At a minimum, you should have 1 hand dryer for every 2 sinks in a public bathroom, though that number can increase based on traffic.
Hand dryers were once thought of as less clean than towels, but no longer. As long as hand washing is done right, how you dry your hands has little impact. Commercial hand dryers are a great choice because they speed up hand drying and reduce the amount of trash generated.
Let’s take a look at how you choose the right hand dryer for your commercial bathroom needs.
The Factors to Consider
If you need a commercial hand dryer buying guide, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s break down the factors that can make or break a commercial hand dryer. Once you’ve finished you’ll have all the information you need to make the best decision for your business.
- Cost
Commercial hand dryers come at a wide variety of price points. Different brands can cost more than their competitors, and there are some factors that go into cost. Generally speaking, the more expensive the unit is, the longer it will last and perform well.
Once you’ve decided on how much you have to spend, you can get down to selecting based on other factors. Each price point of hand dryers will have multiple options and be further divided by the other factors on this list. No matter how expensive, compared to the cost of remodeling a bathroom you won’t find hand dryers that expensive.
- Speed
Hand dryers are often divided based on speed, because the faster the unit dries, the more air it moves. This often makes the unit more expensive, but there are high speed dryers that don’t cost an arm and leg. The problem is, the speed with which they dry brings up another factor.
The faster a hand dryer works, the noisier it will be. High speed units can be noisy, breaking the 100 decibel range. Still, the ability to dry hands fast and get customers and employees back out on the floor can be a powerful motivator.
- Power Use
Any commercial hand dryer you get will reveal the amount of power that it consumes. Hand dryers aren’t a static fixture, it has to be wired in and will increase the power consumption of the building. Often the less power that a hand dryer uses, the slower and less loud it will be.
You should also be mindful of any regulations that may impact the use of power in your building. Getting a greener hand dryer can make a big impact at the end of the year, especially if more than one bathroom is receiving them.
Automatic hand dryers often use less energy because they minimize the time they are on. When a user steps up they use an infrared sensor to detect their presence and turn on. As soon as that person is gone, the machine automatically turns off, reducing the wasted energy.
Machines that are on timers can be the most wasteful. This is because no matter how long they need to be on for, they will stay on until the timer turns them off. Not only does this increase wasted energy, it can be frustrating and annoying for people trying to use them.
- Noise
Noise really makes a difference with commercial hand dryers. They may not seem loud in a crowded shopping center or public school, but they are. The faster they dry, the more air they move and the louder the unit will get.
Some units can go over 100 decibels, which in a quiet office environment will be ear shattering. It could sound like a jet engine about to take off. This might lead to distractions and disrupt workflow, so be careful when considering the noise output of your new hand dryer.
It is also possible to put louder, faster hand dryers in various locations as needed. A public restroom for customers or clients may benefit from having a louder dryer. In the quiet space of offices, this could be overkill and unnecessary.
- Hygiene Considerations
Automatic hand dryers are far more hygienic than those that require a button push to start. There are also internal features that some machines have which can make them more hygienic. These include HEPA filters and anti-microbial partitions inside the dryer itself.
If you get a dryer that has these features, the downside is you can expect to pay more. The one benefit that all automatic commercial air dryers give you is that you won’t have bins overflowing with towels. That alone can make up for some hygienic issues.
- Disability Compliance
Not all commercial hair dryers are easy for everyone to use. If you have a number of disabled persons working or doing business with you, you should consider accessibility. Automatic hand dryers are easier to operate than push button ones, and there are a few other considerations.
If you have people in the building who are blind, having a large, bulky unit sticking out from the wall can be an accident waiting to happen. There are dryers built with this in mind, but they often cost a bit more than the average.
Where to Buy Hand Dryers?
If you’re ready to make the purchase and want to look at the options available, don’t worry. You can find the commercial hand dryer you need. Take a look at these hand dryers, and find one that fits all of the requirements that you have.
Consider all the commercial hand dryer tips included here. Your employees and clients will thank you for the upgrade.
Commercial Hand Dryers
More and more commercial hand dryers are becoming automated and easy to use and install. There’s no reason to waste tons of paper products on hand drying every year. Let the air do the work, and your water closet will require less cleaning and trash dumping.
If this article was helpful or interesting, take a moment and check out our website, please.
