06 Feb Pallet Rack Row Spacers – Things to Consider Before You Get Yours
What are these things anyway? I do not understand why I would want them for my racking system.
The problem with most companies who deal with industrial storage products is that they think that you should know the terminology and the uses of each part before you know anything about the industry. It is like they forgot. They what it was like before they gained the knowledge. Is it your job to know about all the ins and outs of the material handling industry? No. It should not be your job either. However, that does not give you enough leeway to get what you need. It probably will give you products that will not pass fire inspections or any permitting processes. Therefore, if you need flue space then you need pallet rack spacers. Of course, you will need someone to tell you what they do. They should also educate you on why they are important.
So what are these pallet racking row spacer things again? I don’t think the question was answered there… A long story short, a rack spacer keeps a nice even and aligned gap between racks of pallets.
A thing you should know is that pallet rack row spacers are not all created equal. There is no standardized material or sizes for these spacers. You should think about replacing them all. Think about replacing them if you have to buy new ones.
Another thing to keep in mind is that most of the length in a spacer is between the two attachments to the pallet racks that you have in your warehouse. A lot of the length outside of that steel bar does not count towards the over the length of the spacer. One exception, though, you will find that some pallet rack row spacers have a flange. The flange connects to the pallet rack uprights. The area we are talking about is, generally, included in the length designation. The product image shows this pretty clearly and you can have a look at that image to the right or above this image. The placement depends if you are visiting us from a mobile device or a computer.
How much space can be covered by a pallet rack row spacer?
You have a choice up to a certain point. For example, we carry spacers that are 8″, 12″, 24, 30″, and 36″ respectively.
Do I need one of these if I only have one pallet rack in my business? It seems like a waste to get one of these if I don’t need it?
The fact is that not everyone needs a row spacer. If you have only one pallet rack, then, technically, there is nothing to separate and you should be fine as long as you have fulfilled your obligations required for the permit and have anchored the unit down to the ground. Keep in mind this is true as long as you planned out your warehouse appropriately and with permitting in mind. The same goes for short racks. Your anchor is going to do a good job of keeping your pallet from oscillating around and becoming a hazard in the future. Again, this is true if you have had the proper seismic testing/calculations and all the other things a permit in your location requires. There also could be issues but as long as you are working with a reputable company then you should be good to go because that company should be catching the problems before you have to worry about them.
What about the situations where these spacers make a lot of sense?
Longitudinal flue spaces are going to be a phrase you will be familiar with as it relates to your pallet racks. “What is a longitudinal flue space?” You might ask yourself and you would be right to ask that question. Again, this is another term the industry assumes that you know most of the time. The flue space is the space between your pallet racks. It is perpendicular to how you put stuff on your shelf. An important thing to note is that you need to account for pallet overhang. For example, if you are told, by city code, that you need 6 inches for flue space then you should go above that level. You do this to make sure you have enough space for the pallet overhang. Commonly, you also need a 12″ flue spacer for 6 inches of flue space. Keep in mind you also need plus three inches of overhang for the pallet on the left and the right.
What if I just ignore that rule…
You could choose to ignore your city’s rules but that is a fast track to fines and not being able to use your pallet racks. Remember, you will have to store the rack and you will have to move the inventory you had on that rack or racks and find somewhere else to store the inventory. A big problem if you are already very pressed for storage space. Another thing to keep in mind is that these rules are put in place, generally speaking, mostly for safety. In this case, fire is the issue, and space or longitudinal flue space is created and maintained so that fire vents upward as much as possible. The hope is that this damages less of your product and keeps the fire contained until sprinklers or the fire department can solve the problem.
Spacing:
Pallet rack row spacers do an excellent job of making sure that this required space is maintained across the board at your place of business. Of course, that requires you to know what your required space minimums, or the longitudinal flue space requirement, are for your area. It is a good reason to work with a business that has had experience getting others through the process of permitting. They know where to look and the little tips and tricks to getting the permit done. Again, we have to mention. If you have a requirement of 6″ of flue space then do not buy a 6″ spacer. You need to account for the 3″ of overhang coming from either side of your pallet rack storage system.
Want a pallet rack row spacer for your business? Click the link and have a look at the product. Need help with getting the row spacer you need? Give us a call and we will help you. Keep in mind that we have been having problems with our shipping on the site. If it looks ridiculously high then call us and we will help you get the correct amount. You will find our number in the footer.
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