The air is stagnant, still. The smell of lubricating oil alternates with that of smoke and metal. Sweat runs rampant here; the suffocating heat makes the working environment oppressive and claustrophobic. The deafening background of buzzing and metallic sounds accompanies the passing of time, but during the summer, every minute becomes an eternity, the temperature is unbearable.
Have you ever worked in a workshop during hot weather? When the temperature rises, understanding how to cool a workshop becomes crucial to working well and safely.
The most frequently used methods for cooling a workshop
Maintaining comfortable temperatures inside a workshop can be more difficult than expected; the heat generated by the presence of wood, textile or metal working machines, combined with any welding operations, contributes to making the environment a veritable oven, especially if the building does not have great ventilation options.
There are several solutions that can be adopted to cool a workshop and improve working conditions, here are the most common:
- Natural ventilation is an important aid in the fight against scorching heat and can also be used in combination with other cooling systems. However, it can only work if there are openings on different sides of the building, so that a constant air flow is achieved, reducing the temperature by a few degrees.
- Sun blinds can also help cool the workshop: if strategically placed over doors and windows, they can reduce incoming heat. Used alone, however, they are unlikely to sufficiently reduce the temperature.
- Covering the roof and the parts of the workshop most exposed to the sun with reflective materials can be another interesting solution in the fight against heat, although this system can have substantial installation costs.
- A misting system can also make the air fresher inside the workshop. These systems emit water mist that instantly cools the surrounding air, creating highly localised cooling zones. Spraying alone, however, is inefficient and not suitable for all working environments.
- The installation of an air conditioning system can be a very effective solution, but it depends largely on the size of the workshop. In addition, the costs associated with consumption and system management could make the system unaffordable for many activities.
- Evaporative cooling, on the other hand, utilises the natural phenomenon of water evaporation to reduce the air temperature in localised areas, even in very large outdoor spaces with open windows, and is able to bring immediate cooling with sustainable costs and consumption.
Why are outdoor areas important for a business?
Outside spaces have become more and more important in recent years: the desire of customers to eat outside or spend time in the open air has grown exponentially, especially due to the effects of the pandemic. Furthermore, there is a growing awareness, especially within large cities, of the impact of urbanisation on the quality of life: there are fewer and fewer outdoor spaces available and it is understandable that the need to be outdoors is constantly increasing.
Secondly, terraces enhance the variety of the retail environment, increasing customer choice, and can be used to create a pleasant and cosy atmosphere.
From a restaurateur’s perspective, therefore, patios can increase revenue potential, because they improve the customer experience and increase the seating capacity of the business.
Cooling a workshop with Star Progetti systems
At Starprogretti, we have been making evaporative coolers for over 20 years, and were the first to equip cooling systems with a UV device for water sterilisation that prevents the formation of potentially harmful moulds and bacteria.
- The effectiveness of our evaporative coolers lies in their ability to create targeted cooling areas without wasting energy.
- Our coolers are a sustainable and ecological choice, as they use a natural phenomenon to achieve a high cooling capacity with very low consumption.
- They offer considerable savings as they require little maintenance and have no installation costs.
- They are able to reduce the room temperature by up to 7°C.
- Star Progetti coolers are easy to handle, and are simple space-saving devices.
- Furthermore, they are safe for our health, thanks to the use of a UV device that sterilises the water.