How to Keep a Greenhouse Warm
Greenhouse owners will tell you that it is a chore trying to keep a greenhouse warm. There are several ways that this can be done. A popular and very efficient way is using a heat sink. A heat sink is affordable and environmentally safe, making it one of the first choices of heating systems for greenhouse owners. A heat sink can be made from rock, sand, brick,concrete and barrels of water. This article will explain the water and barrel system. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 55-gallon barrel
- Black or dark-colored reflective paint
- Greenhouse curtains or bubble wrap
- Water
Instructions
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1
Insulate the north-facing wall of your greenhouse with greenhouse curtains or recycled bubble wrap. This will help in keeping the heat inside your greenhouse.
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2
Paint a 55-gallon barrel or drum black or another dark reflective color. This will allow it to trap the most heat possible.
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3
Place the barrel in the spot within the greenhouse that gets the most sunlight in the day. This will maximize the amount of heat that the heat sink absorbs in the greenhouse.
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4
Fill the barrel with water.
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Tips & Warnings
These tips will help maintain the warmth in your greenhouse and effectively protect your plants. They will not get cold and be damaged at night or during the cold winter months. This will save you time and money and prevent having to start over with new plants in the greenhouse because of the effects of cold. If you find that one barrel is not enough, you may put more barrels in the green house. Simply repeat Steps 2 through 4. Each barrel will hold in heat that has been accumulated during the day and continue to release throughout the night, keeping the green house warm at night.
Monitor your plants when you begin using the heat sink system. If you find your plants are withering, you may be keeping your greenhouse too warm. This can be fixed by removing a barrel. If you are already only using one barrel, then replace it with a smaller 25-gallon barrel.
