What’s Life Like in a Container Home?
Shipping Container Ventilation DIY Guide
With Australia’s varied climates there are a wide variety of reasons you might choose to ventilate your shipping container. It might be that you want to keep your belongings safe from condensation during long term storage, staff cool in an office container in the desert, keep perishable goods at a stable humidity or any other number of things.
There are also plenty of ways to improve shipping container ventilation and these will differ depending on the intended use. Some are easy to do yourself while others will need to be done by an expert, such as those who work in the container modifications workshop at Gateway Container Sales & Hire. These customer specific ventilation solutions are tailored to your individual shipping container ventilation needs and can include:
- Small Vents for Natural Ventilation
- Large Steel Louvered Vents
- Turbine/Whirly Birds Vents
How to Install Whirlybird/Turbine Shipping Container Ventilation:
You will need: Caulking Gun, Clear Silicone, Roofing Screws & a Spirit Level.
Floor Vent
1. In addition to the turbine on top you should have an intake vent on either end of your shipping container to let the air in, making the turbine anywhere up to three times more effective in both cooling and in getting rid of any noxious fumes that might be inside. Cut a slightly smaller hole in the siding and mount it either with screws, or preferably by welding. Mount it high to ensure it is not blocked by interior or exterior obstructions.
2. A 12″ (approximately 30cm) turbine/whirlybird vent is large enough to ventilate most shipping containers. Its main pieces consist of the flashing, its adjustable base and the main turbine. It will also come with the mounting hardware that is required to mount it to the shed (or in your case, the shipping container).
3. Use a builders pencil, chalk, permanent marker or some other device to mark around the inner diameter of the circle where you plan to cut the hole. The hole will need to be slightly larger than the hole on the outside of the flashing ring. Bend the sides of the base flashing down in line with the corrugations of the container to ensure that it stays in place.
Whirlybird/Turbine Ventilation
4. Drill a pilot hole through the roof large enough for the saw blade that you plan to use. Go inside of the container and ensure that the pilot hold is exactly where you expect it to be – you don’t want to end up with your turbine in the wrong place! Now is your last chance to make changes.
5. Attach to the roof of the container and seal using a silicone sealant around the edges of the base and secure the base with self tapping screws. Cut the base at each side of the corrugate and then bend down to ensure a close fit before sealing with silicone.
6. Twist the top half of the turbine to ensure that it is level by using a spirit level, before attaching to the base with the included clamp. Use silicone to seal all holes where screws are, as well as the inside seam of the base.
7. Line up the turbine itself with the mounting points on the base and attach with provided screws. Ensure that the turbine spins freely and does not touch the sides of the base – if it does, now is your time to adjust it.
Vent + Whirlybird Hole
Of course – if you find this all too complicated you can get our team of experts to make container modifications for you, ensuring a perfect, professional finish alongside weather proof shipping container ventilation.
Other Options:
Fixed or Portable Air Conditioning or Heat Pumps
If you are looking for something more than just air ventilation – such as cooling in a hot climate or heating in a cool climate – then either a fixed or portable air conditioner is the way to go. This will require some form of electrical supply and a professional to install. Luckily the team at Gateway Container Sales & Hire have extensive experience in installing air conditioning in both new and second hand shipping containers for all climates.
Portable Dehumidifiers
By: US CPSC
Another simple solution (especially if it is only temporary) might be to use a portable dehumidifier available in almost any big box retail store over the winter months. A dehumidifier will require some form of external power supply or electrical wiring in the container, as well as piping, to dump any extracted water to prevent it for circulating back into the container.
Do you need shipping container ventilation installed?
Whether it’s a few vents, whirlybird turbines installed on the roof, or a full on air conditioning setup, Gateway Container Sales & Hire’s team are the ones to call for ventilation solutions. Simply get in touch and we will give you the best ventilation products for your specific needs – ensuring that your containers stay cool (or hot if you need it that way), dry and ventilated.
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