Ventilation is so important when your barn houses horses. Without proper ventilation, your horses may be at risk for respiratory issues. Did you know that the way that you build your barn can increase – or minimize – the ventilation that will be available to your horses? Here’s how you can build ventilation into your barn.

Install a Working Cupola

Cupolas aren’t just decorative – they can be functional, too. When selecting the cupola for your barn, make sure that it is functional to allow airflow both into and out of your barn. This can be an important factor in improving ventilation and regulating temperature, especially if you have a hayloft positioned above your horses’ stalls.

The size of the cupola in relation to your barn’s size matters. A cupola which is too small for your barn will be ineffective. Make sure that your cupola is at least one inch long for every one foot of your barn roof’s length.

Design Ventilation Into the Eves

You can also design your barn eves to ventilate your barn. Incorporating vents into your barn eves can increase the airflow through your barn, and will also reduce the issues of stagnant air and condensation. Barn eve construction can lead to a healthier barn atmosphere.

Build Wide Barn Doors

When planning the layout of your barn, make sure that you build a wide barn aisle with wide barn end doors. The wider your aisle and doors are, the more you will be able to open the barn up to maximize natural airflow. You may also want to position your barn so that you can take advantage of the common wind paths during the hot summer months.

Choose Stall Doors With Venting

Barn ventilation is great, but that airflow needs to be able to reach your horse, too. Classic Equine Equipment offers stall doors with vented wood portions to allow for airflow into the stall. Choosing a grate stall bottom can also allow for air to flow into your horse’s stall.

Incorporate Barn Fans

While natural ventilation is great in your barn, sometimes you need to help the airflow along a little. Barn fans are an excellent addition to any barn. Consider using both ceiling fans and stall fans to create maximum ventilation. Classic Equine Equipment offers a number of barn fans built for durability in the barn environment.

We are happy to help you maximize ventilation in your barn. Please contact Classic Equine Equipment and we will help you to design your barn with overall ventilation in mind.

Original Source: Building Ventilation Into Your Barn