HVAC for Bakeries 

Bakery and snack production environments rely on air handling units to distribute the cooled and heated air throughout the building. Moreover, the equipment can impact the workplace environment. 

More importantly, the equipment within food production facilities requires proper maintenance & cleaning. Neglecting to maintain or clean air handlers in these facilities will affect safety and efficiency, shortening the equipment’s life and increasing their energy consumption. Also, this puts the system efficiency and employee safety at risk. Similarly, airborne contaminants like mold spores and bacteria will be transferred via the HVAC system, thus contaminating products at every stage of the production process. 

So, if you run or own a bakery, special care has to be taken to deal with airborne and fine powders like cocoa and floor. At the same time, the HVAC system for the bakery has to get rid of heat rising off the ovens to maintain the space at comfortable temperatures. 

Here are some incredible tips that will help you cut down on cooling costs in your bakery!

1. Install fans 

Disregarding heating and cooling systems in your bakery can impact product quality. Unfortunately, baking/ cooking areas present unique challenges since most ovens have their own sources of exhaust and supply. Also, they may need combustion air, making air balances in those areas a bit challenging. 

To solve these challenges, it’s important to include commercial conditioners in your MEP design for bakery cooling. In addition, you should install fans to move cool air around the bakery. This will help to minimize the amount of time needed to run the air conditioning units. Even better, the employees can simply step in front of these fans to get cool. 

1. Use split systems in the dining area & kitchen 

If your bakery has an eat-in area, you may need to separate the cooling system for that space and the kitchen. Besides, the dining area does not need as much heating as the baking/ cooking area. So, if you use an AC to maintain the baking area at optimal temperatures, you’ll end up cooling the dining areas, thus wasting a lot of money. 

1. Bake in the morning 

Normally, bakers prepare their baking wares in the morning. Thereafter, bread and other treats like doughnuts are prepared throughout the day when people are shopping. Also, this technique helps in the facility’s air conditioning. 

However, since the baking area is usually cooler in the morning, it’s good to get all the baking done early. This will reduce pressure on the building’s AC and minimize the heat produced in the bakery throughout the day. 

1. Try spot cooling 

Spot cooling is a special type of air conditioning unit that is mainly used in facilities that get very hot like bakeries and factories. In essence, this type of HVAC system takes outdoor air and cools it down while removing air moisture. Afterward, it pushes the conditioned air via a high-pressure blower down insulated ductwork. 

You can install these blowers over certain workstations in your bakery. This will give you a more efficient and cheaper way to cool your employees without cooling the entire bakery. 

1. Consider ventilation design for a bakery 

Like with any other heating and cooling system, you’ve to consider ventilation when you’re designing an MEP for the bakery. In a bakery environment, ventilation helps to deal with any humidity produced as steam rises off your bread and other baked products. 

However, bakery ventilation design is very challenging because of high heat sources and proper regulation of humidity levels & temperatures. A bakery also holds sufficient energy that with careful planning can be used to offer free energy for the whole building. Moreover, implementing air distribution systems and AC & ventilation devices in the bakery will provide large investment savings. 

1. Schedule regular HVAC system maintenance

Lastly, it’s important to perform regular maintenance on all ventilation equipment in your bakery. This includes equipment such as the ductwork behind the walls, range hoods, etc. Maintenance prevents the buildup of grime and grease that may interfere with the proper functioning of exhaust systems or increase the risk of fire accidents. 

Final Word 

Maintaining hygienic environments and the right temperatures in food production facilities is of utmost importance. More importantly, using the right climate control solution and HVAC for the bakery will play a crucial role in determining the quality of the final products. Besides, improving ventilation in the bakery kitchen will help your employees stay comfortable and optimize appliance performance. 

At innodez, we help large & small bakeries in California with HVAC design, installation, and layout. Best of all, we know the standards including health regulations and local building codes that will help your bakery meet top performance. If you want a professional that will help you create the perfect MEP design for your bakery, Call us today!