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smalone421

REFLECTIVE SHEETING

9 years ago

Hi all,

I put up a HFGH a year ago and last winter all I did was run some weather stripping around some of the panels. Did quite a few but gave up because it became quite time consuming and the cost of weather stripping as cheap as it is added up. Anyways I still have the weather stripping on it but have been thinking of lining the north walls and ceiling with the reflective insulation sheeting that you can get at Lowes. Last year as long as the temps didn't get below 20 F outside it did not get below 32 F inside. I also have like 80 gallons of water as a heat sink which helps when the temps dip low. I do use a propane heater (heater Buddy) when the temps get below 25F outside but the heating expense can be costly . Anyways Will I retain much heat by only doing the north walls and ceiling or will the heat just be lost out the uninsulated windows. I also am looking for a little more light reflection I am growing hydroponic tomatoesand have supplemental lighting a few hours a day. They are doing really well right now despite GH temps getting in the upper 30's, and would hate to lose them before I eat some of those tomatoes. My heat sink is also along the north walls if that makes any difference. I probably will end up weather stripping any uninsulated panel that doesn't already have the weather seal on it. I'm not worring about the temps getting too hot in there, right now it only gets up to 75 during the day in full sun (probably due to heat sink), and I can always open the door during the day if temps get too hot (I have my vents closed right now). I am also thinking of maybe putting plastic sheeting curtain on the inside down the middle to maybe help retain some of the heat. Even if I can get a few degrees increase in my heat sink that will help a little. Any suggestions

Thanks

Steve

Comments (4)

  • 9 years ago

    What is the weather stripping and reflective insulation sheeting you are taliking about?

  • 9 years ago

    weather stripping is .5 inch foam strip and sheeting is reflectix from HD. says it has a R factor of min 3. I am also thinking of doing the non north faces in bubble wrap

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I don't use my greenhouse during the winter, but I do have challenges keeping it warm at night for my seedlings in April, since overnight temps can still sometimes fall to mid 20'sF. What I do is move them all into one end of the greenhouse for the night, and make a reflective box around them with sheets of space blankets, including overhead. I have cut and taped bubblewrap panels to fit each wall, which can be rolled up and stored when not in use. They are held in place by clothespins along permanent wire lines which I have attached to the walls.

    The space blankets are clothes-pinned on top of the bubblewrap around the walls.

    I have two wires running across the center, which support the overhead spaceblanket ceiling on the "box". Enough heat escapes to the other end of the greenhouse so I can keep hardier plants there.

    Another space blanket can be added to this outer bubble wall, but sometimes I just use the space blanket without the bubble wall, depending on how cold I think it will get.

    It takes me about 1/2 an hour to put up and take down the panels in the morning. On cold cloudy days, just the reflective space blankets are removed for light, leaving the one on the north wall. I added duct tape to the upper edge of the bubblewrap that gets clothespinned.

    If you have tall, producing tomatoes that can't be moved, it might be a bit more effort to come up with a version that will work, but maybe this will give you some ideas.

  • 9 years ago

    thanks ddsack. That is an interesting setup. Just curious when the outside temps are in the 20's at night do you know the temp under the tent. I just put up the reflectitix today on the north walls and north ceiling and am waiting for a sunny day to see how much hotter it will be. I may also put the reflexix on the partial E and W walls (back wall and opening) but worried about creating an oven in there. I know that the door is a big loss of heat I can see the space in certain places so I plan on wrapping that up good. My tomatoes right now are about 4 ft blooming like crazy and setting good fruit. The variety is either mortgage lifter or big Belgium not sure because these were volunteers that popped up from trying to propagate gardenias from the soil that was previously used for tomatoes which didn't germinate in the spring. Anyways I'm sure by the time much colder weather hits here in a month or so these plants will be too big to tent them, but I am definitely keeping that idea in mind for when I do seedlings in February. Or if they stay around the height they are now I may do that as an emergency. Using a gas heater I am a little hesitant this year because I also have 2 big hibiscus trees in there. 4 bird of paradise and half a dozed pineapples along with trying to over winterize some potted plants from this year, so right now its crammed in there and I am weary about starting a fire. I'm on a solar setup so electric heat is not an option Anyways I am trying to keep heating costs as low as possible this year. Last year I went through 2 10lb tanks a week. Although it is only about 2 weeks that it was needed. I'm in Western TN. a bit warmer than you

    Right now with the reflexix it seems that the light from my grow lights is scattering around the greenhouse better than before, so that was one reason of doing this although they were blooming very nicely before this, hoping to get better fruit set. ight now getting about 50% . And yes I am playing bubble bee lol

    Thanks

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