Warehouse

Warehouse Heat Retention Tips

Barry Warehouse , ,

While our local markets are not near as cold as other parts of the country, keeping your warehouse warm during the winter can be a challenging task, but there are several strategies you can employ to maintain a comfortable temperature while also being energy-efficient. Here are some tips to help you keep heat in your warehouse during the winter:

Insulate the Building: Proper insulation is crucial to reduce heat loss. Make sure your warehouse is well-insulated in the walls, roof, and floor. If your warehouse is poorly insulated, consider adding insulation materials like fiberglass, foam board, or spray foam.
Seal Gaps and Leaks: Identify and seal any gaps or leaks in doors, windows, walls, and the roof. Weatherstripping and caulking can be used to seal gaps and prevent cold air infiltration.
Upgrade Doors and Windows: Install energy-efficient doors and windows that have good insulation properties. Double-paned windows and insulated doors can significantly reduce heat loss.
Use High-Performance HVAC Systems: Invest in energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Consider options like radiant heating or high-efficiency gas heaters to provide even and consistent heating.
Zoning and Programmable Thermostats: Implement zoning systems to heat only the areas that are in use. Additionally, use programmable thermostats to set lower temperatures during non-working hours and weekends.
Use Ceiling Fans: Ceiling fans can help distribute warm air throughout the warehouse. Set them to run in reverse during the winter to push warm air down.
Consider Space Heaters: Use energy-efficient space heaters in areas where employees work to provide localized warmth without heating the entire warehouse.
Install Insulated Curtains or Partitions: Create insulated partitions within the warehouse to segregate colder and warmer areas. This can be especially helpful if only a portion of the warehouse requires heating.
Proper Maintenance: Regularly maintain your heating system, including cleaning and changing filters, to ensure it operates at peak efficiency.
Air Sealing: Ensure that your warehouse is airtight by addressing any gaps or openings in the building envelope.
Employee Awareness: Educate your employees about energy conservation and encourage them to dress warmly during the winter.
Monitor and Adjust: Continuously monitor the temperature and energy usage in your warehouse. Adjust heating settings and insulation as needed to optimize comfort and efficiency.
Consider Renewable Energy: If feasible, consider incorporating renewable energy sources like solar panels or a geothermal heat pump system to reduce your energy costs.
Maintain Adequate Ventilation: While sealing your warehouse is important, ensure that you maintain proper ventilation to prevent indoor air quality issues. Install energy-recovery ventilation systems if necessary.
Consider Industrial Thermal Curtains: Industrial thermal curtains are designed to separate different temperature zones within a warehouse. They can help contain heat in specific areas and improve energy efficiency.

Remember that the specific strategies you choose will depend on the size of your warehouse, your budget, and the climate in your region. It’s often a good idea to consult with an HVAC professional or energy expert to help design and implement an effective heating strategy for your warehouse.

Tips to Improve Dock Safety

Barry Safety, Warehouse , ,

Improving safety on a warehouse dock is crucial for preventing accidents and maintaining a secure work environment. Here are some recommendations to enhance safety:

  • Conduct regular safety training: Train all dock workers on proper safety protocols, including equipment operation, handling hazardous materials, and emergency procedures. Offer refresher courses periodically and ensure everyone understands safety regulations.
  • Provide personal protective equipment (PPE): Supply all workers with appropriate PPE, such as hard hats, safety glasses, high-visibility vests, steel-toed boots, and gloves. Encourage their consistent use and enforce PPE policies.
  • Maintain clear communication: Establish effective communication systems, such as two-way radios or intercoms, to allow clear communication between dock workers, truck drivers, and supervisors. Ensure everyone can effectively relay information, warnings, and instructions.
  • Implement traffic management: Develop a comprehensive traffic management plan for the dock area to prevent collisions and improve pedestrian safety. Clearly mark pedestrian walkways and separate them from vehicle lanes. Install signage and mirrors to enhance visibility, and consider using barriers or guardrails where necessary.
  • Ensure proper lighting: Adequate lighting is essential for a safe dock environment. Install sufficient lighting fixtures to eliminate dark areas and shadows that could obscure visibility. Regularly inspect and maintain lighting systems to address any issues promptly.
  • Regular maintenance of equipment: Establish a preventive maintenance program for all dock equipment, including forklifts, loading ramps, and conveyor systems. Regular inspections and maintenance help identify potential hazards, preventing equipment malfunctions that could lead to accidents.
  • Promote good housekeeping: Encourage a clean and organized work environment. Ensure that walkways, ramps, and loading areas are free of clutter, debris, spills, and obstacles that can cause slips, trips, or falls. Provide adequate waste management systems to prevent accumulation of waste materials.
  • Implement safety barriers and guards: Install safety barriers, guardrails, and bollards to protect pedestrians and prevent unauthorized access to restricted areas. Implement dock edge protection systems to prevent accidental falls from the dock.
  • Use warning signs and labels: Clearly display warning signs and labels to communicate potential hazards, such as restricted areas, low clearance, slippery surfaces, or areas with moving equipment. Ensure signage is prominently visible and easily understood.
  • Regular safety inspections: Conduct routine safety inspections to identify potential hazards, non-compliance with safety protocols, or equipment issues. Encourage reporting of safety concerns by workers and promptly address any identified problems.
  • Emergency preparedness: Develop and communicate emergency procedures specific to the dock area. Clearly mark emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and other safety equipment. Conduct drills periodically to ensure workers are familiar with emergency protocols.
  • Encourage employee involvement: Involve employees in safety initiatives by establishing a safety committee or encouraging their participation in safety discussions. Encourage workers to report safety concerns, near-miss incidents, or potential hazards, and reward proactive safety behavior.

