H.T. Lyons, Inc., a full service mechanical contractor in Allentown, PA (and a subsidiary of PPL...
It is so very important to keep your shop cool and well-ventilated. The consequences of improper ventilation and a hot and uncomfortable space are hazardous to employee morale, health, and production. These items will greatly affect a business and the money lost or gained.
Why is a cool shop important?
Air Quality
In a shop or garage, there are constantly harmful exhaust fumes emitted. Without proper room ventilation, employees can breathe in contaminants which can cause many adverse health effects. Furthermore, OSHA has ventilation standards in place for shops and garages in order to make sure people stay safe.
Employee safety
As mentioned above, if the air quality is bad due to poor ventilation and lack of circulation, it can cause sickness. Poor air ventilation is linked to significantly impaired cognitive functioning. Additional adverse health effects due to poor ventilation include headaches, fatigue, trouble concentrating, and respiratory symptoms like irritation of the nose, eyes, throat, and lungs.
Employee morale
All shop owners understand the need to keep air moving and to keep their employees comfortable. Large shop ceiling fans will cool the space during those hot summer months and evenly distribute the air throughout the shop. Consequently, employees are happier and more productive.
Customer satisfaction
In commercial settings, an indoor ceiling fan with a stylish design delivering a cool breeze will keep your showroom at a comfortable temperature. Modern ceiling fans not only reduce energy bills but also provide quiet performance that will enhance your customer’s experience.
4 Benefits of Cooling Your Shop with a Large Ceiling Fan
Size
Large shop ceiling fans range in size from 6-24 ft in diameter. One large shop ceiling fan can circulate the same amount of air as 34 smaller fans. That’s because large HVLS ceiling fans provide a large column of air that can travel much greater distances than small fans.
Comfort
Large Ceiling Fans provide comfort year-round. It can get HOT inside the shop on stifling summer days. During the uncomfortable summer months, fans can run so that air is evenly distributed throughout the shop. Shop ceiling fans move the air from the ceiling to the floor and from wall to wall. In fact, a large ceiling fan can reduce temps by up to 8° in your shop. This creates a much more comfortable environment for your employees. Thus, shopworkers stay cool all day long, even if the doors open for ventilation purposes.
Likewise, in the winter months, large shop ceiling fans can run in reverse. This brings warmer air down from the ceiling where it’s evenly distributed throughout the shop.
Quiet
Large shop ceiling fans are very quiet in comparison to smaller fans. Smaller fans can have a noise level of 80 decibels. In contrast, large ceiling fans have a noise level between 39-61 decibels depending on the size and fan type.
Many large ceiling fans offer a unique and beneficial direct-drive motor, which cuts the noise down significantly. The direct-drive motors have less friction, quieter performance, and very low maintenance. Additionally, HVLS ceiling fans are quieter because they spin at a much slower rate.
Proper large fan installation also plays a key role in ensuring optimal performance and less noise. Many manufacturers offer professional installation, especially in larger facilities where multiple fans are needed. If you are installing the fan yourself, MacroAir’s website offers 4 Tips for installing an HVLS fan and a guide to the 5 most common HVLS fan installation mistakes.
Energy-Efficient and Cost-Effective
Garage doors and exterior doors are open much of the day in a shop which causes a major influx in temperatures. Consequently, it is simply inefficient to run an AC in a shop. Further, OSHA and the EPA have strict standards in place for air ventilation, so you do not want stagnant air causing unhealthy conditions. The best way to combat this is with the addition of a large ceiling fan.
The energy efficiency of large shop ceiling fans adds up to major savings. In fact, in as quickly as six months (depending on environmental variables), companies can see a return on their HVLS fan investment. They can reduce energy costs by as much as 30%, and one fan can affect up to 20,000 sqft of space.
Cooling Off Crown Lexus – One Auto Dealership’s Testimonial
Crown Lexus is located in Ontario, California, right in the middle of hot spring and summer weather. The heat was making the work environment very uncomfortable for their employees. It felt like a sauna inside the body shop – hot, humid, and sticky. The heat ultimately slowed down employees. As a result, overall productivity went down because employees would have to take breaks just to try to cool off.
Furthermore, the swamp coolers being used were not energy efficient and were not effective. Energy costs were sky-high for the dealership, and there seemed to be no fix in sight…that is until they found MacroAir fans.
