How To Insulate A Greenhouse? Do-it-yourself Polycarbonate Greenhouse Insulation, How To Insulate The Ground In Spring And Winter, With A Film Or Covering Material

2024 Author: Beatrice Philips | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-18 12:09

To enjoy homemade fresh herbs and fruits all year round, you need to equip a reliable greenhouse. It will not only save money, but also provide an opportunity to get environmentally friendly and safe products right from the garden. To insulate a greenhouse (greenhouse), not only special equipment is used. There are several ways to create optimal conditions for plants in winter, as well as in cold autumn and spring.

Training

The insulation process is lengthy and difficult. To implement the idea, it is necessary to prepare special tools, equipment and finishing materials. It is necessary to protect plants from the vagaries of the weather, climate change and sudden cold snaps. In some regions, summer residents and gardeners are considering insulation for the cold summer.

In order to fully use the land in the greenhouse, it is necessary to carry out such a front of work as:

• strengthening the foundation or laying it in, if there is no greenhouse yet on the house plot or the greenhouse has been assembled on the ground; reliable sealing of the joints of the structure;
• purchase and use of heating equipment;
• for the development of flora, a sufficient amount of light is needed. This indicates the installation of lighting fixtures in the proper volume;
• changes in the layout of the greenhouse (if necessary);
• additional cladding with covering material. Insulation of the roof and walls.

Foundation

A standard greenhouse is a lightweight and compact structure. This factor persists, even if glass and a metal frame were used during construction. However, for growing plants from season to season, such a finish is not enough. To prevent the heat that collects inside the structure from escaping through the soil, it is necessary to equip the foundation. It will help preserve precious warmth and keep plant roots from freezing.

Belt type

Arranging a strip foundation will help to cope with the problem of a harsh climate. This option is used together with insulation. The foundation is placed slightly below the freezing rate of the soil. The simplest method is to add monolithic tapes to the overall structure. It is the best choice for small greenhouses.

Expanded polystyrene is often used as insulation for the foundation . This material has a number of advantages and positive technological qualities. Experts recommend wrapping the material in polyethylene before use. It will provide additional protection against moisture and dampness.

The second option is styrofoam. It can be used in combination with the above insulation.

Options for the use of insulation for the foundation

With the help of dense material, you can save polystyrene if you place a special protective screen in half or a quarter of a brick around the perimeter. It will reliably protect the insulation from small rodents.

Another effective method is foam glass . The material has excellent resistance to moisture and perfectly copes with the function of insulation. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that it is not at all afraid of rodents, which often become a problem for summer residents and owners of country houses. Experts point out one drawback - it is high cost.

To create more favorable conditions inside the greenhouse, you can attach a block to the south side of the house. Another practical option is to place the greenhouse between stationary, stable walls (provided that the design of the main building allows this placement).

Joints

A full-fledged process of transforming a greenhouse for a harsh winter season involves sealing the joints. According to many experts, they are the main cause of heat loss. Cold air enters through the small holes between the finishing materials used in the construction of the structure. Both film and glass greenhouses need sealing.

The presence of joints leads to drafts, which negatively affect the process of fruit ripening. Even if a hydro-barrier was used when creating the heifer, it is recommended to carry out an additional procedure for sealing joints.

What do you need to work?

The modern market offers a huge variety of sealants that are ready-to-use right out of the box. However, most of them do not form a dense coating. The main reason is poor tolerance to the vagaries of the weather and sudden changes in temperature.

Experienced specialists praise mastics (thiokol and polysulfide mixture) . They are great for sealing small seams and cracks. Special components in the composition of mastics allow using it in a wide temperature range: from frost to heat. Correct use guarantees excellent results. Rubberized gaskets will also do a great job. They can be different, with a dense outer layer or have a porous structure. It is an excellent choice for sealing a greenhouse on a metal frame or when working with strip foundations.

Design changes

If the greenhouse is located separately from the house, then it will be necessary to equip a vestibule. Otherwise, when stationary walls are part of the greenhouse, the structural correction is not possible. Tambour will help regulate sudden temperature changes, thus protecting the plants. Regardless of the stability of the flora, such changes are destructive for everyone. The entrance to the greenhouse should be located on the south side. A tambour of sufficient size can be used as a department for storing various garden tools and other equipment. You can place a rack or a small cabinet in this part.

Insulation of light-transmitting coating

There are several ways to insulate a light-transmitting coating.

Film . The use of polyethylene film is the most common and affordable option. It is a bargain material that can be found at any hardware store. Films are used to cover the structure from the inside. The result is a layering: glass (base), air gap, film. If necessary, polyethylene can be used for both interior and exterior cladding.

Replacement . It is possible to insulate a polycarbonate greenhouse using similar materials that are similar in technical characteristics. Many people use 4mm thick polycarbonate sheet. It is a practical solution for interior lining.

