Category: Blog

From restaurant kitchens to warehouses, we’ve learned how essential industrial exhaust fans are to the protection of air quality, safety, and integrity of a business’s products and food. The same ideas also apply in residential settings. Residential bathrooms, for example, should have at least one air duct in order to promote the circulation of quality air and to prevent mold spores and dust from accumulating and growing. People determine the fan size needed by taking the volume of their bathroom and dividing it by 5, and for bathrooms with ceilings higher than eight feet, residential homes will need two exhaust fans.

However, your bathroom isn’t the only place you need a fan. Did you know that another important place in your home requiring ventilation is your kitchen, which actually requires more than just a basic exhaust hood?

For many, the residential kitchen is a sanctuary. It is a place where we make multiple meals a day, feed our family, laugh, cry, and create a lifetime of memories. And while most respectable individuals take it upon themselves to clean their kitchens regularly, people hardly think about the potential gases, bacteria, and other residual molecules floating around the air.

Since there aren’t any formal environmental protection regulations presiding in home kitchens, our lungs, skin, and digestive system are exposed to many a noxious gas, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, fine and ultra fine particles, and many other pollutants that are a result of meal preparation. In commercial kitchens, exhaust systems are cleaned at least once every three months or more, but residential kitchens often go unchecked for far too long. Consequently, they become a breeding ground for unwanted and unhealthy pollutants.

If you have a gas stove, you need to get the right kitchen exhaust fan. It’s an essential part of keeping the air clean of harmful pollutants. As a rule of thumb, experts recommend that the hood of your kitchen exhaust system be wider than the stove by a few inches on either side. Additionally, the fan should be as close as possible. If it’s more than 30 inches away, you might be a bigger fan.

Is this talk of exhaust fans exhausting? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

In business, the little details are incredibly important, especially when it comes to running a business that caters to consumers in your building. Restaurants, hospitals, and shops, for example, need to make sure that their locations are suitable not only for their employees, but also for their consumers.

This is how you build your business, by making sure that everyone in your organization is taken care of. Ensuring that there are fans and air blowers to move air is also important detail, but may often get lost in the fray when starting a business. When you choose fans, you cannot overlook certain details if you want them to last. Here are three questions you should ask yourself before you make a new purchase.

How Will It Be Used?
You need to first think about the purpose of the fan you’re purchasing. For example, a small shop doesn’t need to have industrial fans. Are you looking for simple exhaust fans for a bathroom? A window fan for a small shop? A few standing fans for an office space? All of these factors will influence your decision. Knowing exactly what you need before you search will help you narrow down your search. You’ll avoid a headache and a lot of wasted time.

How Often Will It Be Used?
How often you’ll be using the fans you purchase will dictate brands, speeds, etc. This is because you need to consider durability. A lower end fan should be okay if it’s for seasonal use, or is only necessary a few days a week. However, if it’s something that will run everyday for long periods of time, you will need to invest in a higher end, longer lasting fan. Durability absolutely must be considered before you settle on a purchase.

Where Will It Be Used?
The right type of fan will depend a lot on the location you need it for. Not only will it differ for each business type, but it will also differ from each room and even the dimensions of the room you place it in. For example, hospitals often need laminar fans, which are able to circulate air 300 times each hour. In addition, choosing something like a fan for a bathroom has requirements. To choose one that works for the space, you need to take the volume of the room and divide by five, and if the ceiling is over eight feet, you’ll need more venting or air blowers in addition to the exhaust fan.

Will you be investing in air blowers and fans anytime soon? What will you be taking into consideration in your investments?

Fans are an essential part of many businesses, and require some occasional maintenance to ensure they continue running efficiently. However, factories and plants need to maintain their fans not only to make sure production stays on track, but to also ensure everyone’s safety, as old fans can pose a fire hazard. Aside from those very serious dangers, other businesses benefit from fans simply because they make things more comfortable. Here are just a few ways they can make businesses better.

Hospitals
Hospitals are known for their crisp, clean air, and a lot of that is down to their circulations. A popular type of fan in hospitals, in fact, is the laminar fan, because it keeps air circulating at about 300 times per hour. In addition to keeping things more comfortable, fans can also save energy. Cutting central by just three degrees F may trim AC costs by about 12 to 15%, a cooling difference that fans can make up for.

