Warehouse cooling could be the best investment you can make for productivity of workers…and your bottom line. In fact, in a NASA study on the effects of heat on workers output, they found that workers in a 75 degree space were 29% more productive than those at 90 degrees, and work accuracy improved by 300 percent! Fewer water breaks are necessary, morale is higher, and fewer mistakes are made. Not to mention the savings on lost time when workers go out with heat related injuries.
Options range from misting fans to evaporative coolers, to a tool you never thought you could use indoors…high pressure misting systems! And there are more tools out there. But a properly planned warehouse cooling system can be an easy investment that pays big dividends.
A variety of products exist that can very effectively cool large spaces or spot cool small ones…depending on your specific needs.
- Misting fans are the ultimate warehouse cooling machine for large spaces. These misting fans can produce up to 11000cfm of wind. High pressure misting rings are added to the face of the fan. The breeze combined with the evaporative cooling power of mist can cool the space by up to 35 degrees if used properly. The result is an awesome warehouse cooling tool that can cool up to 3000 square feet! The best strategy is to put them in opposite corners, or all 4 corners of the warehouse, and mount them up high. Normally one misting pump can run all 4 misting fans.
- Evaporative Coolers can be great for spot cooling or warehouse cooling for smaller spaces. Medium sized evaporative coolers resemble the 4×4 swamp coolers you have probably seen. Evaporative coolers can come with an oscillating spout that effectively spreads cool air over a greater area. Those are better spot cooling in assembly areas or on loading docks, where 500 square feet or less needs spot cooling. Another nice choice is a 4 sided model that blows cool air from all 4 sides. Place these in the center of a smaller work area for spot cooling of everyone around the machine.
- Misting Systems can also be used for warehouse cooling where open doors or vents allow hot air to pour in. On loading docks especially, a lot of hot air can pour into the warehouse. This is where high pressure misting systems can be a big help. The strategy is to hang a “curtain of mist” across every door. The warm air coming in is evaporative cooled as it comes through. And with high pressure misting, the water actually evaporates into the air, so nothing gets wet or slippery down below. Each dock door actually functions as a large evaporative cooler! Using the same misting pump, lines can be run across every dock door, every inflow vent, and any other openings in the building. Misting fans can be run off of the same fan as well for additional cooling. Out with the hot, in with the cool. The results can really be amazing. And workers loading and unloading trucks can work with greater comfort and safety near the doors.
These are just a few of the common solutions to warehouse cooling needs. With a little research and planning, you should be able to make huge improvements in the efficiency, safety and productivity of all of your workers…and your warehouse facility as a whole. It can be the best investment you’ll make in your operation.