Forgive my ignorance, but I don’t have any experience with ceiling fans being installed in barns…
I just found the perfect facility for me, but there are ceiling fans above the stalls.
Do any of you have experience with this sort of thing? What is an appropriate, safe height? My biggest concern is that they seem very low. But, it’s possible that I’m just overreacting because I don’t have any experience with ceiling fans in stalls.
Thanks in advance!
[QUOTE=Fulmer;8872538]
Forgive my ignorance, but I don’t have any experience with ceiling fans being installed in barns…
I just found the perfect facility for me, but there are ceiling fans above the stalls.
Do any of you have experience with this sort of thing? What is an appropriate, safe height? My biggest concern is that they seem very low. But, it’s possible that I’m just overreacting because I don’t have any experience with ceiling fans in stalls.
Thanks in advance![/QUOTE]
I would guess 6 inches higher than the highest point of the horse’s body in the highest “rear” they can do.
G.
Thanks, Guilherme. I will have to go out and measure the height of the blades from the floor and go from there!
I used to board at a barn that had them . I needed a 12 ft. ladder to dust them, so around 15-16 ft. Each stall had a ceiling fan and a fan on the doors. It was nice in the NC summers to keep air circulating, but a total pain to keep clean.
[QUOTE=luvmyhackney;8876038]
I used to board at a barn that had them . I needed a 12 ft. ladder to dust them, so around 15-16 ft. Each stall had a ceiling fan and a fan on the doors. It was nice in the NC summers to keep air circulating, but a total pain to keep clean.[/QUOTE]
You have to use the “industrial” grade fans with sealed motors and bearings, too. Given the price last time I looked at them (several hundred dollars plus installation costs) I wonder if cheap box fans that you replace every other year or so might not make more economic sense.
G.
mounted at 8’ would be fine - if the horse did rear and hit it for some reason - it’s not going to cause that much damage to the horse - blade may break, but it’s not just going to keep spinning and chop his head or anything.
As far as “industrial” grade fans - there are some with sealed gearboxes, but I would only say that’s necessary for large barns with super tall ceilings so you could straddle stalls or put over the aisleway.
Box fans are a fire hazard - hear all sorts of tragedies every year from those - terrible idea, plus they only provide directional cooling so if the horse is not right in front of it, tough.
Ceiling fan does more to promote air circulation which helps minimize that terrible old urine smell, reduction of mold, less bugs etc.
Mine have a clearance of around 9’-6". But I agree with Dressage Strider no reasons a blade clearance of 8’ wouldn’t be fine also. Only dumb horses will rear up and strike their heads more than once or twice. The motors don’t have a lot of torque and by design can be/will be stopped if blocked.
[QUOTE=Guilherme;8876129]
You have to use the “industrial” grade fans with sealed motors and bearings, too. Given the price last time I looked at them (several hundred dollars plus installation costs) I wonder if cheap box fans that you replace every other year or so might not make more economic sense.
G.[/QUOTE]
I beg to disagree. This school of thought is pushed a lot on the forum. To each their own.
I installed pretty much the same fan that I have linked to. Mine are white and cost around $80. These are a better because I had to buy the wall mount controls. These are a bit bigger and are 4 speed verses mine which are 3. I have to get a ladder to change direction these you don’t. Mine of have been in use for years and work great. I “blow” them out and clean each spring. White shows the dirt this color should hide it longer.
[QUOTE=Dressage_Strider;8876530]
mounted at 8’ would be fine - if the horse did rear and hit it for some reason - it’s not going to cause that much damage to the horse - blade may break, but it’s not just going to keep spinning and chop his head or anything.
As far as “industrial” grade fans - there are some with sealed gearboxes, but I would only say that’s necessary for large barns with super tall ceilings so you could straddle stalls or put over the aisleway.
Box fans are a fire hazard - hear all sorts of tragedies every year from those - terrible idea, plus they only provide directional cooling so if the horse is not right in front of it, tough.
Ceiling fan does more to promote air circulation which helps minimize that terrible old urine smell, reduction of mold, less bugs etc.[/QUOTE]
“Box fans are a fire hazard - hear all sorts of tragedies every year from those - terrible idea, plus they only provide directional cooling so if the horse is not right in front of it, tough”
My research doesn’t support this. It is more perception than reality. Because the rare times it happens everybody hears about. When in fact only it only happens with a VERY small percentage of those in use. It it almost always caused by the user error not the use of the fan. I discussed it with my insurance company. They keep vast statistics on this sort of stuff. To each their own on this.
Contrary to popular belief barn fires are very rare. Even with those who store hay and straw in their loft, god forbid. The numbers are so small statistics are not kept for “barn fires”. They are lumped into all Agricultural buildings.
Number 1 cause of Ag/Barn fires is “heat sources”.
[QUOTE=gumtree;8876576]
I beg to disagree. This school of thought is pushed a lot on the forum. To each their own.
…
gumtree, the fans at this facility look -very- similar to those, and are also white in colour. The barn manger did advise me that they are all on their own switch (versus a master switch) and that I could choose to use a box or other type of fan instead, if I wanted to supply it.
At a guess, without going back to measure, the fans are about 10’ high.
Also, thanks for all the replies! I really appreciate the responses.
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