through a slip and fall.
Big Fans with Big Benefits
Installing high-volume, low-speed fans will help your company reduce energy costs while improving employee productivity and preventing a host of potential problems. Because they preserve heat in the winter and facilitate the flow of cool air in the summer, these fans help control conditions throughout the year in any climate.
If you are looking for an easy and cost-effective way to increase your company’s profit margins, installing HVLS will not disappoint! Contact us today and find out how we can help.
