The Top Benefits Of HVLS Fans

High-volume low-speed, or HVLS fans, are starting to become an energy-saving staple in industrial, commercial, and residential spaces. They are growing to become a major player in warehouses and factories due to their ability to lower energy costs, increase quality control, and improve air circulation, among other benefits.

Especially now, in the times we are living in, the “new normal” means putting the safety of customers and employees first in your facilities. One of the most important issues to be aware of is air ventilation – if you keep the air circulating, unhealthy air does not stay stagnant within a building. Commercial HVLS fans can help ventilation work more effectively by creating a consistent airflow throughout your building. Better air quality is one of the many benefits of high-volume, low speed HVLS fans.

What are HVLS fans?

HVLS fans are industrial ceiling fans. They are greater than 7 feet in diameter. Unlike the personal fans you use at home, HVLS fans rely on their size, not speed, to move a large amount of air. HVLS fans produce columns of air, which flow down and horizontally along the floor until the column hits a side wall or another fan that carries it further.

Some HVLS fans have gearbox motors, others are equipped with direct-drive motors. Direct-driven HVLS fans are more cost efficient than gearbox-driven fans (more on this later).

What are the benefits of HVLS fans?

As mentioned above, HVLS fans have so many benefits for your facility, not just financially, but also on a staff level. Down below we’ve shared the top reasons why you should have HVLS fans in your building whether it’s a distribution center, factory, warehouse, or most any other industrial building

HVLS fans help improve air circulation and protect employee health.

The indoor air quality of your building is extremely important to the health of your employees. Unlike traditional ceiling fans, HVLS fans rely on large fan blades and low speed to quietly and effectively move air throughout a facility.

This helps eliminate stagnant air, which can be extremely unhealthy for your employees, from within your facility. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says one of the number one things you can do to prevent viruses in your building is to improve ventilation. An industrial HVLS fan can increase airflow supply within a building, which plays a huge part in increasing air circulation.  

Commercial high volume low speed fans result in increased productivity and safer working conditions.

Uncomfortable temperatures in your building can cause alarming rates of unproductive employees. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) found slight increases in temperatures can make a huge impact in worker productivity and accuracy rates. For example, in their study they found a 400% uptick in employee inaccuracies when the temperature rose from 90 to 95 degrees. When employees are comfortable they’re happier and more productive.

Commercial HVLS fans are installed in your facility’s ceiling, which means no more big, bulky warehouse fans and other trip hazards like extension cords. Instead of worrying about where to put a fan or how to navigate around one while they work, your employees will be free to move about in a safer environment.

HVLS fans help you reach your energy efficiency goals, whatever the season.

In the summer, the fans drop the effective temperature in a building allowing you to use less energy.

High volume low speed fans make the “feel like” or perceived temperature six to eight degrees lower than the actual temperature in the building, thus allowing you to use less energy to cool the area down. The fans circulate the air, producing an evaporative cooling effect on the human skin. This means your thermostat can be set to a higher temperature and won’t need to use as much energy. 

High volume low speed fans even out the temperature in a building during the winter, substantially cutting down on heating costs.

Through a process called destratification, HVLS fans run in reverse, sucking up the air and reducing the evaporative cooling effect that is produced when fans run clockwise.

Hot air naturally rises and gets trapped in the ceiling, forcing cooler air to lay on the floor. With HVLS fans, the warm air is mixed with the cooler air on the floor to create an even temperature throughout the space.

A commercial HVLS fan can save you up to 30% in HVAC system heating costs by causing your thermostat to kick in less during the day and reducing heat loss through the roof.

Rick Krug is a business owner who saw the money saving power of HVLS fans firsthand. He owned and operated a restoration service company in Northern Arizona and stored his trucks in a large warehouse. During the winter months, it can get quite cold in Northern Arizona. After installing HVLS fans in his facility, Krug was stunned when he saw his new electricity bill. At first, he thought they sent him the wrong bill by mistake. 

“It [The HLVS fans] moved the heat through the entire building, evenly, so it wasn’t just coming down on something – saved us a bundle. I think our heating costs went down at least a fourth, sometimes half, depending how cold it was outside simply by moving the air around efficiently,” Krug said.

HVLS fans run for pennies a day.

HVLS fans are affordable and cost effective. It doesn’t take a lot of energy to run HVLS fans – they operate most effectively at low speeds. HVLS fans come with a touchscreen controller, allowing you the ability to adjust the fan speed based on your needs in a particular space, which results in more savings.

Pro Tip: Save even more by opting for an HVLS fan with a direct-drive motor unit, as opposed to a gearbox-driven fan. Direct drive motors are essentially maintenance free so you don’t have to deal with the servicing, oil changes, seal replacements, etc. that come with a gearbox-driven fan.

HVLS fans have dozens of applications for nearly every industry.

HVLS fans can add value and comfortability to most operations. They can keep bugs and smells away in an agricultural application. In a warehouse or factory setting, the fans can improve the health and morale of employees, reduce condensation, and rust on equipment. In a food and beverage manufacturing facility, HVLS fans can prevent food spoilage and provide crucial temperature control. HVLS fans can also discourage birds from perching and nesting in facilities where doors are kept open. 

Ready to install high volume low speed fans in your facility?

When we asked Krug if HVLS fans are a good investment, he said, “I would recommend it [HVLS fans] to any building or any business that wants to answer their problem without a huge cost.”

HVLS fans are an effective solution to your ventilation and air quality pitfalls. They will lower your high heating and cooling bills, decrease your energy usage, create a comfortable environment for your employees increasing their productivity levels, and fulfill the need for better ventilation.

We have worked with the technology for years and can install the best HVLS fans for your facility since we know one solution does not fit every warehouse or plant. We love helping our customers find the correct fit for their needs. Reap the benefits of installing HVLS fans. Contact us and talk to an expert about the available options to you and your area.