If you’re looking for ways to keep a warehouse or other large building feeling cooler during the hot months of the year, you’ve probably considered installing some kind of fan in your space. But with thousands of products on the market with countless features, sizes, and configurations available, you may be wondering where to start. Do you need a commercial fan or an industrial fan?
What’s the difference between the two? And what exactly makes a fan “industrial”? Let’s find some answers.
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What Makes a Fan “Industrial”?
Large buildings come with some unique challenges when it comes to circulating air and keeping people feeling cool inside. Whether it’s a gym, a warehouse, a factory floor, a hangar, or other oversized space, consistently maintaining good air quality requires far more than a fan from the local hardware store can provide. These often harsh, polluted environments demand “industrial” strength solutions that require higher levels of power, more durable materials, and greater performance for them to make a real difference.
An industrial fan is a dynamic, heavy-duty piece of equipment designed to handle the formidable environments found in manufacturing facilities and similar spaces. They are considerably larger and more robust than conventional fans, capable of moving large volumes of air to maintain optimal temperature and air quality.
The key characteristics that distinguish industrial fans are their:
- Size
- Power
- Durability in demanding environments
While “commercial” fans are typically used in customer-facing environments like retail stores and restaurants, industrial fans are built to withstand extremely harsh conditions like high temperatures, humidity, dust, and other contaminants. The search term “fan industrial” refers to these heavy-duty fans designed for use in industrial facilities.
The Role of Industrial Fans in Work Environments
Industrial fans are engineered and designed to create a more comfortable and efficient work environment for employees. Since air conditioning is too cost-prohibitive in spaces like these, HVLS fans provide an affordable and highly effective alternative.
Businesses use them because they provide five key functions:
Improved Air Circulation
Large buildings are prone to stagnant air, especially with high ceilings. Industrial fans create constant airflow, preventing hot and cold spots and ensuring a more even temperature distribution.
Employee Comfort and Productivity
Fans don’t actually cool the air but generate a cooling effect for the people in their vicinity. Better air circulation creates a windchill effect, making employees feel cooler in hot weather and keeping their body temperature within a healthy range, allowing them to stay focused and sustain enough energy to keep working. Studies show that fans—industrial ones, in particular—can improve productivity by up to 15%.
Reduced Humidity
Airflow helps regulate humidity levels and prevents condensation on products and equipment. This is especially important for protecting inventory from moisture damage, mold, and rust.
Improved Air Quality
Industrial fans help disperse dust, fumes, and other airborne contaminants that can be harmful to employees’ health and potentially damage products.
Energy Efficiency
Compared to traditional air conditioning systems, industrial fans are a much more energy-efficient way to cool large spaces—up to 70% less energy usage.
Types of Industrial Fans
There are countless types of industrial fans available, but most fall into one of two categories: overhead and directional.
Overhead Fans
Overhead fans move massive volumes of air that provide a gentle breeze and promote healthier air circulation, mitigating stagnant heat and hot spots. Compared to traditional HVAC systems, HVLS fans offer a more sustainable and cost-effective approach to warehouse temperature management. Their low energy consumption translates to significant energy cost savings. The world’s top-selling overhead fan (industrial) is the Powerfoil® X4 from Big Ass Fans.
Directional Fans
You can combat heat stress exactly where it hits with directional fans. From versatile mounted units for hard-to-reach areas to the rugged durability of barrel fans, these OSHA-compliant workhorses provide a targeted solution to keep your team comfortable and productive. Two excellent examples of directional fans are the AirEye® wall-mountable fan and Black Jack®, a powerful and portable 6.5-foot beast.
Big Ass Fans Industrial Fans
Fortunately, choosing the right fan (industrial or commercial) for your business is easy when you work with Big Ass Fans. As the world’s largest manufacturer of HVLS fans, we offer a wide range of commercial fans, industrial fans, evaporative coolers, and heaters designed to meet the diverse needs of warehouses and factories. More than 80% of Fortune 500 companies rely on Big Ass Fans for their ventilation and cooling needs.
To see how Big Ass Fans industrial fans can improve your warehouse or factory ventilation and temperature control, contact us for a free airflow analysis of your building using our SpecLab® computational fluid dynamics software. We’ll walk you step by step through the process of evaluating your air circulation needs and provide the perfect solution.
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