Factories and Plants
These buildings feel the biggest benefit of industrial fans. In places like plants and factories, there are a lot of machines running all at once in a confined space, not to mention a ton of people helping run those machines. Consequently, the amount of heat in these buildings can be high enough to start a fire, hurting or killing the employees inside if there were not fans to cool the area down. These building need not only industrial fans on the outside, but small fans inside each machine as well. Otherwise, they may overheat.

Restaurants
The fans most often used in restaurants are called utility fans, and are usually mounted on the roof, with inlets and outlets 90 degrees from each other. They’re normally used in places where high static pressure loss happens. Restaurants simply could not function without the help of Pennbarry fans. With the amount of cooking and the human capacity in these establishments, the heat would be unbearable if it wasn’t for fans.

Are you or your business thinking about investing in Pennbarry fans’ products? How will air blowers benefit your workplace? We would love to hear!

Breathing is second nature, something we do without much thought. But have you taken the time to think about the things that you’re breathing in? Whether you realize it or not, indoor air can often contain a plethora of pollutants, allergens, and excess moisture, and dust particles. For individuals with bronchial conditions or allergies, this can be especially troubling.

Luckily, we have means of combating indoor air pollution, in just about every indoor space possible. Check out 4 different ways exhaust fans are used to filter air and regulate its quality:

Hospitals
In hospitals, air quality matters a great deal. With people’s lives and health at stake, it’s important to ensure that indoor pollutants and allergies are kept at bay. This keeps patients’ health at an optimal level and promotes further healing where necessary. To keep air quality up to snuff, hospitals utilize powerful laminar exhaust fans that circulate air up to 300 times per hour.

Factories and Warehouses
In industrial settings, machinery can get hot. In order to keep products cool and dry and to keep production standards satisfactory, warehouses utilize commercial exhaust fans, helping to de-fumigate and cool down the workspace. In warehouses that produce food items, these fans can be especially important.

Kitchens
From commercial kitchens to home kitchens, exhaust fans are important to clear the air of smoke, odors, and grease using the fan’s air blower. Because commercial, restaurant kitchens have such a high volume of customers each day, their commercial exhaust fans have to be cleaned once every three months.

Bathrooms
Bathroom exhaust fans are among the most common out there. They are used to rid the bathroom of odors and excess moisture that can build up and cause mold spores. However, when a bathroom ceiling is more than eight feet high, more than one exhaust fan vent is typically needed.

Any questions? Comments? Let us know your thoughts below.

When running a business, the expenses accrued in operation costs are endless and relentless. Because of this, finding more cost-efficient processes can lead to substantial increases in profits. One important factor for any company, is the regulation of indoor temperatures and air quality to ensure the reliability of products.

Between moderating temperature and circulating the air, a lot of power is expended by these systems. Even though temperature can have a large effect on production, minute variations are not usually enough to cause any harm. Just a few degree difference can have a substantial impact on energy bills.

Even just easing back on central cooling by only three degrees Fahrenheit can cut down on air conditioning costs by 12 to 15%. Industrial exhaust fans can circulate air and keep it cool in the absence of the extra power needed from a cooling system while still remaining more cost efficient than those three degrees.

While some areas can do with lowering interior temperature by a few degrees, other systems that require precise temperatures can still benefit from industrial fans. Because any company dealing with food or perishables must ensure the safety of their inventory, freezers are essential for keeping them from spoiling.

However, without adequate power, there is no guarantee that the freezers will be able to keep cool enough without draining large amounts of electricity. But installing efficient industrial exhaust fan motors, specifically of the “electronically commutated” (ECM) variety, on a small, two-fan walk-in freezer can save up to around $200 a year per fan on energy costs.

If these options are not quite enough to adequately decrease energy consumption, a demand ventilation control system can prevent a cooling or heating system from overexerting themselves. Because these controls can automatically adjust temperature by increasing power or shutting down when the ideal temperature is reached at any given time without the need for manual supervision, they can actually reduce the costs to operate industrial exhaust fan systems anywhere from 30 to 50%. These demand control systems can be setup on new installations, as well as retrofitted to existing hoods.

