No one wants to be caught with a broken heater in the middle of a snowstorm. Winter may seem far away, but it will be here before you know it.
“Proper maintenance can help ensure that barn equipment will operate safely and efficiently, which in turn will help promote animal health and productivity,” Dwight Naber, district sales manager for AP, says in a release.
He shares seven ways to make sure your swine barn equipment is ready for cold weather.
1. Clean heaters.
Make sure the barn heaters are in good working order, Naber says. Spend some time blowing away dust and debris, and cleaning any carbon buildup on the units. Don’t forget to check the wiring, igniter, sail switch and flame sensor.
2. Test heaters.
Once the heaters are clean, he suggests manually testing them to make sure they operate properly. Activate the heaters from the room ventilation controller to confirm the controller is communicating correctly. Troubleshoot any issues, and replace parts as needed. He recommends storing extra parts to reduce downtime if needed later in the season.
3. Inspect wall curtains.
Naber advises producers to patch any holes or tears that may have occurred over the summer. Check storm ropes to be sure they are tight and will hold up well during the winter.
4. Check seal openings.
For barns with soffit doors, he says to make sure they will properly close and maintain a good seal against cold air entering the barn. Retrieve winter fan shutter covers from storage and install in an effort to prevent air leakage.
5. Drain cool cells.
Make sure that cool cell pumps and system are completely drained before they are put away for winter, Naber says.
6. Inspect attic insulation.
Take a look in the attic to make sure proper insulation depth is still intact, he adds. Evaluate this closely along the outer walls where stronger summer winds may have blown insulation away from the outer perimeter of the ceiling.
7. Check minimum ventilation inlets.
Ensure minimum vent inlets are in good working order, as they will be used more often going into transitional and colder weather.
“If you have auto actuated inlets, ensure that your actuator machine is greased and in good working order, check pulleys and cables, and confirm that the inlets themselves are operating correctly,” Naber says. “For automatic/counterweighted inlets, check for missing and properly placed counter weights for optimal performance for transitional and colder weather.”
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