• FEB / MAR 2021
FARM BUILDINGS & EQUIPMENT 17
SHELTER AND FRESH AIR
Achieving the healthy Combination
FARMPLUS has over thirty years ’ experience in the design and supply of timber framed farm buildings and shelters .
When looking at buildings you need to think of what your animals would do when left to nature , I assure you they will always try to find shelter in the basic form , using hedges , walls & natural hollows to reduce the impact of the winds , Similarly they use high hedges or trees for shade and shelter from rain allowing them plenty of clean fresh air .
Remember these principles , your animals need shelter from the wind and rain , shade from the sun and plenty of fresh air .
Ideally animals need a wall for shelter with a gap above for air to pass over . Depending on the height of the wall , the gap above may need some wind break material against driving rain and wind on bad days .
In a building air movements should be above animal height so as not to create a draft . The best and cheapest form of ventilation is and always will be natural using the stack effect with gaps at the low eaves and open ridges . No fans using electricity , no moving parts .
The best ridges for animals are simple , upturned flashings to make the outside air lift over the ridge of the roof . With the upstand heal a minimum 50mm ( 2 ” inch ) down from the top of the roof sheet , allowing driving rainfall that hits the inside of the upright flashing to drain away . In very high rainfall areas , special ventilating ridge caps can be supplied .
Ventilation is not the volume of air , but the rate of air exchange in a building , simply clean air in and stale air out .
Farmplus has a vast range of buildings suitable for adapting to your differing needs and get the best value overall .
www . farmplus . co . uk