High operation costs can easily fly under the radar, but effectively reducing them can lead to considerable savings.

While the damage wasn’t significant, one Wisconsin business was left to clean up the centrifugal cooking vat and chimney fans after a fire broke out inside Kettle Foods Potato Chip Factory on the morning of Monday, Nov. 2. The City of Beloit Fire Department responded at 8:50 a.m. to the factory located in Beloit, WI, according to the Madison-area NBC affiliate NBC15.com.

When firefighters arrived on the scene they saw smoke coming out of the chimney exhaust fans on the roof of the building, located at 3150 Kettle Way. Fortunately, all of the employees were able to escape the factory safely and the fire department had the blaze under control within about 30 minutes.

Additionally, fire officials said the fire only ended up doing about $170 worth of damage. The fire itself didn’t do any real damage to the structure of the building as it was contained to one of the centrifugal cooking vats, according to Beloit Fire Department Deputy Chief Joseph Murray.

The direct cause of the fire is still under investigation.

It’s unclear if the factory has any sort of demand ventilation controls, which typically reduce the cost to operate an exhaust system by anywhere from 30 to 50% and can be installed on either new installations or retrofitted to existing hoods. It’s also unclear if they had any utility fans, which are normally roof-mounted with the inlet and outlet 90 degrees from each other and are typically used where high-static pressure losses exist.

While the centrifugal cooking vat is believed to have been at the center of the problem, it’s also possible the issue could have stemmed from a lack of sufficient cleaning. On average, restaurant exhaust systems are typically cleaned at least once every three months, but sometimes more. It has yet to be determined if regular maintenance of the factory’s exhaust fans were properly adhered to.

Over the past decade the move towards energy efficiency and sustainability has grown immensely. It used to be an issue only appreciated by green-lovers and flower-children, but today businesses, homeowners, and organizations across the country are consistently trying to improve and build upon these efforts.

Governments are another entity concerned with this and one county in Alabama is in the process of overhauling their systems. The Colbert County Commissioners learned the specifics of the plan earlier this week, according to Northwest Alabama news source TimesDaily.com.

Norman Schramm, a senior account executive with Siemens’ Energy and Environmental Solutions Division, gave the presentation. While the cost of the project initially could be steep, it is projected to save them money in the long run. In addition to replacing heating and cooling systems and ventilation air blowers they plan to replace the commercial roof exhaust fans they have with ones that can be more easily programmable and monitored.

Installing efficient fan motors that use “electronically commutated” (ECM) have been shown to help units save money. Also, doing something as little as backing off on central cooling by 3 degrees Fahrenheit can reduce air conditioning costs by up to 15%. Having efficient fans is a great way to keep people cool in the meantime.

Another way to make industrial exhaust fans more energy efficient is through the use of demand ventilation controls. Typically, these can reduce the cost to operate an exhaust system between 30 and 50% and can be installed on new installations or retrofitted onto existing hoods.

Another area the county plans to spend a lot of money on is in their bathrooms. In total, 270 urinals, toilets, sinks, and other fixtures will be completely replaced. In order for them to calculate the size of exhaust fan they’ll need for these rooms they’ll have to take the volume of the bathroom and divide by five.

Other counties, cities, and municipalities across the country should take a lesson from this aggressive Alabama plan and start thinking about ways to update their own facilities.

The importance of ensuring your home is equipped with smoke and, in this case, carbon monoxide (CO) detectors was highlighted in a recent case potentially involving a fault exhaust fan. A middle-aged Waukegan couple, whose identity has remained anonymous, were airlifted to an undisclosed hospital on Wednesday morning for CO poisoning, according to the Chicago Tribune.

A spokesman for the Waukegan Fire Department, Michael Scholle, said that an ambulance was called to the home at about 7 a.m. after one of the residents called 911 to report dizziness and other health problems. When paramedics arrived on the scene they found carbon monoxide levels inside the home of 150 parts per million. The home did not have a carbon monoxide detector.

