Ask the Expert: Destratification Fans

Why Destratification Fans Make Sense for Schools

• By Christian Avedon
• June 1st, 2016

First, it’s important to understand what a destratification fan system will do. A destratification system is a grid of multiple ceiling fans working in concert to continuously mix the ceiling air to the floor and balance a facility’s air temperature.

When a space’s temperature is balanced, the need to over-heat or over-cool a space due to stratification is eliminated and significant savings can be realized.

Schools have indoor athletic facilities, large classrooms, libraries, storage facilities and other high-atrium areas where destratification fans are effective and will reduce the energy used to condition the space.

There are many other benefits from a destratification fan system:

• Improved Comfort: Any facility has areas that are often too cold or too hot. Staff, faculty and student comfort is improved with a quality destratification fan installation.
• Safer Work Areas: A PHI (photohydroionization) kit can be installed in some destratification fans to eliminate molds, bacteria, VOCs and odors. Health conditions can be improved in kitchens, cafeterias, locker rooms, janitorial storage areas, etc.
• Fits Into Tight Spaces: An enclosed destratification fan, unlike paddle or HVLS (high volume, low speed) fans, can fit tightly into a ceiling with rafters, ducts or other truss structure.
• Helps Swimmers: In indoor swimming facilities, destratification fans can remove the layer of chloramines just above a pool’s surface, which often irritates swimmers.
• Longer Life for Lighting Systems: Decreasing ceiling temperatures extends the life of the lighting system.

This article originally appeared in the June 2016 issue of School Planning & Management.