Proper ventilation, air intake, or air control is one of the most important aspects of a well-run auto body shop. Not only is the health of your body shop employees a priority, but having good airflow that is up to code also helps keep humidity controlled and provides a comfortable environment with a consistent temperature.
Knowing which type of ventilation system is right for your auto body shop can go a long way toward keeping employees healthy and happy and ensuring your business is functioning as it should by meeting auto repair shop ventilation requirements.
Whether you pick fan- or exhaust-based air filtration, it’s important to know the pros and cons of each and why you should pick one over the other.
Why Body Shop Ventilation is Important
When an auto shop is not properly ventilated, at a professional shop or at home, it can cause a lot of health concerns. Metal particles, paint and chemical fumes, and other contaminants are constantly flying through the air and must be removed and replaced with clean, fresh air in order to ensure employees’ health and safety.
Highly flammable materials are also part of a body shop’s day-to-day functions, and it’s important to remove these gases and fumes to reduce the risk of explosion or fire and ensure that employees have clean, breathable air.
Auto Shop Ventilation Types
Fans
Fans are a great way to enhance existing ventilation systems in body shops or for home mechanics who need some sort of air-cleaning system but don’t want to spend a large sum of money. Fans provide clean air in body shops and home garages by sucking it into the building and expelling it through another fan or exhaust setup.
Fan Types
Depending on your needs — whether you need a whole-shop system or just a supplement — there is a wide variety of fans and systems that will be beneficial and help generate clean, breathable air.
- Floor Fans—Generally available in a fixed drum style or a basic fan mounted on legs, floor fans are designed for use in auto body shops as a supplement only or in small home garages that just need an extra boost of clean air.
- Super Duty Fans – Ceiling and angle mounting available. Super Duty Fans are a great option for auto body shops. The high-velocity airflow is higher with low noise disturbance.
Exhaust Extraction Systems
Auto body shop exhaust systems are designed to filter and remove or extract larger amounts of air, so they tend to work well for shops with larger capacities. There are several different exhaust options available to purify your garage air: whole-garage systems and systems that capture the vehicle exhaust at the source and remove the air to the outside. Whole-shop ventilation systems tend to work in conjunction with your AC/heating units and have filters that capture air particles and other carcinogens before transferring the air outside.
Portable exhaust systems and exhaust extraction kits that capture and remove air directly from the source are some of the best ways an auto body shop or home mechanic can achieve clean, breathable air. Exhaust extraction kits feature a variety of hoses that attach directly to the vehicle’s exhaust and expel the air directly outside, drastically reducing carbon monoxide and carcinogen exposure. Portable exhaust systems are portable fans that capture exhaust fumes and transport them up to 30 feet away.
Air Filtration Systems
Air filtration systems purify and filter the air, as opposed to exhausting it or removing it from the area. Usually mounted in the center of the garage from the ceiling, most models feature user-friendly interfaces such as easy control and front-loading filters for easy cleaning. A direct-drive blower expels clean air. Activated carbon and HEPA are recommended to ensure air quality and provide your employees with a safer work environment. Also available as portable units, air filtration systems can be used alongside existing exhaust or fan systems.
Paint Booth Ventilation
It’s especially important to properly ventilate paint booths. Due to the enclosed space, there’s more risk of fire hazards and pollutants in the air. If you are completing any vehicle painting jobs, proper airflow and ventilation can also help ensure a more consistent paint job. Portable or small ventilation fans are also excellent ways to make sure your paint booth is properly ventilated and can be used to supplement the paint booth’s existing intake and exhaust filter systems.
Proper ventilation is very important for all body shops and home mechanics, and it doesn’t have to be a hassle to figure out which auto shop ventilation, exhaust, or filtration system meets your needs and safety requirements. If you’re still looking for an auto shop or home garage ventilation system, Super Duty Fans could be the answer to help keep your business up to date-and your employees happy.