To maintain the optimum temperature in the greenhouse, different heating systems are used. The choice of method depends on a large number of different factors - financial capabilities, dimensions of the building, climatic conditions of the region, etc. Some craftsmen manage to independently produce a heated greenhouse, significantly reducing the cost of materials and wages.
What is the use of heating a greenhouse for?
To grow crops in greenhouses, heating is required. Cold buildings have a rather limited use, unlike places equipped with a heating system. If you start heating the greenhouse as early as April, the seasonal work of the summer resident is extended for three months. In this case, you can plant seedlings much earlier and harvest the first crop in June. With this approach, there will be enough time to harvest a second, and possibly even a third crop.
Mediterranean and tropical plants should grow throughout the year in well-heated rooms. Greenhouses made from the most expensive and insulating materials still need heating to maintain temperatures above zero with the advent of cold weather.
Greenhouse heating methods
There are several ways to heat a greenhouse. To choose the most suitable, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of each and the possibility of implementation in a particular case.
Solar panels
To heat the greenhouse without gas and electricity, without spending fabulous sums, it is recommended to pay attention to the use of solar panels. This method is easy to implement and budget.
You will need to dig a hole about 20 cm deep, cover it with a heat insulator and plastic wrap, a layer of coarse wet sand and a layer of soil. This combination of segments allows the accumulation and preservation of thermal energy. The only disadvantage of this method is the limited temperature range. If the outside temperature drops below 10 degrees, indoor heating will not be enough and plants will suffer.
Air heating
Very easy to implement method. You will need a piece of pipe made of quality steel. One end of it ends up in the greenhouse, and the other goes outside. Under the street end with the advent of cold weather you need to light a fire. Through the pipe, warm air will penetrate into the room.
The disadvantage of the air method is that you need to constantly maintain a burning fire. This is in some cases uncomfortable and dangerous.
Gas heating
Gas heating a greenhouse has many advantages. There is only one drawback, but significant - high cost. To save money, some people use gas bottles. When heated with gas, carbon dioxide is released into the air, which inhibits the vital activity of plants. It must be disposed of by organizing a good ventilation system.
Furnace heating system
To use such a heating system, a vestibule is required. A brick oven with a chimney and a chimney is laid in it. It is recommended to heat it with firewood.
Electric heating water heating
Financially, such a heating system is the most economical and profitable. The stores have a large selection of electric heaters, and you can also make them yourself.
If you decide to make the device yourself, you will need water pipes, a heater and an old fire extinguisher.The last segment will play the role of a casing system, for this you need to cut off its upper part, place the heater in it and fit the water pipes.
The heater warms the water, and it gives its heat to the air in the room. As soon as the room temperature reaches the set point, the sensor will automatically work and the system will temporarily shut down.
Solid fuel boiler
A solid fuel boiler is a type of water heating. This technique is considered universal because it is economical, easy to implement and use. The unit can be installed outside the premises or in the vestibule of the greenhouse. Fuel must be laid during the day no more than 3 times, the system is equipped with a sensor that automatically turns off the boiler when the room reaches the set temperature.
Solid fuel heating system is a safe technology, the operation of which does not require constant supervision.
How to choose the best option
The choice of the most optimal method must be approached thoroughly. First of all, you need to find out the required amount of heat. It will be necessary to carry out calculations for which you need to know the floor area and the translucent part of the room. You also need to take into account the data on the lowest daily temperature for a particular area, the average wind speed. Information can be found in the standards "Construction Climatology and Geophysics".
The next step is to find the fencing coefficient. It is equal to the ratio of the area of translucent structures of the greenhouse to the floor area. Example: k = 1000/750 = 1.3, then Q = k * for the data from the standards = 1.3 * 388. = 517.3 W / sq.m. In the end, it remains to find out the total heat loss. To do this, the specific 517.3 W / sq.m. is multiplied by the area of the polycarbonate greenhouse (750 sq.m.): 700 * 517.3 = 362110 W or 362.1 kW.
To select a boiler that is suitable for power, it is enough to multiply the obtained heat loss indicators by the safety factor. Whatever source of heat was chosen, it should not work continuously at maximum power, this will adversely affect its ability to work and the duration of the service life. For greenhouses constructed of glass or polycarbonate, the safety factor is at least 1.3, and those covered with plastic film - at least 1.5.
When choosing solid fuel boilers, it is better to give preference to long-burning models with one and a half power reserves and optimal sizes of the firebox. This will allow as little as possible to approach the unit and monitor its work.
There are a large number of diverse heating techniques, each of which has many individual characteristics and nuances in the work. A summer resident should choose what satisfies him by the quality and price factor. If there are difficulties in choosing, it is better to consult with experienced people in these matters.
