Summers in India are brutal. With temperature fluctuations, the highest ever recorded temperature in India was 50℃. The average summer temperature in states like Gujarat and Rajasthan in India is 40-50℃, which feels like an oven.
High temperatures can cause problems while working, so it becomes essential to take a few steps to lower the temperature.
But how to cool down the warehouses? Such big entities need some extra cooling to lower the temperature.
In warehouses with all the continuously working machinery, conveyor belts, and all other equipment heats up and emits heat. It just adds to the existing temperature.
Moreover, warehouses require more power to cool down, resulting in excessive energy bills, which add up to the warehouse cost.
If you're a warehouse owner looking for ways to cool down your warehouse without spending a fortune, then this is the guide for you. In this blog, we provide some tips for cooling off your warehouse in the summer.
The extensive temperatures can be harmful. Moreover, the warehouse temperature is always slightly higher than the outer one.
That much heat can harm employees and sometimes lead to heat-related diseases like loo, dehydration, or heat stroke.
Cooler warehouse spaces lead to a safer and healthier environment to work. It can
Before beginning, take note of the warehouse layout. Understand the layout, and then make slight changes to it.
For instance, natural ventilation would be a great help. Below, we have listed certain effective solutions to keep the temperature low in the warehouse.
To lower the temperature of the warehouse, install fans. Not the normal ones, but HVLS (High Volume, Low Speed) fans. These fans can
HVLS fans have larger blades to cover more area. These overhead ceiling fans keep the hot air moving at a low speed, making a cooling effect and letting air circulate in all directions.
The fans' slow speed helps eliminate the hot and humid air present in the surroundings and replace it with dry air. It drops the temperature down by 6-7℃.
Controlling the temperature in the warehouse is quite a task, but it is easier if done smartly.
Take a warehouse roof for an example. Does your warehouse roof's temperature reach up to 80-90℃? Such high heat then transfers to the warehouse.
Redoing your warehouse roofing prior to summer is a good option. Switching to cool roofing seems too expensive initially, but it is a one-time investment project, as it lasts for several years.
Selecting light or, most preferably, white-coloured roofs will help to reflect light more, slowing down the warehouse's heating process. Cool roofs are a much cooler option as they
Insulating a warehouse is one of the most important things to do when prepping your warehouse for summer.
Insulation is helpful in winter, as it keeps the warm air inside the warehouse. Also, insulation ensures that warm air keeps at bay during summer, i.e., cool air does not escape.
Ensure to insulate the warehouse properly on ceilings, outer walls, and under the roof decks. Insulation may seem just an extra task, but applying a thick layer of insulation can
Installing screen doors is the most viable option to cool down your warehouse. Like metal screen doors at home, warehouse metal screen doors work the same way.
The benefits of installing screen doors in the warehouse are:
Thanks to technology, AC is the first thing that comes to our mind to keep any place cool.
ACs are the best, as they keep the room cool by removing the heat and controlling the humidity.
But using AC is quite an energy-intensive but worth-it option. Workplaces that require constant worker presence can benefit from installing portable ACs. Further, they can be used to neutralise the temperature in machinery areas.
But ensure that the area is insulated and closed so the cool air does not escape. Air Conditioning is not a good option for all warehouses, especially those with open elements.
Vinyl strip curtains are the best way to prevent warm air flow in the warehouse. Use curtains at the entrance and dock doors to keep the heat at bay.
Moreover, vinyl strip curtains can also be used in areas that generate heat the most to prevent airflow and allow privacy.
Another technological advancement, HVAC, is the best option to control indoor temperatures and maintain them usually.
HVAC is an acronym for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning, all the facilities in one product. It is best to warm your warehouse during winter and keep it cool during summer.
HVAC lets the stale air out of the warehouse, making way for the outer temperature-controlled fresh air by adjusting the temperature according to the season. For instance, in summer Air Conditioning system will cool down the air and let the hot air out.
The HVAC system is helpful throughout the year, so maintain it properly. Make a schedule check for the system to ensure they are working effectively or not.
Is your warehouse located in a region with high humidity? Then using dehumidifiers is the best option to keep your warehouse cool in summer.
Humidity in the air makes the climate hotter and heat unbearable. Dehumidifiers drain out the moisture present in the air to lower the humidity levels.
Dehumidifiers work best in association with HVAC. The pair is highly effective in lowering warehouse temperature and energy bills.
Here it is important to note that dehumidifiers are the best options for areas with high humidity. If your warehouse is in a hot and dry climatic region, avoid dehumidifiers, as they will only worsen the situation.
In India, states like Rajasthan, Gujarat, some regions of Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh are hot and dry. So avoid using dehumidifiers here.
Truck shelters work as a seal between the external and internal weather. They are generally installed at the shipping and receiving areas, where trucks often load/unload materials.
