The early spring season is the ideal time to give your fans the attention they need so that they can run at 100% performance. This should become part of the farm’s routine maintenance plan.

When was the last time you performed maintenance on your ventilation system, such as cleaning your fans or replacing the water filter on the cow cooling system? Proper maintenance is crucial to keeping equipment running at full capacity. Field equipment is routinely maintained, and your ventilation system and fans should not be any different.

Summer is just around the corner, which means your ventilation system will be running at full capacity again to help keep your barn and animals cool and comfortable. To capitalize on your system’s top-performance capability, a few simple maintenance items need to be taken care of.

Whether your fans are belt-driven or direct-driven, there are simple and easy tasks you can perform to ensure everything is performing as it should be. Here is a quick checklist of what you can do.

Maintenance on belt drive fans

• Replace torn, cracked or fraying belts
• Check all tensioner pulleys and arms
• Clean all of the shutters on exhaust fans
• Clean all of the louvers on louvered circulation fans
• Clean all of the louvers on inlet fans, if applicable
• Clean blades and check for any damage

Maintenance on direct drive fans

• Clean all of the shutters on exhaust fans
• Clean all of the louvers on louvered circulation fans
• Clean all of the louvers on inlet fans, if applicable
• Clean blades and check for any damages

Take care of your ventilation system, and it will take care of you. According to Penn State Extension, accumulation of as little as 1/8-inch of dirt can significantly reduce the output performance of your fans. It is recommended to implement procedures to accomplish the maintenance tasks listed above monthly. However, we understand that isn’t always possible, so at minimum, this checklist should be done three to four times a year to keep your ventilation system performing as well as the day you originally installed it.

High-pressure fogging

High-pressure fogging is a critical component of a heat stress mitigation strategy. It has several components that need to be prepped before using the full system each year. Running water through the system is important to make sure there are no leaks and that the fogging components aren’t clogged or broken. It is recommended to follow the distribution lines to the injection pump to check for any leaks and ensure the oil is at the proper level. The pump filters should be replaced at the beginning of each summer season. During your routine maintenance, this is also a great time to check your water quality and hardness of the water running through the system and make necessary changes if needed.

If you run into any of these issues, fix or replace the parts as soon as possible to ensure your system is working without any interruptions before the hot summer heat begins. As always, it is better to do something now before it is too late.

Curtain maintenance

Rolled curtains leverage nature’s airflow, and with hot weather on the horizon, you want to ensure your curtain system is ready for quick roll-up and roll-down. Curtains are a vital part of many ventilation systems but are often neglected after installation. Maintenance is required, and it’s recommended to look over the curtain material for any rips or holes and repair them each time the curtain is rolled up or down. Additionally, the power drive should be checked biannually for any oil leaks and unusual noises. It is not often thought about, but one way to maintain your curtains is to check for breaks in the bird mesh (if applicable) that may catch the curtain rolling up or down.

Maintaining your ventilation and cooling systems is just as important as having them. Poor maintenance, mostly lack of cleaning, can reduce efficiency by as much as 40% according to Penn State Extension. You have invested a great deal in your ventilation system, so maintaining it should be part of a routine to ensure its performance is at its maximum.

This spring is a great time to begin a routine maintenance program on your ventilation system, if you don’t already have one in place. If you have one, great work! Keep it up, but possibly add some of the items mentioned to your checklist. After all, efficient ventilation and cooling systems keep cows more comfortable. And comfortable cows add to your bottom line.