MacroAir installed three fans in the body shop, drastically changing the working environment for Crown Lexus employees. The fans run smoothly, efficiently, and quietly.
“The amount of air these fans move is unreal! It really does make a huge difference…I love ‘em!”
– Mark Grodis, Service Tech Manager
It has been a night and day difference for Crown Lexus. Employees are no longer feeling the brunt of hot, humid air slowing them down. In fact, there is no slowing down to cool off! It has been a great morale booster; everyone is in a great mood! Productivity has gone up, and energy costs have decreased by as much as $400 per month!
Why a Large Shop Ceiling Fan is the Best Solution
There are many fan options to cool your shop, including floor fans, pedestal fans, smaller ceiling fans, and large (HVLS) ceiling fans to name a few. But you will soon understand why the best solution is definitely the large ceiling fan.
Large Shop Ceiling Fans vs. Floor Fans
Floor fans allow some nice directional, high-velocity airflow. However, they are also very cumbersome because they are big, heavy, and awkward to move around your shop. Additionally, drum fans can be very loud. Be sure to check the decibel level before purchasing. The exception is the large mobile cage fan. This fan gives you HVLS performance with the mobility and versatility of a floor fan – on wheels.
Large Shop Ceiling Fans vs. Pedestal Fans
The pedestal fans, just like floor fans, give a high-velocity performance. But they only affect a small amount of square footage, versus large shop ceiling fans, which can cool up to 20,000 sqft with just one fan. So, you have to buy many pedestal fans to cool a large shop. They also can be quite loud, so be sure to, again, check the decibel levels.
Large Shop Ceiling Fans vs. Small Ceiling Fans
Small high-speed fans may feel nice and cool when you stand below them, but they dissipate air quickly and have more friction between moving air and stationary air. Therefore, small fans simply can not create the same cooling effect as large ceiling fans. In fact, it takes 34 small ceiling fans to do the work of ONE large shop ceiling fan. Additionally, small ceiling fans cost much more to run. Though the investment is more on the front end of your large ceiling fan purchase, it will save you money in the long run.
Martin Brothers Customs Stays Cool – A Testimonial
With extremely high temperatures, and a shop filled with machinery and paint, the Martin Brothers Customs work environment presented a Texas-size challenge for these auto restoration professionals. As any gearhead would, they used ingenuity to solve their problem. Two 18-foot, six-blade MacroAir Fans create a customized temperature that is just right for their 6,000-sq-ft shop. With a more balanced climate and comfortable employees, the shop is so much cooler, even though Martin Brothers Customs is as cool as it gets!
“When the guys are comfortable, it’s just higher productivity.”
– Joe Martin, Owner, Martin Brothers Customs
Once Martin Brothers Customs felt the cooldown of MacroAir fans, they wasted no time customizing the fans to fit right in with all of their custom jobs! Check out the MacroAir fans’ custom paint jobs!
The installation of two MacroAir large ceiling fans has transformed Martin Brothers Customs from a hot, uncomfortable shop with uneven airflow to a comfortable climate with balanced airflow. As a result, employees have a cool place to build cool customs.
We're Here to Help
Poor air quality, improper ventilation, and uncomfortable temperatures in your shop are hazardous to employee morale, health, and production. MacroAir’s HVLS quality ceiling fans can fix these problems! The addition of large shop ceiling fans from MacroAir provides increased air ventilation, better air quality, and more comfortable space for your employees to work. They are a necessary addition to all autobody or mechanical shops. Find the perfect fan for your space by contacting our knowledgeable customer care representatives. They will help you determine the MacroAir ceiling fan that is right for you. MacroAir is honored to help you get air moving in the right direction with their large shop ceiling fans.
Start your mission to obtain your large shop ceiling fan right now. Visit MacroAir's automotive page to find out more information about how HVLS fans can benefit any shop or garage space.
About MacroAir
MacroAir invented the High Volume, Low Speed (HVLS) industrial ceiling fan. They have continued to be a leader in the market by developing the most innovative large fans in the world. They continually strive to push boundaries and set the bar when it comes to engineering and product development. MacroAir technology is based on the principle that moving air slowly is far more efficient than moving air quickly. Their HVLS fans move air down and out in all directions, keeping the air fresh and helping people and animals feel more comfortable. MacroAir products are unparalleled in energy efficiency and airflow. They are assembled in the USA and installed worldwide. Customers benefit from local service and highly customized solutions from MacroAir’s global distribution network.
