Where and how are your lockers used?
Depending on how and where your lockers are used will affect the design features and materials that you’ll need to use. If they are designed for short term use, for example in a swimming pool or gym setting, perhaps with a coin return lock so members only use for 1-2 hours at a time, the need for locker vents or perforations is minimal. Bacteria is possible from food or drink left in a locker, or sweaty clothes from a user’s gym bag, however for short term use lockers, a good regular clean is enough to keep them fresh. It is important to remember that swimming pool lockers will be exposed to more humidity and therefore should be made of the appropriate materials, see our blog post on wet vs dry spec lockers.
If your lockers are for a golf club or member-based sports club, where members hire or are given an allocated locker, items may be left inside for extended periods of time. Without immediate daily access for cleaning, these could do with having locker vents or perforations included in their design.
What other design features do your lockers have?
Heated lockers are a fast-developing technology, now widely requested across many areas, from spa and swimming pool changing rooms through to offices and workplaces. Whether you want to dry your wet swimming costume, warm your towels, or make sure your cycling clothes are dry for your journey home from work, Heated lockers are a great addition.
Charging lockers are also becoming a highly requested product in the storage industry. The ability to safely store phones, tablets, laptops or even power tools, whilst simultaneously charging them is a great benefit. Take a look at our case study for Leicestershire Police.
What do these lockers have in common? The need for ventilation or perforations. Whether this be a vent in the front of the locker to maximise airflow and minimize bacteria, perforations in the doors and side panels to aid ventilation and reduce heat build up in a charging locker, or a perforated base to circulate warm air and perforated slats at the top for damp air to escape in heated lockers, vents are vital in many locker designs.
Do all designs need locker vents?
Short answer would be no, it all depends on the type and length of usage they receive. Whilst ventilation may not be of high importance for short term use lockers, remember that many designs won’t have airtight seal anyway, so this will provide the ability for air to get in and out of the locker.
