Ventilation Considerations for Steel Buildings

Ventilation is an important consideration for any type of building, but it’s especially important with steel buildings. Because steel buildings are custom engineered to fit together tightly, they’re very susceptible to condensation. Without proper ventilation, you could be inviting mold to form on the contents of your metal building or fostering an unhealthy atmosphere indoors. Luckily, providing proper ventilation isn’t difficult if you choose a supplier or manufacturer that can supply all of the accessories you need to properly vent your metal building.

The amount of ventilation you’ll require depends on a number of different factors, including the size of the building, the place where it’s located and how the building will be used. For example, if you’re using the structure mostly for storage, you’ll require far less ventilation than you’d need if you were intending it to be occupied and heavily used by people or livestock. In that case, you may need an expert to figure out the proper materials and the best layout to provide necessary cross ventilation. That’s one of the reasons that the most reputable suppliers of steel buildings work with architects and engineers. If you buy your metal building from a reputable supplier who is used to working with inexperienced buyers, the supplier will usually explain the necessity to you and ensure that all of the needed specifications are met.

The main types of vents you’ll see in steel buildings are ridge vents, circular vents and louvers. As a general rule of thumb, a single ten-foot ridge vent can adequately vent a building with up to 2,400 square feet of interior space – unless the building will be heavily occupied by either people or livestock. In that case, additional venting may be required. You may also need louvers placed near floor level or in the walls of the building to provide adequate cross ventilation and help the roof vent work more efficiently.

If you choose ridge vents, you should look for vents made of heavy duty, 26 gauge steel, and include a rain cap, a bird screen and an adjustable adaptor. It should also be the correct ridge vent to fit the pitch of your roof. Again, if you work with a reputable supplier or manufacturer of steel buildings, he’ll make sure that everything fits together right.

In smaller steel buildings, louvers may provide enough ventilation for your needs. Louvers general come in 3’ by 3’, 3’ x 4’ and 4’ x 4’ foot sizes. Each louver should include a bird screen and proper frames. You can locate the louver anywhere on the wall that is unobstructed, but it should be decided during the design phase of the steel building.

Any reputable supplier or manufacturer of steel buildings can give you professional advice about the best way to ventilate your metal building. Be sure to let your supplier know exactly how you intend to use your building to get the best advice.