Partnering with a professional material handling company gives you insight from industry professionals whose goal is to help you create a safe working environment for anyone that operates in or around your docks.

Lowering Energy Costs During Winter

Barry Uncategorized, Warehouse , , , ,

Winter is fast approaching, which means increased energy expenses to keep your warehouse warm and productive. While Southern California is not as effected by colder weather as our friends on the east coast, we will still be turning on the heat and anything we can do to minimize the impact of that on our bottom is helpful to a profitable 2018.

The following steps are five of our top recommendations for reducing energy consumption without turning down the thermostat.

Ensure Efficient Heat Generation Processes

Whatever thermal system you use, now is the time to make sure it is up to date with regular maintenance. Keeping your system in good operating order extends its life and ensures that it operates at optimal efficiency. Meanwhile, a poorly maintained system—particularly a gas-fired one—can pose a significant safety risk.

Another area of concern is the quantity, type, and location of your heating units. If you have made any changes to your warehouse configuration since your HVAC system was installed, now would be a good time for consultation. Technology advances quickly, and you want to be sure your HVAC system is up-to-date with current technology to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.

Maintain Proper Air Circulation

We all know that heat rises, and 20-degree temperature variances between the warehouse floor and the typical 40-foot ceiling are not uncommon. Circulating warmth to the floor can save hundreds—if not thousands—of dollars each month during the winter. The best means to accomplish this is through large industrial ceiling fans.

Determining what size, how many, and where to install industrial ceiling fans is our specialty. Fans can save up to 30 percent of your heating costs and deliver positive ROI in less than two years in many applications. Contact us for more information on fans and how many you might need to improve your energy circulation.

Retain as Much Heat as Possible

If you operate a warehouse, you have doors—very large doors. Although it is impossible to eliminate heat exchanges with cold outdoor air, you can take specific steps to significantly reduce it. These steps are more cost-effective than you probably expect.

Insulated dock panel doors can help retain warm air. However, depending on the number of dock positions, investment in them can be prohibitively costly. Instead, consider an insulation kit for each door. Insulation kits are less expensive, provide an R-Value of 6.81, and are easy to install.

Gaps around your dock doors can also cause significant heat loss. Inspect the top, bottom, and both sides of each door. If you see daylight, you are losing energy. Weather stripping kits are available to fill these gaps. The kits include weather stripping for the perimeter of the door as well as a 5-inch double-loop bottom rubber astragal to ensure that doors close tightly at the bottom. In addition to preserving heat, the seals keep bugs and other debris outside your warehouse facility. Caulking and sealants available at your local DIY big box store can help improve retention of heat dramatically over the winter.

Dock seals or shelters are imperative for preventing tremendous heat loss during trailer loading and unloading. If you are running a high-traffic operation without seals or even with worn seals, tens of thousands of expensive BTUs can blow out the door each winter day. If your seals or shelters are in good condition, be sure each tractor trailer is backed up tight against them before the dock doors are opened. Many types of dock seals and shelters are available. We can help you choose the right ones for your doors and budget.

One final area we recommend assessing is your dock leveler. If you use pit-mounted levelers, it makes sense to ensure that the side and rear seals are in good condition. Worn seals on your dock leveler result in air infiltration. We can inspect your levelers and seals, and service or replace any that are worn

Install Windows and/or Skylights

Although it is not always practical depending on the construction of your warehouse (or if you own or lease it), we certainly recommend investigating ways to improve the natural light and heat generated by the sun! Strategically placed windows or skylights can dramatically reduce your warehouse energy costs during the winter not only by using the sun’s energy for heat, but also by improving the natural lighting in your warehouse. This reduces your reliance on lighting fixtures and further reduces your energy costs. Using retractable blinds allows you to close the windows during the summer months, which reduces heat generation when it is not required.

And if you facility has windows, consider replacing them with energy efficient windows that can provide better heat retention and help keep the cold air out. If your windows are more than 10 years old, chances are you can improve energy consumption with new, more efficient windows.

Use Air Curtains or High-Speed Doors to Segment Your Warehouse Energy Needs

Some areas of your warehouse may not be used by employees often, who do most of their work in other areas of your warehouse. These low-use areas can be kept much cooler than the areas that employees use most. Air curtains and high-speed doors are excellent ways to keep the two areas temperature controlled while dramatically decreasing your energy consumption.

Winter can be an expensive time for warehouse operators, but the right steps taken the right way can significantly reduce the negative impact to your bottom line. We can help you find the right products to ensure you’re maximizing the use of energy in your facility during the colder winter months. Contact us at 800-322-5438 to speak to one of our representatives.