Blade profile refers to the shape of the blade, including features like catches and drain channels. Check out this quick read on louver blade profiles.
Blades make the louver. The blade profile will determine what the louver will do and how it will perform. A louver with a flat blade profile will protect interior spaces from light rain, with minimal effect on airflow. Louvers with intricate blades protect against heavy rain, and rain driven by gusts of wind.
Here are a few features commonly found on louver blade profiles.
Drain troughs are fixed to the face side of the louver blade, designed to catch rainwater as it rolls off the blades. The louver drains captured water through drain channels in the jambs, which direct the water to the sill.
Drainable blades provide a straightforward path for water to leave the louver, so that it doesn’t collect on the blades and potentially infiltrate the louver.
Baffles are the defining feature of baffle blades, or “K” blades. The baffle will look like a small step up on the blade profile. Naturally, it takes more force to move water than air.
As air passes through the louver, the baffle will catch the heavier water drops that don't make it over the inner curve. These water drops will be trapped in the baffle. Air will need to move much faster to push the water out of the baffle. Like the troughs, blade baffles connect to the drain channels found in the louver’s jambs. The air stream will naturally drive the water towards the jamb channels.
The baffle captures moisture as it rides the air stream, so that only air passes through the louver.
The hooks on chevron blades work the same way. These are blade catches. On a chevron blade, air will pass over the blade profile like a wave. The catches capture heavy water droplets at the top of the blade, which are then directed to the drain channels in the jambs.
The catches can direct water to the sill when the chevron blades are vertical. This design provides the fastest and best drain method, because it employs gravity to pull water out of the louver.
The insulation material attenuates sound waves carried by the air stream. In this way, the insulation reduces the noise caused by heavy equipment.
Acoustic blades will have a flat blade profile with no features since their primary purpose is attenuating sound waves.
Adjustable blades will have a similar profile to stationary blades. They can have a smooth profile or have catches and drain troughs for capturing water. For drainable blades, the drain troughs will align with the louver’s drain channels when the blades are fully open.
Start your search by looking at the louver’s blade profile. Look for the features that suit the needs of your project. Then, check the louver’s submittal for the performance data.
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