Commercial HVAC for Industrial Warehouses

Commercial HVAC systems for warehouses can require a lot of maintenance. Temperature control, being one of the largest. Depending on what is stored in the warehouse and the number of employees working inside, it will change all the requirements tremendously. 

Keeping your employees comfortable and happy will help keep them productive and working hard. Have you ever worked in a warehouse that is highly toasty? It’s miserable and draining, plus you tend to take lots of breaks to cool off, which slows production. Let’s look at all the ins and outs of warehouse HVAC systems. The more educated you are, the better decisions you can make with your warehouse system.

Warehouses can be massive in size, with large open spaces and high ceilings. Therefore, maintaining the temperature inside is a big deal and is usually very costly. Keeping your employees safe and cool is a priority. But also, depending on your line of business and what you may be storing in the warehouse, the need to provide temperature control for your product and materials is a must as well.

One problem with temperature regulation in a warehouse is the extra space a warehouse creates and the more opportunities for air leaks. This can happen at the dock doors (especially when they are left open for a time), other large doors, or even through small doors opening and closing over and over throughout the day with regular business activity. Large distribution-type warehouses with high volumes can have a challenging time maintaining the temperature inside. Attempting to keep all of these leaking areas blocked is almost impossible.

Airflow can also be an issue because of the vast open space. Because the air is not able to rotate the way it should, it can feel stagnant and very uncomfortable. Air rotation isn’t something that is easily fixed even with the best warehouse HVAC systems. 

Have you ever heard of sick building syndrome (SBS)? This is an illness that is caused by many different factors, but one of the well-known causes is poor air quality and air rotation in the work environment. There are many symptoms of SBS, but it can affect employees of all ages, and as we know, sick employees do not make for a productive workflow. This is definitely something to consider as you take a look at your warehouse HVAC system and airflow situation.

All of the points we’ve talked about with temperature regulation can be costly and add up quickly. Whether you’re keeping your building warm or keeping it cool, depending on the season, the pricey energy bills can be a large percentage of your total energy costs. So make sure to keep this ongoing expense in mind year-round.

There are, however, a few tips to follow to help aid the cost of your warehouse HVAC system. The following are some great strategies for maintaining temperature control that are not only easy but convenient.

Focus Your Temperature Control Areas

Keeping the temperature controlled only in areas that people occupy helps you zone in on spaces that don’t need heating and cooling full-time. This is, of course, only if the products you are storing in your warehouse do not need to be in a temperature-controlled environment too. 

By focusing on your temperature control areas, your energy costs and energy use can be dramatically reduced. If regulating the temperature in smaller spaces is not an option, using the most efficient HVAC system you can is your best option. 

Air Destratification Techniques

We all know that hot air rises to the highest point in a room or warehouse, and cooler air settles to the bottom. This is called air stratification. When you think about air stratification in a large warehouse, the lost heat in the rafters can be a significant and colossal waste. 

This is where destratification comes in. Destratification is when you intentionally mix the hot air with the cold air by pushing the hot air down. This can be done with something as simple as ceiling fans or high-velocity diffusers. It is recommended that large fans at low speed but putting out high volume is much better than using dozens of fans working quickly to do the same job. The larger fans will use much less energy to run, cutting your energy costs.

Ventilation

Somewhat like air destratification, using natural ventilation can help hot air rising to the top escape in the summer by using things like skylights and clerestory windows with ventilation. Natural ventilation can help improve airflow as well, preventing sickness or other health problems in your employees. Fresh air is always welcome when you’re stuck indoors all day!

Insulation and Air Curtains

Insulation is a highly effective way to seal off temperature-controlled air from escaping as well as keeping other air from coming in. Using linings and seals at your doors and windows helps, as well as vinyl strips called air curtains to block air from moving back and forth at loading docks. These large vinyl strips allow people to walk through them while avoiding air from flowing back and forth too much. You may also consider adding fast-mechanism doors that open and close quicker than standard doors so that the warm air or cool air doesn’t have a chance to escape as much. Even insulating the roof and installing double-pane windows can be pretty beneficial.

Recover Existing Heat

Recycling heat is another strategy for maintaining warm air in your warehouse. Recovering actual existing heat from things like machinery and more can help your unit heaters from working too hard, improving your energy bills.

Heat recycling works with an energy recovery ventilator (ERV). This system acclimates the air from outside before it comes into the warehouse. It also helps control the air already inside. These can be built-in units or stand-alone. 

Luckily, we live in a time where warehouse HVAC systems are more efficient than ever, and they are constantly improving. The best news yet is the cost has improved too. Here are a few smart HVAC technology systems that can be used in your warehouse now.

Smart sensors allow you to heat or cool the areas most frequented by your employees by sensing where they are and responding accordingly. Sensors monitor movement or heat signatures to measure your employees’ comings and goings and can help you reduce wasted space from being heated or cooled. 

A cool roofing system is designed to keep heat out of your warehouse. While containing solar reflectors, they are also made from materials that don’t conduct or absorb heat from the sun. Because roofs are such a weak area for air conditioning, a cool roof system can help avoid unnecessary cool air from being lost long term.

Solar energy is all the rage right now, and sometimes it’s not something we think about in regard to warehouse HVAC improvement. Solar energy is clean for the environment and reasonably cheap. Transpired solar walls could absorb and store heat and then pass it through to the ventilation system. This air is already warm, and so it can really save on energy costs as well as the wear and tear of your warehouse HVAC units. They can be expensive to buy and install initially, but the federal government is giving a 10% investment tax credit to incentivize people and businesses to move to solar energy.

In a warehouse setting, the HVAC system is always running. Because of their constant use, regular maintenance is required to keep them working as they should. The last thing you want to experience is an HVAC system shutdown because you weren’t up-to-date on maintaining your system. 

Cleaning your warehouse HVAC system properly is a must. Dirt and other things can get in the vents and other areas and clog your system, making it so that it does not work near as efficiently as it could. Just think of what you could be breathing in when this happens too. 

Hiring a professional to check out your heaters for any issues on a regular basis is also recommended. By checking your units consistently, at least each month, any repairs that are needed can be quickly assessed and resolved.

It may seem like an unnecessary expense and just another task to keep up with when you think of regular maintenance on your HVAC system, but it will save you so much money and time in the long run. When you find a trusted team for HVAC maintenance, they will remember the parts to evaluate and how often to check in. It will be worth it!

There is so much to think about in selecting the best warehouse HVAC system for your business. Make sure you use a company you can trust to help you decide on your new heating and air conditioning units as well as maintain them. AirLogix is that reliable company ready to help you get things right. Contact AirLogix for an estimate, repair, or to answer any questions you may have.