By Erin McCoy, veterinary physician assistant at Pipestone
As someone who thrives on outdoor adventures, I eagerly anticipate the warmer weather and the lively buzz that comes with spring. But it’s also the time when our barn ventilation systems kick into high gear. With temperatures climbing during the day and dipping at night, it’s crucial our ventilation systems keep pace with the changing temperatures of the seasons.
I encourage producers to conduct a thorough check-up on their ventilation systems to ensure they’re ready for the impending warmer weather. Here’s a checklist for guidance:
- Soffit Doors
It’s crucial to prioritize checking soffit doors despite any lingering concerns about cold weather. While the closure of outside soffit doors on the north or west sides of barns serves to shield against snow infiltration into the attic, it’s important to recognize the potential drawbacks of keeping them shut. Keeping these doors closed can starve the attic’s ventilation system, especially as more fan stages are activated. Therefore, once the threat of snow has passed, open the soffit doors and clear dust or debris obstructing the openings. Barn inlets will close as needed to manage the cooler air.
- Wall Fans
Ensure all wall fans are uncovered, in preparation for that unexpectedly warm day. If I notice stage three fans are running, that is a clear indication it is time to uncover the stage four fan in anticipation of rising temperatures.
- Curtains
Remove any bubble wrap or plastic covering your curtains and switch the toggle switches to automatic mode. Additionally, check the curtain settings to ensure a delay of 2°F to 3°F before transitioning into tunnel or curtain mode after maxing out on fan power. This is important to prevent curtains from bouncing up and down on those 40°F-to-50°F-degree days. This provides our pigs and our people with a comfortable consistency in air movement.
- Inlets
Calibrate and check the functionality of each inlet in every fan stage, aiming for a target airflow of 600' to 800' per minute. A good rule of thumb is the airflow should hit you in the face from 6' to 8' away from the inlet. Inlets might need recalibration due to ice buildup during colder winter days.
- Alarms
Check the settings on emergency thermostats and alarm high/low settings to adjust for upcoming summer temperatures.
