The Benefits of High Volume Low Speed Fans

Facility managers are looking to cut back on spending while maintaining quality with today’s huge energy expenses due to increased environmental accountability. If you are trying to keep a very large space cool, many people think the best or only way to do so is through air conditioning, but this can prove to be expensive depending on the size and number of people who occupy that space. If cutting costs without losing comfort is what you are going for, a HVLS or high volume low speed fan along with your preexisting HVAC system can help you control your energy expenses without sacrificing your comfort.

Just like a regular ceiling fan, high velocity low speed fans work to increase airflow in order to make the environment more comfortable. With the ability to cover almost 30,000 square feet with a single fan, HVLS fans are very different from your common household ceiling fan.

The effect created by HVLS industrial ceiling fans called the evaporating cooling effect has been known to make individuals in the effected environment feel up to eight degrees cooler. With this effect, facility managers can crank their thermostats up a few degrees without having to give up any comfort at all. With increased circulation provided by the high volume low speed fans, the resistance put on the HVAC system is significantly less and therefore will require much less ductwork and ventilation to distribute cooler air.

HVLS fans can also help to keep you warm in the winter, also reducing the amount of energy used, and lost. Air from a furnace or other heating unit is naturally lighter than what we consider room temperature, so it obviously rises to the ceiling. By slowing down the HVLS fan to 10-30%, you can redirect the hot air trapped at the ceiling and send it toward the occupants at ground level.

When these fans were created, they were originally meant for extra large industrial facilities for manufacturing and distribution. Facility managers in restaurants, office complexes, and retail spaces are all using HVLS fans to help reduce their energy expenses.

These commercial units are much smaller than their industrial counterparts and have been scaled down effectively to reduce noise. HVLS fans have had the benefit of many new technological breakthroughs to help them become much less noisy throughout the years.

A practical example of great uses for industrial warehouse ceiling fans would be a high school library. Depending on the season and number of occupants, the speed of the fan can be varied in order to provide the most efficient usage. In order to heat the library without disrupting the quiet or shuffling papers around, the fan could be set to low in order to push the heated air back down toward the students. In conclusion, HVLS fans can help you cut your costs tremendously without requiring you to break the bank or your personal comfort levels.