By Jamie Tuinstra

torage facilities provide a simple yet essential service: They exist to provide a safe and secure place for individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to house their overflow items. Basic though this may seem, there are several factors that can determine the efficacy and trustworthiness of the facility in question. For example, keeping assets safe and sound isn’t only a matter of securing the perimeter. It also involves keeping temperatures consistent.

That’s because, for many stored assets, fluctuations in temperature and humidity levels can lead to degradation. This is true for paper documents, electronics, and more. What’s tricky is that due to their large, open floorplans and spaces, storage facilities are famously challenging to heat, particularly in a way that is also economical and efficient. Facilities teams have their work cut out for them simply ensuring temperature levels remain fairly steady throughout the seasons.

One solution that can’t be overlooked is the destratification fan. Not only do these fans help ward off temperature stagnation, ensuring a stable climate even throughout expansive facilities, but they do so in a way that doesn’t require high levels of excess energy generation. For operators seeking a sensible way to keep their facilities temperate, even amidst seasonal extremes, installing a destratification fan may be the answer.

Because of the way they are designed and built, storage facilities tend to face several heating and cooling challenges, such as a lack of insulation or frequent door openings leading to significant energy loss. A challenge that’s just as serious, yet rarely discussed, is temperature stratification.

This is particularly acute in storage facilities that include high bays or lofty ceilings. Simply put, warm air, including the air heated by centralized heaving systems, rises to the ceiling, while cooler air tends to gather closer to the floor. This is basic physics, but it can lead to significant problems for storage facilities.

For one thing, it can make it extremely inefficient to keep the entire facility a stable temperature. The trapped heat that rises to the ceiling is wasted energy. The temperature sensor, positioned closer to the ground, will get a colder reading, prompting the centralized heating unit to work extra hard. All of this can cause utility bills to balloon.

It’s not just monthly expenditure that goes up; temperature stratification can also affect long-term capital budgets. That’s because, when heating and cooling systems are forced into overdrive, it accelerates wear and tear. Facilities teams will need to repair or even replace these systems earlier and more frequently than they would otherwise.

Destratification fans can help alleviate these concerns. These fans are mounted from the ceiling and work to recirculate some of that trapped hot air, pushing it back down and creating a more consistent temperature throughout the entire self-storage facility.

There are several advantages to installing a destratification fan in any large storage facility, particularly one with notably high ceilings.

For example:

• Destratification fans boost energy efficiency. It’s crucial to understand that destratification fans don’t actually generate any new heat; they simply help to reclaim heat that’s already been generated and gone to waste. As such, they avoid any negative impact on monthly utility bills.
• They’re made for harsh settings. Destratification fans aren’t simply glorified versions of residential ceiling fans. These things are heavy duty, designed to withstand the rigors of manufacturing and industrial settings. What that means for storage facilities is that destratification fans can take a lot of wear and tear and continue to perform.
• They protect HVAC equipment. Another reason to invest in a destratification fan: By recirculating air and creating a more consistent temperature, destratification fans minimize the workload of centralized heating and cooling systems. This can prolong their useful life and mediate maintenance needs.
• They promote comfort. Not only do more even temperatures protect temperature-sensitive assets, but they also ensure the facilities are more comfortable for employees. That’s to say nothing of customers who are on site to deposit, organize, or withdraw their items.

While destratification fans can offer significant benefits, it’s important to note that product selection and placement are key. These fans are not necessarily “one size fits all,” and there are some important considerations for facilities teams to make, both in choosing and configuring their destratification products.

The first thing to think about is the size of the facility. Different fans are rated for different-sized areas, and depending on the storage facility’s needs, it may be necessary to invest in multiple fans to ensure optimal results.

Remember, too, that destratification fans push air down vertically, and that the best way to use them is to ensure they are mounted from the highest point possible. For storage facilities, this means the area with the highest ceiling and the most open space.

To get the most out of destratification fans, it’s also important to minimize any obstacles that might impede airflow. Avoid mounting anywhere directly above in-house equipment, furniture, or architectural rafters and beams.

Simply through a more proactive approach to air recirculation, storage facility teams can create an altogether more safe, secure, and consistently comfortable place for people to store valuable items. And they can do so while keeping their energy expenses under control. Destratification fans can be a critical addition to any existing heating and cooling system, not just improving operations but creating a real competitive distinction.