Most people are aware that an HVLS fan provides cooling comfort and cost savings in the heat of the summer. However, a benefit that is often overlooked is the cost savings that can be obtained in the colder winter months. A process called destratification allows HVLS fans to not only help you keep your cool, but to turn up the heat as well.
What is Destratification?
Science, as well as personal experience, shows us that heat rises. Because heated molecules have higher energy levels, they weigh less than cooler molecules causing them to rise from the floor, where your employees are working, to the ceiling. This is called stratification. However, science also shows us that it is possible to reverse this process by mixing the warm and cold air to create a more temperate environment, known as destratifying the air.
Why Destratify?
In the winter months, cold toes and fingers do not have to be the norm for you or your employees. The simple act of destratifying the heat provided by your HVAC unit, or that is trapped near the ceiling, can easily correct this problem. And, the benefits go beyond temperature control. They are three-fold: cost savings, employee productivity levels, and reduction in your energy usage.
Cost Savings
In the summer, it is expected that a fan will help to regulate temperatures resulting in lower costs to cool your facility. However, it is equally important to capitalize on the cost savings that you can garner in the winter. With controlled air circulation, the warm air from the ceiling will mix with the cooler air on your facility floor. You are then able to make the most efficient use of the heat that your HVAC unit provides to moderate your building’s temperature. Plant Engineering states that, through destratification, “even greater benefits can be seen during cold weather” when using an HVLS fan, while estimates show that as much as 30% in energy savings could be possible. This results in measurable cost efficiency throughout the entire year.
Employee Productivity Levels
It has been scientifically proven that an employee’s productivity level declines when the temperature is too warm. This is equally the case in cold weather. In fact, an article in Psychological Science estimated that an employer could save up to 12.5% of their wage costs per worker by raising the temperature a few degrees. This is even more prevalent in buildings with higher ceilings, such as manufacturing, processing, and warehousing facilities, where employing the power of an HVLS fan is required to make a tangible difference. Additionally, when an HVAC unit is taxed, maintenance requirements are higher. If these maintenance needs are not met, particles such as dust and mold are released into the air reducing air quality, overall productivity, and potentially increasing employee sick days.
Reducing Your Energy Usage
One by one, states have begun to increase their energy efficiency standards and LEAN principles are becoming the standard as companies garner praise for working toward a more sustainable existence. One way that LEAN sustainability can happen is by reducing your energy usage. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, one-third of all energy used is expended by manufacturers. The Environmental Protection Agency cites energy efficiency as one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to move in a more LEAN direction, as well. This encompasses many outlets, but efficient temperature control is a simple way to make a dent in this number, as well as by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
These are just a few ways that harnessing the science behind destratification can benefit your facility. Regardless of which of these is most applicable, or if your facility has other concerns such as the client comfort, it is clear that capitalizing on the principles of destratification with an HVLS fan will reap tangible results — results that will affect your bottom line.
Still have questions about how destratification with an HVLS fan can benefit you? We’d love for you to check out our destratification video to see how it works for yourself. Or, feel free to reach out to us directly at 1-844-591-3267 for a one-on-one analysis of how you can make the most of the benefits of using an HVLS fan for destratification.