Cannabis & Hemp Farms: The Hidden Costs of Poor Ventilation

Posted by Jessica Young on March 4, 2025

When it comes to cultivating high-quality hemp and cannabis, proper airflow is often an overlooked but critical factor. Poor ventilation can lead to a host of costly problems, including mold outbreaks, uneven drying, heat stress, and inefficient CO2 distribution. These issues not only reduce yield and quality but can also lead to financial losses and regulatory concerns. Fortunately, High Volume Low Speed (HVLS) fans offer an effective solution to these challenges, providing consistent airflow that ensures a healthier growing environment.

Let’s explore the hidden costs of poor ventilation in cannabis and hemp farms and how HVLS fans from Big Fan Man can help mitigate these issues, ultimately leading to higher yields and better product quality.

The Costly Consequences of Poor Ventilation in Hemp Farms

1. Mold and Mildew Outbreaks

One of the most devastating problems in cannabis and hemp cultivation is mold. When airflow is insufficient, humidity levels become inconsistent, creating stagnant, moisture-rich pockets where mold and mildew thrive. Once mold takes hold, it can spread rapidly, ruining entire crops and leading to compliance issues for growers who must meet strict regulations for consumer safety.

How HVLS Fans Help: HVLS fans ensure that air circulates evenly, preventing excess moisture buildup on leaves, flowers, and surfaces. This reduces the risk of mold and mildew formation, keeping crops healthy and compliant with industry standards.

2. Uneven Drying and Curing

Proper drying and curing are essential to preserving the potency, aroma, and overall quality of cannabis and hemp. However, without adequate ventilation, some areas of a drying room may experience excess moisture retention, while others dry too quickly. This leads to inconsistencies in product quality, affecting both market value and customer satisfaction.

How HVLS Fans Help: By maintaining uniform air distribution, HVLS fans help create a balanced drying environment. This ensures moisture removal, reducing the risk of over-drying or mold formation during the curing process.

3. Heat Stress and Temperature Fluctuations

Cannabis and hemp plants are highly sensitive to temperature variations. Poor airflow can cause heat pockets in grow rooms or greenhouses, stressing plants and negatively affecting their growth. In extreme cases, heat stress can lead to reduced cannabinoid and terpene production, diminishing the quality of the final product.

How HVLS Fans Help: HVLS fans help regulate temperature by redistributing warm air trapped near the ceiling, ensuring a consistent climate throughout the facility. This keeps plants in their ideal growing conditions, maximizing their potential.

4. Inadequate CO2 Distribution

CO2 is a critical component of photosynthesis. When airflow is insufficient, some plants may receive inadequate CO2, resulting in stunted growth and lower yields. In facilities that supplement CO2, poor circulation leads to inefficient use of this valuable resource, increasing operational costs.

How HVLS Fans Help: With their ability to move large volumes of air slowly and consistently, HVLS fans distribute CO2 evenly, ensuring every plant gets the necessary amount for optimal growth and development.

5. High Energy Costs from Inefficient Air Circulation in Hemp Farms

Many growers rely on multiple smaller fans or extensive HVAC systems to manage airflow, which can drive up energy costs significantly. Traditional high-speed fans also create excessive turbulence, which can stress plants rather than support healthy growth.

How HVLS Fans Help: HVLS fans provide a more energy-efficient solution by moving large amounts of air with minimal power consumption. Their slow-moving, high-volume airflow reduces the need for multiple smaller fans, lowering overall energy costs while maintaining optimal growing conditions.

Investing in a Better Future for Your Grow Operation

The hidden costs of poor ventilation—mold outbreaks, inconsistent drying, heat stress, inefficient CO2 use, and high energy bills—can add up quickly for cannabis and hemp growers. Investing in Big Fan Man’s HVLS fans is a proactive step toward preventing these costly issues while optimizing plant health and yield.

By ensuring proper air circulation, HVLS fans create a stable, efficient growing environment, helping cultivators maximize their returns and maintain high-quality standards. Whether you operate an indoor grow room or a large greenhouse, Big Fan Man has the perfect airflow solution to keep your plants thriving.

