Self-Sufficient.co.uk
Find out more about Self Sufficiency
Site Search
Main Menu
Top Products
Fruit TreesPolytunnel
Water Butts
Strimmer
Shed
Greenhouse
Porous Pipe
Latest Articles
Allotment Gardening
Grow all you can eat on your own allotment.
grow your own
20:32, 10th May 2014
Smallholding for Sale in North Devon
Three bedroom detached house in 18 acres for sale - North Devon, UK
smallholding
20:48, 17th Mar 2013
Nettles
Find out more about nettles - how to benefit from them and how to get rid of them
foraging
16:12, 13th Apr 2012
Making Nettle Beer
Find out how to make your nettle beer
recipes
16:10, 13th Apr 2012
How to Make Sloe Gin
Find out how to make your own sloe gin
recipes
14:40, 13th Apr 2012
Grow Your Own Chilli Peppers
Find out how to grow your own chilli peppers
grow your own
13:33, 16th Mar 2012
Home Beekeeping
Find out more about keeping bees in your garden for honey
grow your own
15:40, 4th Jan 2012
Storing Apples
Find out how to store apples
fruits
13:23, 28th Jul 2011
Free Greenhouse Heating
Find out how to heat your greenhouse the environmentally friendly way
Free Greenhouse Heating
greenhouse | buildingKeeping a greenhouse warm in the night and not too hot in the day can be expensive. There are a wide range of boilers and heaters, fans and extractors that will do the job, but they will use up electricity and cost a lot of money. Therefore this article will explain ways in which you can heat (and cool) your greenhouse for free.
Greenhouses are very efficient at absorbing heat from the sun during the day. Unfortunately they are then equally efficient at losing that heat at night which risks harming delicate crops. Therefore, if for example you use an electric heater to heat your greenhouse, up to 80% of the electricity will be used at night. The solution to the problem is to find a way to retain the sun's heat during the day so that it is there to be released at night to keep the greenhouse warm.
A heat sink is anything into which heat can sink and be stored for later use. A large barrel of water for example would warm up during the day, and then release that heat into the atmosphere of the greenhouse during the night keeping it warm. Large rocks, concrete blocks, and bricks can also be used as a passive heat sink for your greenhouse. The obvious disadvantage of this system is that lot of greenhouse space is lost.
If a more efficient system is required then an active system can be developed in which hot air from the top of the greenhouse is pumped into a storage area filled with a thermal mass (e.g. barrels of water etc again), and that warm air is then left to rise back through the greenhouse during the night. The fan or pump in this system can be powered by a PV solar panel.
Whatever is being used as a heat sink should be painted in a black or very dark non-reflective paint to maximise its heat absorption. To maximise efficiency the north facing wall of the greenhouse should be insulated using specialst greenhouse curtains or something as simple as recycled bubble wrap.
NEW - Click here to visit our Greenhouse Directory with details of suppliers of greenhouses and related accessories including greenhouse heaters.
Shopping List
Here are some useful links to relevant products:
Article Published: 12:29, 9th Jul 2008
Related Articles
Greenhouse from Plastic Bottles
Build a greenhouse from old plastic bottles
Article Published: 10:19, 3rd Jun 2010
greenhouse | building | grow your own
The Greenhouse
Find out more about the benefits of greenhouses and glasshouses
Article Published: 12:29, 9th Jul 2008
greenhouse | building | grow your own | smallholding
Choosing a Greenhouse
Decide which greenhouse is right for you
Article Published: 12:37, 20th Apr 2011
greenhouse | building | grow your own
Greenhouse Thermometer
Use a suitable max min thermometer to track temperatures in a greenhouse
Article Published: 10:23, 13th Jan 2011
greenhouse | building | grow your own
Make Your Own DIY Polytunnel
Find out how to make your own robust polytunnel for half the price of the retail product
Article Published: 17:12, 17th Sep 2008
building | grow your own | greenhouse
Polytunnel Hot Spot Tape
Find out about the use of anti hot spot tape in polytunnels
Article Published: 12:29, 9th Jul 2008
building | grow your own | greenhouse
Why Buy a Polytunnel
Learn about Polytunnels and their benefits
Article Published: 17:12, 17th Sep 2008
building | grow your own | greenhouse | smallholding
Watering Your Greenhouse
Find out how to keep your greenhouse plants well watered
Article Published: 12:29, 9th Jul 2008
greenhouse | grow your own
Electric Fencing
Learn about the uses of electric fencing
Article Published: 03:35, 20th Apr 2006
smallholding | building
Smallholding for Sale in North Devon
Three bedroom detached house in 18 acres for sale - North Devon, UK
Article Published: 20:48, 17th Mar 2013
smallholding | building | grow your own