Posted by Tami Dosemagen on

The benefits of an HVLS fan are clear: Overall temperature management, improved workplace safety, and lower HVAC costs are just a few. Once you have identified the benefits that are most important to your facility you want to make sure you can achieve them. To ensure that you are getting the most out of your HVLS fan investment, the question then becomes: Are you utilizing your HVLS fan to its full potential to meet your goals? It is impossible to answer this question without creating goals for your facility. Two top goals we often hear are improved air quality and temperature control — both of which contribute to overall employee comfort, workplace safety and increased energy savings. Here are three ways to evaluate your fan’s performance.

Location, Location, Location

Think of your warehouse as prime real estate for your company. It houses your workforce, equipment, products, and possibly customers. Just like a realtor will tell you when you are shopping for property, choosing the best location is the name of the game.

  • Sphere of influence:
    Like all equipment, an HVLS fan has limitations. One of these is the amount of square footage your fan can cover. A good rule of thumb for measuring the sphere of influence is to have space that is five-times greater than the circumference of your fan’s blades. When you throw in obstacles, such as shelving or other equipment, this sphere morphs, sometimes becoming smaller, so the location of your fan is an important consideration.
  • Air quality objectives:
    If you operate in a city with summers that are both hot and humid, you might not want to bring in outside air. Conversely, if your facility deals with fumes such as paint or exhaust, circulating clean, outside air may be a top concern. Air quality goals, such as these, directly affect where you place your fan. If you are bringing outside air in, you will likely locate your fan near your dock doors, or, if avoiding humidity, you will install your fan in an area where dehumidified air will be circulated.

Watt’s Keeping You from Powering Up

An often-overlooked HVLS fan problem can be avoided with a little pre-planning. Before you order a fan, make sure that your voltage requirements align with those required for the fan you choose.

  • Voltage variances:
    The two most common voltage offerings for HVLS fans are 480Volt and 220Volt. If you make the wrong choice, your fan will not run. Voltage discrepancies are often not at the top of the troubleshooting checklist and therefore, if your newly installed fan is not operating, it could take a while to identify that as the source of the problem. This can lead to downtime that could easily be avoided.
  • Correction costs:
    If you find yourself in this situation, changes can be made to get your fan up and running. However, fixing this mistake requires additional costs which have likely not been budgeted for. Bottom line: make checking your electrical requirements a priority to avoid this costly mistake.

Feed Your Fan (and other helpful tips)

Before you purchase your HVLS there are a few other things you should consider. 

  • Fan fuel:
    Like an elite athlete your fan needs optimal fuel to function at peak performance. Without it, you run the risk of “starving” your fan. If the blades are too close to the ceiling, there is not enough air to fuel the fan. Ideal positioning is at least two feet from the ceiling. If that is not possible with your current setup, a downrod will need to be ordered and installed.
  • Obstacle workarounds:
    Obstacles can affect the air circulation in your facility and, in turn, the results you get from your HVLS fan. Knowing in advance what potential obstructions you may have can help facilitate a smooth installation process and optimize your performance. Adjusting for these obstacles can be as simple as adjusting your downrod length, however, adjustments can’t be made without knowing what you are up against.

 

At Hunter, we do our best to equip you with everything you need to get the best performance out of your HVLS fan. From our simple fan selection guide to step-by-step self-installation manuals, we provide every opportunity to help you succeed. Check out our Optimal Fan Installation, Optimal Fan Performance white paper for more tips on how to get the most out of your HVLS fan investment. And, as always, if you have additional questions, you can find us at 1-844-591-3267 or on our website.