Ready to optimize your cultivation space? Contact Big Fan Man today to learn more about our HVLS fan solutions and take your cannabis or hemp operation to the next level. Looking for HVLS parts? Go to our sister site at Indventech.com.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Posted by tmswebsiteadmin on April 4, 2016

Special thanks to Americraft for featuring our very own Keenan White in their quarterly Rep Spotlight! 

Here’s the excerpt from their newsletter for you to get to know a bit about Keenan:

“We plan to have at least one article every issue that introduces and highlights one of our extraordinary partners and reps. We can think of no one better to launch this feature than to share with everyone our very own, extraordinary, Keenan White.

Keenan was born in South Carolina and raised in Wisconsin. He attended college at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where he secured his degree in Business and Entrepreneurship. After initially ‘dabbling’ in the fan industry, he soon found himself working for the fan company his brother helped start. After seven years with them he moved back to his birthplace, South Carolina, to work as a manufacturer’s representative for another company. After another 2 years, his entrepreneurial spirit emerged, so he started Indventech in 2009. According to Keenan, initially he was only involved in selling fans, but soon he found himself immersed in the wider ‘air movement’ industry. He decided that, in order to satisfy customer needs, he need to become the ‘go to’ subject matter expert; supplying products AND services related to industrial air movement.

Today, Indventech supplies fans, blowers, dust collectors; basically anything and everything that involves air movement. He found his niche by filling a need for a dependable, knowledgeable resource to his customers. To quote Keenan, he ‘doesn’t come from the angle that all of his customers need fans, they need a consultant that may come in and diagnose their problem and find the best solution for them.’  He builds relationships with his clients knowing he may not sell a fan to them initially, but when they do need something in the future, they call him and at some point it may develop into a sale. When asked what contributes to his success, Keenan stated ‘I do what I say I’m going to do. I ask questions and listen. If you do that, particularly listen, then you can provide the right solutions.’

Another key to Keenan’s success is to limit the scope and target of his client base. He won’t try to ‘compete with the poultry fans or the Grainger fans.’  He goes after the people that want the ‘big guns’ like Twin Cities fans. Keenan stated, ‘I am not talking about customers who want cheap sheet metal fans where there are no pressure capabilities; just blowing air around like Shaeffer or J&D. There are always cheaper ways to move air around than Americraft fans. But what I show the customer is how they are going to get a bigger bang for their buck. I am thinking heavier duties. I push the envelope with performance and can do different things with props that can do different performance. If there is a performance condition the Americraft catalog doesn’t meet, I call Americraft and we discuss what we can do. That’s where working with a small company is beneficial. Initially it’s easy to think of Americraft of what’s in the catalog, but if you think differently and outside the box, you will find you can satisfy customers needs better.’

Keenan also further attributes his success to accessing the decision maker. He says if you are really concerned about solving problems, get to the plant or the maintenance engineer. Keenan went onto say ‘You have to be in the mindset that you are a problem solver.’ He says he gets on the company’s website and looks to see who the plant or maintenance engineer is. If he can’t find it, he calls and asks who these people are. He said if he can’t find it through a phone call, he sometimes will go to the property and will start looking and asking around. He stated, ‘You may have to go to the facility, find the names, and let them know you solve air movement issues. If they won’t talk to me then, I leave my card and my information with them and then follow up with phone calls.’ Keenan says when he is out driving around, he always looks at the potential client’s facilities. ‘If I see pipes and smoke, I stop!’

In his personal life, Keenan has been married for 18 years and has two daughters. He works very hard to have work/
life balance. He went onto say, ‘I spend all my free time with immediate family. I am currently coaching my daughter in volleyball to help her with her collegiate aspirations. Once my girls are out of the house, I will revert to golf and fishing. I love the outdoors… and various brews of Scotch Ale!’

Thanks Keenan, and keep doing what you are doing!”

And thank you, Americraft, for all you do to build great products and trustworthy relationships with air movement suppliers!