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6 vs. 10-blade HVLS Fans: Cost and Comparison

Bagels or muffins. Yankees or Red Sox. Apple or PC. These are all classic arguments that still rage on in our society. But for facility managers and engineers, there is another one that is equally, if not more important:

6 vs. 10-blade HVLS Fans: Cost and Comparison

6-blade HVLS Fans vs. 10-blade HVLS Fans
Back in 1995, MacroAir founder Walter Boyd designed the first HVLS fan as a way to cool off dairy cattle that were suffering from heat stress, which negatively impacted their milk production. His initial HVLS design used ten aluminum blades.

Ten years later, with the green movement steadily rising, MacroAir's engineers wanted to develop a cooling solution to help businesses lower their carbon footprints and energy consumption. Their solution was to create a six-blade fan that was easier to install, lighter, and more energy efficient.


Today, both types of fans are quite common. Each kind of fan has a unique set of pros and cons. To understand which one might be best for your needs, let's take a look at how they compare when it comes to cost and performance.

Cubic Feet Per Minute (CFM)
The cubic feet per minute measurement determines how much air a fan moves in 60 seconds. A higher CFM number means a fan performs better, which gives its user a greater return on investment. The Air Movement Control Association has set out specific guidelines about how to measure CFM.

It's tough to directly compare the CFM of 6-blade vs. 10-blade fans, because other factors impact how much air a fan moves: the materials used in the fan, the fan's motor, and so on. However, when we compared the CFM of a 24? 6-blade HVLS fan to a 24? 10-blade fan, we found that the 6-blade fan had the advantage by more than 70,000 CFM.

Energy Efficiency
Every environmentally responsible business wants to cut down on their use of energy. According to recent research from the U.S. Department of Energy, the combined energy costs of all the commercial and industrial buildings in the United States is $400 billion.

Minimizing cooling costs is a great way to cut down on energy consumption and costs. It's easy to understand why a 6-blade fan is more energy efficient than a 10-blade fan: less blades to move means less power is required for the fan to rotate. Another point that many green-conscious fan buyers will care about: 6-blade fans have a smaller carbon footprint, since they require less material and energy to create than 10-blade fans. Research has shown that a 6-blade fan requires 13% less energy to produce than a similar 10-blade fan.

Shipping and Installation Costs
Commercial shipping costs are frequently calculated by weight: the heavier something is, the more you can expect to pay in shipping costs. HVLS fans are no exception to this rule, which means that 6-blade fans will usually cost less to ship. On average, a 6-blade fan weighs 30% less than a 10-blade fan.

Similarly, installation costs are often lower with a 6-blade fan because there is less to put together and fewer things to transport. The lighter weight of the 6-blade HVLS fan also means that once the fan is installed, it will put less stress on the infrastructure of a building than a 10-blade fan.

Summary
Fans that have 6 blades instead of 10 are lighter, more energy efficient, and often provide performance that is superior to their 10-blade counterparts. When it comes to cost, 6-blade fans are frequently the more economic option. However, every room has its own unique cooling requirements and challenges.It is important to keep in mind both your needs and relevant industry research when attempting to choose between a 6 and a 10-blade fan.

More Info: https://macroairfans.com

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