Gymnasiums and other high-use indoor recreation facilities must move large volumes of air to keep the space ventilated. However, the limited amount of free wall space poses a challenge to achieving the right airflow and pressure drop levels. Custom heavy-duty grilles, sized and shaped to fit in the available wall space, help facilities achieve proper ventilation. 

What Are the Challenges of Planning Ventilation for a Gymnasium?

High demand for air: Gymnasiums require a high volume of air to properly ventilate the space, best achieved with large, heavy-duty grilles.

Limited wall space: Two of the walls of a gym are generally covered by bleachers, and one of the walls is likely to be an exterior wall—limiting where heavy-duty grilles can be installed.

Competition for the space: Heavy-duty grilles are competing for the limited wall space with other utilities, gym padding, and acoustic panels.

How Do Custom Heavy-Duty Grilles Help Gymnasiums Maximize Limited Wall Space?

Unconventional sizing: Custom heavy-duty grilles can be built to specific dimensions to perfectly fit in the available wall space.

Large single-sizes: Instead of assembling multiple smaller grilles together to cover a wall opening, custom heavy-duty grilles can be built in large single-sized pieces that are the exact width and height needed. 

Unique shapes: The right manufacturer can produce a custom heavy-duty grille in shapes other than square/rectangular. These uniquely shaped grilles help gyms take advantage of all the available wall space to maximize airflow levels. 

What Else Goes Into Specifying a Custom Heavy-Duty Grille?

Materials

  • Painted Steel: A commonly used, cost-effective material.

  • Aluminum: A mid-cost material that is lighter and more corrosion-resistant than coated steel.

  • Stainless Steel: A high-cost, heavy-duty material, chosen when environmental factors could impact the longevity of coated steel or aluminum. 

Blade Deflection

  • 0° Blade Deflection: The blades are perfectly level inside of the grille. This configuration lowers the pressure drop and Noise Criterion (NC) levels, but exposes the inside of ductwork. 

  • 15° Blade Deflection: The blades are tilted at a 15° angle inside of the grille. This slightly increases the pressure drop and NC levels while covering some of the inside of the ductwork. 

  • 40° Blade Deflection: The blades are tilted at a 40° angle inside of the grille. This increases the pressure drop and NC levels in exchange for covering up the ductwork. 

Construction

  • Fully Captured Blades: Heavy-duty grilles feature fully captured blades that go through the support bars, strengthening the grille and preventing damaged blades from breaking off or jutting out.

  • Gauge Thickness: The material gauge thickness of the grille face flange and support bars can be customized depending on project requirements. 

Finish

  • Painted: Steel or aluminum can be painted to match a desired color.

  • Satin: A polished look for aluminum or stainless steel.

  • Anodized: Aluminum treated for a durable finish. 

KEES Sizes Heavy-Duty Grilles To Maximize Ventilation in High-Use Facilities

When gymnasiums, stadiums and convention centers need reliable ventilation, they turn to the experts at KEES. We make the largest single-size heavy-duty grilles in the industry, as well as manufacturing grilles in unique shapes to fit in high-demand spaces. We help clients maximize their available wall space to ensure facilities are properly ventilated and safe for all.