Everything You Need to Know About the Metal Building Louver Vent

Your steel building’s louver vent pulls a lot more weight than it might let on. It creates healthier indoor environments. It helps the other aspects of your building’s ventilation system work as they should. It keeps moisture and debris safely outdoors. (And on top of all that? It looks good doing it.)

Metallic Products’ adjustable wall louver

Despite all the hard work these metal building accessories put in, there’s still a fair bit of confusion about what exactly they offer a space. At Metallic Products, we’re all about educating, and we’re here to set the record straight. Read on to learn the ins and outs of your buildings’ louver vents — how they work, the benefits they bring and the options available to you.

What is a Wall Louver?
The wall louver is a metal building accessory with angled blades affixed horizontally to a frame. Although it resembles window blinds, its purpose is to support unpowered (or natural) ventilation for your structure. It does its job by serving as something of an intake fan, urging fresh, clean air into a space.

Of course, it doesn’t do its job alone.

This tool of the trade works in tandem with other ventilation elements such as your ridge vents, round vents and power ventilators. While the wall louver is introducing fresh air into your steel building, your other ventilation accessories are working to usher out excess heat and moisture, dangerous fumes, pollutants and other elements that can make for unhealthy and uncomfortable environments.

What Are Your Wall Louver Options?
As with so many metal building accessories, there are a wide range of wall louver options out there. It’s all about determining the louver vent that best suits your structure and operations — and the surrounding environment, too.

At Metallic Products we offer three general varieties: fixed louvers, adjustable louvers and architectural louvers. Here’s a look at what each is, and a few points to consider when determining the right louver to suit your needs.

• Fixed Wall Louvers: Featuring immovable blades set at 45-degree angles, a fixed louver allows for easy airflow while keeping debris, moisture, bugs and animals safely outside.
  • This option is ideal for hard-to-reach areas where adjustments might be difficult.
  • With no moving parts, fixed wall louvers are virtually maintenance-free.
  • Metallic Products’ fixed louvers are available in galvanized steel varieties (both traditional and Florida approved), galvanized steel with storm proof blades and aluminum with stormproof blades.
• Adjustable Wall Louvers: Designed with blades you can easily close, open and tilt to your desired angle, the adjustable louver serves the same purpose (and offers the same benefits) as the fixed variety. At the same time, its maneuverability allows you more control over airflow.
  • This option is ideal for use in areas that are easily accessible, should adjustments become necessary. It also makes sense for facilities whose production or manufacturing processes require heightened oversight of ventilation levels.
  • Adjustable wall louvers feature moving parts which can show wear over time. Ongoing maintenance needs are minimal, however.
  • Metallic Products’ adjustable louvers are available in galvanized steel adjustable back pivot varieties, galvanized steel adjustable center pivot varieties (both traditional and Florida approved) and aluminum adjustable stormproof blade varieties.
• Architectural Wall Louvers: The architectural louver is a fixed louver option that adds visual interest to your building’s exterior. It brings the same ventilation benefits as a traditional fixed louver but, because it is available in various shapes, it tends to catch the eye.
  • This option is ideal for hard-to-reach areas, as well as areas that might benefit from some added visual “oomph”.
  • Architectural louvers’ lack of moving parts means they carry out their work with little to no ongoing maintenance required.
  • Metallic Products’ architectural louvers come in two distinct shapes. The triangular gable louvers are available in galvanized steel or aluminum varieties, while our round louvers are available in aluminum with stormproof blades.

Metallic Products Note: Our wall louvers come in a range of sizes, and with customizable color and finish options to suit individual spaces and preferences.

Louvers and dampers are two very different products

Are Your Metal Building’s Louvers and Dampers One in the Same?
The simple answer to this question, of course, is no. (But is anything ever that simple?) The truth is, when you get into the real nuts and bolts of what your various metal building accessories do, things can become confusing. This is especially true as it relates to your louvers and dampers.

You see, although both louvers and dampers feature horizontal blades and aid in airflow, their specific purposes are quite different.

Dampers work much like an adjustable louver, with the blades opening and closing for easy airflow modifications. These products aid in the release of smoke, heat and fumes, and can even help slow a fire’s spread.

When fully closed, they create a seal designed to keep outdoor air, moisture and other elements from making their way in. When opened, the goal is to usher interior fumes, heat and stale air out.

Unlike louvers, which serve as standalone products, dampers are often one element of a larger product. At Metallic Products, for instance, we incorporate dampers into products such as our ridge vents, apex vents and round vents, but don’t sell dampers on their own.

What Additional Benefits Does a Louver Vent Offer?
We’ve already covered wall louvers’ ability to increase airflow and improve indoor air quality, but that’s just the start of it all. Here are a few more ways they help look out for your people and overall structure.

• Aesthetic Improvements: Though not its No. 1 purpose, a louver vent can bring visual appeal to a structure. Not only do such accessories come in a wide range of colors and finishes, but their shape, too, can be pleasing to the eye.
• Protection Against Moisture’s Damaging Effects: Adequate airflow is crucial when it comes to managing moisture levels in your metal buildings, and that’s what louver vents are all about. By allowing air to circulate into and through your metal buildings, you help ward off issues such as damaged insulation that can require costly repairs, mold and mildew which can lead to unsightly stains and aggravated allergies — and humid interiors that make for unhappy (and worse yet, unhealthy) working environments.
• Easy Window Replacements: There are certain situations where, whether due to a building’s location or its day-to-day operations, installing a window simply isn’t feasible. In these instances, a louver vent can be a great alternative. Fitting right into a metal building’s wall panel, it offers all the benefits of cross-ventilation airflow without the risks or headaches associated with window installation and maintenance.

We hope the above has shed a bit of light on your metal building louver vents and the big benefits they bring to a space. If you have questions, or if you’re interested in learning how Metallic Products can help with your steel building needs, feel free to reach out. We look forward to hearing from you!