Lighting

The importance of lighting when growing vegetables, herbs and fruits should not be underestimated. Some plants need a large amount of light, others do not depend so much on this indicator, but they also gravitate towards light. With the arrival of cold weather, daylight hours become much shorter. As a result, it is necessary to think over a system of additional lighting for the greenhouse. It is worth noting that lamps have to be used in the warm season, if the weather is unable to please on a clear day.

There are specific conditions for growing plants in greenhouses that relate specifically to lighting. The plant needs at least 12 hours of light. These are the optimal conditions for fruit production. For lighting, devices and lamps of various types are used: economical sodium, "warm" lamps, fluorescent options. The maximum result can be achieved only with the use of an integrated lighting system.

Additional heating tools

The range of possibilities for greenhouse and greenhouse owners is enormous. With the help of heating equipment, ideal temperature conditions can be easily created inside the structure. Devices of this type can be used both for stationary buildings and for greenhouses attached to the walls of summer cottages or houses.

Autonomy. Gas equipment

Buyers have the opportunity to purchase autonomous heating equipment. Gas is used as a resource. Such devices are designed for installation in stationary greenhouses. To install heating, you need to connect it to a common gas pipeline. This complex process should be carried out exclusively by professionals. In addition, the additional branch needs the appropriate permission.

If it is not possible to connect the system to the gas pipeline, cylinders can be used, but this is not the most economical and convenient option. Gas runs out quickly, and you have to constantly spend time buying new cylinders. As practice shows, one container is enough for less than a month.

Electricity

The second option is electric heaters. Such equipment has its pros and cons. The main advantages are safe use, compared to gas heating, simple operation and installation. The disadvantage is that several appliances are required to heat the air in a large greenhouse. Don't forget about electricity costs. The use of standard household appliances will not lead to the desired result, since they are not designed to be used 24 hours a day. The equipment will not cope with the constant load and will quickly become unusable.

Thermal insulation of polycarbonate construction

Polycarbonate greenhouses are found more and more often. They can be found in various regions of our country. Polycarbonate is durable, reliable, practical and, what is important, a cost-effective material. It is great for creating greenhouses for various plants. The more severe the climate in a particular region, the more seriously you need to take the process of building insulation. This will help to significantly increase the yield and growing season of flora representatives.

Sheet polycarbonate, which has become widespread as a material for greenhouses, boasts excellent thermal insulation. This is the first advantage of this finishing material, because the main task of the greenhouse is to create comfortable conditions for plants and their development. The second thing to note is transparency. The sun's rays pass through the walls unhindered. Do not forget that light also gives warmth. The material will help save money spent on the use of lighting equipment.

To achieve maximum heat retention, it is recommended to opt for a three-layer coating . The construction includes two layers of polycarbonate and an air layer as an addition. The optimal thickness of the outer sheets is about one and a half centimeters, 1.5 cm, and the inner layer is 4 mm. To reduce heat loss, experts recommend using polycarbonate sheets together with rubber-type seals.

Foundation

Be sure to pay attention to the bottom of the structure, including the foundation. It is necessary to bookmark it in the same way as when working with greenhouses made of other materials. The depth should not be less than the depth of freezing of the soil. When arranging foundation blocks, roofing material must be used, it is laid on top of the foundation. Additional insulation is carried out on the inside. In this case, you will need a layer of sand of 40 cm and foam.

Greenhouse placement

A competent location will help to save heat inside the greenhouse, which will also save heating and maintenance costs. There are several rules that should be followed when choosing the location of the greenhouse.

The sun . An area illuminated with natural light is the best place to place a greenhouse. Natural light and warmth are essential for the harvest.

• Area . In northern areas, greenhouses should be directed from east to west.
• Shadow . Shading of the structure should be minimized as much as possible.
• Block . The house, trees and other additional buildings in the yard can be used as protection from wind and drafts.

Additional methods

There are many other ways to insulate a greenhouse.

Garden beds . Experienced summer residents and gardeners recommend using high beds. The optimal figure is 40 centimeters.

• Cable . A special cable can be used to warm up the earth. It is laid along the beds without the use of additional equipment and structures, burying it 10 centimeters underground. The cable needs a standard socket to work. This is an efficient and cost effective way.
• Water system . You can safely and effectively insulate greenhouses using a water heating system. However, this option has two significant drawbacks: price and complex installation.

If you have experience and the necessary tools, you can do the insulation yourself.

Recommendations

Setting up a greenhouse for use all year round is a profitable investment. In the greenhouse, you can grow not only ordinary vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini and much more), but also exotic plants and rare flowers. Year-round buildings will allow you to continuously grow a variety of plants.

The harsher the climate in a particular region, the more time and money will have to be spent on heating the greenhouse and growing fruit. After installing the heating equipment, it is worth carefully monitoring its condition and checking the serviceability of the devices, especially when it comes to the gas heating system.