Truck shelters are helpful for the whole year. In winter, truck shelters do not let the heat out, while in summer, they do not let the heat inside.
In monsoons, they keep the area dry and avoid slip-and-fall accidents. With truck shelters ensuring that loading dock areas are properly sealed is necessary. A small leak can let the air pass through.
The warehouse is home to many products, some of which require a particular temperature to survive, and a slight change can deteriorate the product.
Usually, this happens with food and beverages or pharmaceutical products, and necessary measures should be taken to alleviate the situation.
It is also necessary to check whether all the equipment is working properly and effectively. Malfunctioning equipment generates more heat than the perfectly working one, which adds up to the temperature of the warehouse.
With an HVAC system, you have noticed a thermostat fixed on the wall. It is a screen or regulator kind of thing.
The main aim of a thermostat is to control and maintain the temperature of the warehouse until a certain level.
A general thermostat works on the sensors. These sensors sense the surrounding environment and adjust the temperature accordingly. For instance, if the surrounding environment gets hotter than expected, sensors let the electric current flow to activate cooling.
While in winter, sensors detect a lot of temperature drops and activate the heating. An advanced thermostat can also give updates on the HVAC performance.
Adapting to evaporative coolers is the best way to cool down the warehouse. As per the name, they work on the principle of evaporation.
Like the normal air coolers at home that use a damp membrane to cool down the air, evaporative coolers are the same. When the hot air passes through this damp membrane, the heat and the moisture evaporate, resulting in much cooler air.
Moreover, they are a better option than AC, as they can cool down larger spans of an arena even with the doors open (in the case of AC, the space needs to be closed, i.e. closed doors).
An evaporative cooling system can keep the warehouses at 25℃ or below at low energy and costs.
Is your warehouse located in an area with a cool summer night breeze? If yes, leave the warehouse doors and windows open (only if the facility works around the clock).
Let the refreshing air let in, and enjoy the summer breeze. You can install the screen doors mentioned above to take advantage of the night air.
In all the above topics, we talked about how to cool down the warehouse temperature, and by following a few tips, the warehouse owners can easily control the temperature.
But what for employees? They work in the warehouse all day, and the owner must look after their health.
It will increase the retention rate and make the employees more enthusiastic towards the work. Here are a few tips that you can follow:
Summer seasons are harsh. Overheating can cause dehydration and heat-related health issues. So your employees should be trained on this topic.
Train the employees about the signs of dehydration and steps to take if something occurs. Signs of dehydration include
If someone shows these signs, immediately rehydrate them, and shift them to the cooler area. If the person loses consciousness or faces seizures, call the emergency.
Do you know how much our body loses fluid in summer sweat? So to compensate for that loss, drinking more and more water is advisable.
Avoid working during the noon period. At this time, the heat is at its extreme. Adjust the schedule accordingly.
Keep the heavier operations in the early morning or in the evening time. As for the employees, they should take more frequent breaks.
Frequent breaks allow them to stay focused on the work and be more productive. In summer, the body sometimes gets overheated due to the surrounding heat and working.
Our cell mechanism tries to cool it down to the normal temperature to cope. This uses energy as well as people feeling exhausted.
In summer, we all want light-fitting clothes. Try to implement this in the work area too. Encourage the employees to wear light-fitting clothes with light colours.
Only wear PPE where necessary. In uniforms are required, then introduce summer-special.
Make this summer-special uniform with moisture-wicking fabrics; this fabric soaks the sweat from the body, which helps you to cool down quicker.
Do you need the most affordable, cleaner, evergreen cooling option? Then plant trees in the surrounding area of the warehouse.
It will not directly affect warehouse cooling, but it will surely cool the surroundings and create natural shades where workers can have a break.
Another way to reduce the temperature in the warehouse is to turn off the heat sources when they are not in use. This will not only help to cool down the warehouse a bit but also helps to reduce energy costs.
If not all, try to apply some of the above tips in the warehouse. Even just adding HVLS fans along with roofing can also lower the temperature of the warehouse to a great extent.
Or just install evaporative coolers! They are the best solutions to cool down the warehouses ever!
Gujarat witnesses diverse weather conditions throughout the year. Summers are very hot and dry, while winters are colder and dry. In summer sometimes the temperature even reaches the mark of 49℃ in the daytime.
Keeping all the weather conditions in mind, Prime Associates offers warehouses that withstand harsh climatic conditions. Our warehouses at all the locations of Kheda near Ahmedabad, and Surat are surrounded by a lush green environment, to give a sense of peace.
Along with a green environment, we also provide different amenities which are essential to keep the warehouse cool during summer or warm during winter.
Stay safe, and flourish your business through every season with Prime Associates!
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