“That high a reading would be very dangerous,” said Scholle. “They were very, very lucky.”

While the incident remains under investigation for now, Fire Chief George Bridges believes a faulty exhaust fan could have been the source of the problem. It’s unclear exactly what type or where it was, but it could have been in a bathroom with a high ceiling (over eight feet), which generally require additional ventilation.

“We continue to stress the need for smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to be installed in all homes,” Bridges said in a statement.

Unlike commercial centrifugal fans or industrial fans, which are normally roof mounted with the inlet and outlet 90 degrees from each other, residential exhaust fans are much smaller. To calculate the minimum size a bathroom will require you take the volume of the room and divide by five.

The last CO-related death in Waukegan occurred in March of 2012, but just this past June in Nearby Highland Park a couple died from CO poisoning after their keyless car was left running in the garage, according to Lake County authorities. Local fire departments across the country will provide free smoke and CO detectors upon request.

While many of us do not realize it, indoor air is full of pollutants, odors, and allergens that negatively effect our health and the structural integrity of our spaces. Ventilation helps to remove the air of these unwanted pollutants. For commercial spaces, ventilation is especially important.

Here are three commercial spaces that rely on ventilation:

Restaurants
Restaurant kitchens have a high volume of customers, and with that, they have a great deal of activity in their commercial kitchens. Because of this, a great deal of grease, foul odor, and moisture tends to build up in commercial kitchens. To combat this, ventilation is used. Commercial exhaust fans effectively filter the air of unwanted impurities, such as smoke and grease, and improve the overall air quality of the kitchen and the restaurant. Restaurant exhaust systems have to be cleaned once every three months, and sometimes more frequently.

In addition to keeping the air quality sufficient for patrons and the kitchen, restaurants have to make sure that their produce and other food is stored safely and kept cool. In order to do so, restaurants use walk in freezers. When installed with efficient motors, restaurant owners can save $200 per fan every year.

Hospitals
In spaces like hospitals, proper ventilation is extremely important. When people are sick, air environment quality is essential. Along with controlling humidity and odors, commercial centrifugal fans help to circulate the air and rid it of harmful pollutants and allergies. Many hospitals use laminar fans, because of their high air circulation rate of 300 times in one hour.

Warehouses
Many large businesses use warehouses to store products and oversee production. Because these spaces house all of their merchandise, it’s important to have proper ventilation. Otherwise, the business is at risk of property damage and money loss. For ventilation, industrial exhaust fans are used. Industrial exhaust fans keep warehouse spaces dry, cool and fumigated, keeping the environment ideal for product storage.

Excess moisture can build up in bathrooms fairly easily. With the heat and steam produced from baths and showers, humidity often reaches high levels. When that happens, your bathroom is at risk of developing mold, mold spores, and other bacteria that ultimately pose health risks for you and your family. Additionally, humidity can cause structural damage, such as peeling paint, rust, and warped doors.

Ventilation is essential in managing and combating excess humidity and moisture in bathrooms. Not only will it protect the integrity of your bathroom, preventing future costs and repairs, but it will also protect the health of yourself and your family.

Bathroom Exhaust Fans
Exhaust fans are air blowers that mechanically ventilate bathrooms, eliminating humidity and the presence of excess moisture. In addition to moisture, bathroom exhaust fans help to remove pollutants and allergens from the air, effectively improving the overall air quality of the room.

As another option, many bathrooms have centrifugal inline duct fans, that ventilate air through a duct sealed by a wall vent.

Finding the Right Bathroom Exhaust Fan
Exhaust fans come in many sizes. To find an appropriately sized duct fans for your bathroom, measure the volume of the room and then divide it by five. In addition to exhaust fans, bathrooms with higher ceilings may need additional ventilation. This is when an inline duct fan may be appropriate.

If you are easily irked by loud noises, be sure to check out your bathroom exhaust fan’s sone rating before purchase. A sone rating rates the level of sound ventilation systems and fans make. With sone ratings, a 4 is highest, and is considered extremely loud.

Things to Consider
If your bathroom is in its own enclosed space, then a separate exhaust fan should be installed within it. And whenever possible, place exhaust fan vents as close to the shower area as you can.