One of the advantages of choosing a metal building for a Farm is its ability to reflect the sun’s rays. This reduces the amount of energy needed to cool down the building and keeps out a lot of the heat during the summer months.
However, this doesn’t mean that there is nothing else you can do to keep the building cool. If you live in an area where the temperatures get quite high during the summer months, then you’ll want to consider a few extra measures to ensure that your building remains comfortable for your livestock, safe for your employees, and suitable for your storage needs.
You’ll also want to prevent your energy costs from skyrocketing during the summer. With that in mind, the following guide will help you make your metal building more efficient during the summer seasons.
Understanding Thermodynamics
Thermodynamics is the study of how heat transfers from one object to another and can help illustrate why it’s important to keep your metal building cool. Even though metal buildings are designed to reflect the sun’s rays, the heat will still transfer into and out of the building. The following are the three main ways in which heat transfers:
Conduction
Conduction is the transfer of heat through direct contact. This means that if one object has more heat than another, then heat will move from the hotter object to the cooler one. For example, if your roof heats up in the summer due to direct sunlight, then the heat will transfer through conduction from the part of the roof facing the exterior to the cold side of the roof facing the interior.
Convection
Convection is the transfer of heat through air or liquid. This occurs when a hot object heats up the surrounding air, which then transfers the heat to another object. For example, if a hot day causes your structure to get hotter, then the air around it will become warmer as well. That warm air will then move to other parts of the building, transferring even more heat to them.
Radiation
Radiation is the transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves. This is what happens when sunlight hits your building and transfers its heat to other objects. Although metal buildings are designed to reflect most of this heat, some will still make its way inside and contribute to the overall temperature of your building.
Ways to Keep Your Steel Farm Building Cool in Summer
Now that you have a better understanding of how heat transfers, you can start implementing measures to keep your farm building cool during the summer months. Here are a few methods:
- Insulation: Insulation works by providing an airtight barrier between the outside and inside of your building. This barrier helps to keep out the heat outside, thus keeping the building cool. Steel building insulation can also help prevent the cool air being produced by your HVAC system from escaping outside, helping to keep energy costs down.
- Seal Your Building: Make sure that all of the openings and cracks in your building are sealed properly. This helps to keep out unwanted air and heat from outside as well as prevent cool air from escaping. You can seal your building with caulk, foam, weatherstripping, or insulation.
- Apply a Cool Coating: Specialized cool coatings can be applied to your metal building to help keep it cool. These coatings are designed to reflect the sun’s rays and prevent your building from absorbing too much heat. You can choose cool coatings for your metal building’s exterior walls, panels, and roof.
- Ventilation: Make sure to install adequate ventilation in your metal building. This will help keep the air circulating and prevent the build-up of heat from inside.
- Landscaping Isn’t Only for Aesthetics: Planning out your landscaping can help to keep the area around your metal building cooler. This can be done by strategically planting trees and shrubs to help block sunlight when it’s at its strongest. By blocking the sun’s heat, your farm buildings will remain cooler, and energy costs will be reduced.
- Consider Cooling Add-Ons: Consider adding cooling features to your metal building. This could include items such as ceiling fans, radiant barriers, and solar screens. You can even install windows with special tinting to keep the heat out. By themselves, these add-ons may only have a small effect on the temperature of your building, but when combined with other cooling measures, they can make a significant difference.
Build Your Steel Farm Buildings with Us
At Toro, we specialize in designing and manufacturing steel farm buildings. We offer a wide range of metal buildings for various purposes, from our agricultural steel buildings to our workshop and warehouse buildings. Our structures are prefabricated, making them easy to assemble, and can be customized to meet your specific needs.
If you’re looking for an efficient metal building solution this summer, then get in touch with our building specialists today. Our experts are always here to answer any of your questions and help you find the perfect farm buildings for your agricultural needs. To request a quote, contact us online or call us at 1-877-870-8676 today. Also, feel free to check out our sister company’s website (Future Buildings) for more information and content here.
