As summer winds down and cooler nights draw near, it's crucial to prepare your barns for the upcoming temperature changes. Being prepared will help maintain pig comfort and can also reduce your utility bill.

1. Fan maintenance

While the weather is still nice, now is the perfect time to perform essential maintenance on your ventilation systems. Clean, grease, and inspect all fans to ensure they’re operating efficiently. Dirty pit fans lose up to 60% efficiency, leading to insufficient airflow and increased strain on the fans. Power washing fans will enhance their performance and extend their lifespan. Along with cleaning fans, make sure soffits are free of debris to maintain airflow into the barn.

2. Minimizing drafts

As temperatures drop, managing drafts becomes increasingly important. Drafts chill pigs making pigs more susceptible to health issues including Strep, E coli, and Rotavirus. Replace all broken fan shutters to minimize drafts near the fans. For upper-stage fans that won’t be used during the colder months and once manure pumping is completed, cover with plastic or insulated boards to prevent air leakage. Fan socks can also provide protection from back draft through tunnel fans.  Curtains are another common source of drafts. Close curtains fully to confirm that the overlap of curtain is at least 3 inches and that curtains do not sag. Once tunnel stages are no longer needed, consider using bubble wrap insulation over the curtains to reduce heat loss and lower heating costs. If your emergency backup is a curtain drop, you will need to leave some opening in case of an emergency.

3. Heater preparation

As temperatures cool, heaters will be called to run more. Use a leaf blower to clean dust from heaters to ensure safe and efficient operation throughout the fall and winter. Check that all heaters are functioning properly. If using brooders, test each one in advance and replace the brooder filters to ensure consistent heating.  A temperature gun or thermal imaging can tell you if your brooders are working correctly. Along with heater functionality, make sure all propane tanks are full to prevent running out during peak usage.

4. Testing backup thermostats

Emergency backup thermostats are critical for maintaining stable barn temperatures if the main environmental controls fail. Test backup thermostats to ensure they are working correctly. Setting backup thermostats to 20 degrees above and below set point is recommended. Regular weekly testing throughout the winter will help ensure that these systems are operational when needed.

5. Minimum ventilation

Minimum ventilation settings are essential to balance barn humidity and gas build-up with heating costs. Set too low, excess humidity and gas will cause health challenges regardless of age of pig in the barn. Aim for a relative humidity level of 55-60% for optimal conditions which can be measured using a humidity meter. On the other extreme, excessive ventilation will increase heater run times, adding to utility cost.

By addressing these areas now, you’ll prevent potential issues and keep your barns comfortable and efficient throughout the colder months. This proactive approach to upcoming colder weather will lead to better health, prevent unnecessary heating costs, and maintain optimal barn conditions.