Fire Department, Jessamine County, Ky.
Posted
06/4/2011
For
Fire Chief Mike Rupard, maintaining constant temperatures within
his firehouse was a costly year-round struggle. Eight 14 by 14-foot
glass doors surrounded by brick and mortar are capped by a
12,000-square-foot peaked steel roof. In the winter, heat escaped
through the roof and the fire truck's pumps were freezing. During
the summer, it simply felt like an inferno.
High ceilings in the bay area forced gas heaters to run
constantly during the winter to keep the environment warm. While
the temperature at the ceiling level remained a constant 70 F, the
occupants at the floor level were experiencing temperatures in the
50s. With the installation of a 16-foot diameter Big Ass Fan,
Rupard was finally able to achieve the desired air circulation to
eliminate temperature discrepancies and disperse emissions. By
slowing the fan speed during the winter, the warm air collecting at
the roof is mixed throughout the space, creating uniform
temperatures from ceiling to floor without creating a draft. This
air balance has made the department workout facility, located on an
open mezzanine above the truck bays, far more bearable.
During the summer the fan speed is increased to create gentle
breezes. "When we open the bay doors and crank our Big Ass Fan we
get a nice breeze that runs through the station, keeping us very
comfortable," says Rupard.
Fan: Big Ass Fans, Lexington, Ky., www.bigassfans.com
www.bigassfans.com