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Ventilating a Metal Building

Now that summer is really heating up, the team at Wholesale Direct Carports wants to take a look at metal building ventilation, what it means, why it’s important, and how to do it. If you’re shopping for metal buildings, whether it’s for storing your RV or you’re in need of a metal horse barn, it’s essential that there is proper airflow in order to protect what’s inside.

Wholesale Direct Carports has a large collection of metal garage buildings, enclosed garages, custom carports, and more. Whatever your needs are, whatever your budget, we can help you get exactly what you need. Contact our team today for a free quote or with any questions you may have.

All You Need to Know About Ventilating a Metal Building

Why is Ventilation Important?

As you can imagine, proper airflow is essential for various reasons, regardless of what is inside the building.

  • Controlling Condensation: When the air temperature outside of the building differs from the inside temperature, this can result in condensation. Any moisture in the building can lead to corrosion, mold, mildew growth, and even insect infestations.
  • Regulating Temperature: Keeping a steady temperature inside the building ensures that it is comfortable to be inside for both humans and animals. It also protects the structure of the building from expanding and contrasting, which can cause damage to the building.
  • Preserving Air Quality: Proper airflow will ensure that any air pollutants in the air are removed, ensuring the building is safe for humans and animals.

How it Works

If you have ever stood in a house on a breezy day when there were multiple windows open, you have felt how ventilation works: by creating a cross breeze through the space. In metal buildings, there is often a powered fan toward the lower half of the building that full fresh air into the space. Inside the building, as hot air rises, a vent or exhaust fan will push out the hot or polluted air. This will ensure that moisture and fumes are replaced with fresh, cool air.

How Much Ventilation Does My Metal Building Require?

Determining how much ventilation your building needs depends on the square footage of the building, the primary use of the building, and the humidity levels in the area. Generally, for every 150 square feet of your building, you will need one square foot of vent openings. If you need help determining the ventilation needs of your building, get in touch with the team at Wholesale Direct Carports.

Natural vs. Power Ventilation

There are essentially two different ways to ventilate a building, either naturally or with a powered system.

Natural Ventilation

Natural is how it sounds: simply the use of wind and thermal convection to move air throughout the building. At the base of the building, there can be openings, doors, or fixed louvers. And at the top of the building, there will be hooded ents or shaped ridge vents. If you live in a colder climate, these openings should be fitted with dampers to keep cold air out during the winter.

A natural system can be incredibly beneficial in that there aren’t any costs, less maintenance, less water damage, and less weight on the roof and walls. However, the downsides of a natural system are that there may be obstructions outside that block the airflow such as trees or a hill, the roof may not be tall enough for hot air to rise, or there are pollutants in the air outside.

Powered System

With a powered system, it is typically a combination of power and natural elements. Instead of fixed louvers along the base of the building, there are typically fans installed in the wall and there are vents in the ceiling or a hooded roof. If the building is large enough, there can be mechanical options in both the walls and ceilings.

Benefits of a powered system is that the air temperature near the floor is close the air temperature outside the building, filters can be added to the fans to increase air quality, and it creates a comfortable space for both humans and animals. However, you will need to take the cost of powering the system into consideration.

Metal buildings can be extremely beneficial and can be used for storage, horse barns, events, and many other things. But when the weather warms up, it’s important to ensure that the space is ventilated properly. If you’re looking for metal buildings for our property, get in touch with the experts at Wholesale Direct Carports today. We’re more than happy to help you choose the building that best fits your needs.