How to make heating in a greenhouse with your own hands?

A greenhouse is a structure whose task is to maintain the temperature necessary for the active growth of plants, to ensure the yield and fertility of crops, which is impossible without high-quality heating. In summer, the temperature is reached by an abundance of sunlight and external conditions, but not all owners are satisfied with the option of operating the greenhouse exclusively in the warm seasons of the year. The heating of the greenhouses makes it possible to use them already in April, and if the most efficient technology is chosen, even in winter, when there is still snow on the ground.

Basic selection principles

So, before you make heating in the greenhouse, you need to take into account the following nuances:

• Agricultural structure dimensions;
• Type of heating system in the country house or in the cottage, if they are located in the neighborhood;
• Available funds.

The modern market offers greenhouse heating in a variety of options, that is, for each specific situation, it will be possible to find the most rational and competent solution. Of course, you should not get too carried away with the details when choosing, you should always remember the main requirement — thermal energy should be evenly distributed throughout the entire volume of the room. This is achieved either by using fans that “drive” warm air or by installing several heaters at different heights. To make heating with your own hands, which will last a long time, without causing any unnecessary trouble to the owners, it is worth considering a number of the following factors:

• Operational simplicity and convenience.
• Reducing the risk of bacteria development, the occurrence of foci of diseases that pose a threat to crops.
• Hot air in the room should not be too dry. A drop in humidity for plants is just as detrimental as cold. Low humidity provokes the death of part of the plants located in the upper layers of the soil.
• A good system is economical at all stages of its arrangement: purchase, installation, operation.
• If you decide to build a heated greenhouse, then ideally, the heat sources should be at the bottom to rise to the ceiling by natural convection, guaranteeing an even distribution of heat energy throughout the internal volume.

Electricity is the most common technology

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Despite the abundance of options, the most popular technology for greenhouses and greenhouses remains the use of electricity. Such equipment is actively used by both amateur gardeners and commercial agricultural enterprises. Electric heating of greenhouses and greenhouses is represented by the following groups:

• convection systems. Nothing complicated. Equipment with heating elements is installed in the room. The natural formation of convection currents allows the room to warm up evenly. Of the minuses, difficulties can be distinguished if it is necessary to improve the system, as well as a small impact on the soil.
• Heaters, that is, mobile thermal fans. These units are inexpensive, characterized by compactness, due to which they are suitable even for operation in small structures. The downside is an open spiral, due to which the air becomes too dry. You can cope with this problem by choosing a model with a temperature controller, through which an optimal microclimate is formed.
• Heating cable. A stationary heating cable is located in the ground. To increase efficiency, the element can also be laid in walls. It is important to correctly determine the required temperature, as overheating can cause damage to the root system.
• Water way. An efficient and reliable way to heat a greenhouse, built on the circulation of electrically heated water through pipes. He has one drawback — the need for significant initial financial investments, since installation will not do without the involvement of qualified specialists.
• Infrared technology. Perhaps it can be called the most modern greenhouse heating system. The technique assumes that it is not the air that is heated, but directly the areas where the plants are located. This technique most fully imitates natural heating, the room does not overheat, it maintains an optimal temperature regime, the air remains quite humid, which has a beneficial effect on the condition of the plants.

What are the alternatives

The following technologies can become an alternative to electricity:

• Air heating of industrial greenhouses is a professional system, the installation of which is carried out directly during the construction of an agricultural facility. Uniform heating is guaranteed by units in which heating elements are connected to fans. These units are mounted in the foundation, but warm air is supplied immediately to the middle and upper parts of the greenhouse. This approach protects young plants from burns of the root system, helps to heat the soil well.
• gas method. Before you build a greenhouse with gas heating, you should take into account that the combustion of this fuel can provoke a lack of oxygen in the air. Thus, a system is formed with the simultaneous laying of effective ventilation, which pumps outdoor air saturated with oxygen into the room.
• solar energy. Alternative heating of greenhouses, involving the use of special batteries. Holes are dug in the greenhouse to a depth of about 15 centimeters, covered with waterproofing materials so that the battery is not damaged by contact with moisture. It is noteworthy that with absolute independence from any fuel, the battery will help maintain a positive temperature in the room even when it is minus 10 degrees outside.
• solid fuel. Heating greenhouses with stoves or boilers running on solid fuels (coal or wood) is a fairly economical solution. Experts do not recommend using devices of outdated designs, it is better to heat your room with modern stoves, the walls of which do not heat up too much, which increases the level of fire safety, and also eliminates harm to plants.

General recommendations

Finally, we will give some general tips, following which will help to heat the greenhouse with your own hands with minimal effort and money:

• It is best to start the process with the insulation of the structure, that is, reducing heat loss. It is necessary to pay attention to the features of the foundation, check the walls for cracks through which heat escapes. Insufficient thermal insulation can neutralize the effectiveness of the most expensive heating system.
• Pay attention to the material. Heating a greenhouse covered with a film is more difficult than working with a polycarbonate or glass-based structure, which retain heat much better. It is likely that the replacement of the material will improve the energy efficiency of the facility.

If you are interested in do-it-yourself greenhouse heating, a video shot by professionals will allow you to understand the basic principles of this work, help you find non-standard technical solutions that are relevant in your case. Do-it-yourself heated greenhouse — cheap and efficient!