Backyard Greenhouse Heating

Backyard Greenhouse Heating

Effective & Practical Greenhouse Heating

Backyard Greenhouse Heating

 

Big or small, if you cultivate crops in a greenhouse to extend the growing season or grow year long it is likely that you will need to heat your greenhouse.  In most parts of the world, this can be a serious expense, and can make or break an operation financially. So let’s talk backyard greenhouse heating basics-with some bits even Pros may gleam some gems from..

 

Plants are very sensitive to temperature. Besides the risk of frost damage, cold temperatures or wild swings in temperature stresses plants and they are more likely to incur problems like nutrient disorders or crop diseases. If clean and renewable power was free, this wouldn’t be an issue.  However, hydroponics, aquaponics and organic greenhouse growers know that’s not the case. It pays in spades to spend some time thinking about, planning and installing a system, for reliable and effective backyard greenhouse heating.

 

While you could have some electric baseboard heaters installed and be done with it, the expense could become crushing to your backyard greenhouse growing endevours if you are using electricity supplied by your local grid. In reality, the best seatings combine several sources of heating–in financial and practical terms this is excellent “risk management” and hedges your heating budget tidily.

Lets have a quick look at some of the most common option available and the strengths and weaknesses they hold for backyard greenhouse heating.

hobby greenhouse heating


Electric Heating

Electric baseboard heaters, forced air, construction heaters (box style) and hot water elements.

Pros:

  • Clean
  • Reliable when power is available
  • Easy to Install
  • Widely available
  • Great for putting heat where you need it

 

Drawbacks:

  • Often very expensive to operate
  • Power outages could be devastating
  • Wiring can be costly-both to the structure and within
  • No additional benefits, for example the CO2 provided by gas fired heating
  • There are limits as to how much power can be drawn from the source without major overhauls

 


Gas-Fired Forced Air

Furnaces, Unit Heaters–devices that burn Natural Gas (NG), Propane (LP) or similar cleaning burning fuels, and where the heat is distributed by fans

Pros:

  • Common-and industry standard in smaller operations
  • Reliable
  • Clean
  • May provide additional CO2 for better growth
  • Helps create air flow and movement in the environment
  • Little or no electricity required–easy to back up with small generator, battery, etc.

Drawbacks:

  • Pricing of heating may fluctuate
  • Often requires gas-fitting; specialized installation on mid to larger scales
  • Unit heaters are large and heavy to install
  • Initial heater unit cost can be higher than electrical.

 


Hot Water Heating

A volume of hot water is heated by electric, gas or other means and is circulated as required to provide heat

Pros:

  • Very efficient-water is a great way to capture and distribute heat
  • Can switch heating fuel source as needed–circulation system remains the same
  • If gas fired, additional benefit with CO2 may be realized
  • Puts heat directly where needed, ie root zone for significant improvements in heating efficiency
  • Distribution system may be used for cooling/chilling in warmer months
  • Highly flexible

Drawbacks:

  • More time and thought to install
  • May carry higher initial purchase price
  • More maintenance required

 How Do you Know How Much Heat and What Size of Heater to Get?

We think this is an awesome backyard greenhouse heating calculator to determine how many BTU’s of heating are recommended:

| Click HERE |


Looking for a complete package, with the heater already sized and included?

| Click HERE |


Here’s a great example of some components used to install a small-scale hot water heating system that also provides supplemental CO2 for better crop growth as a by-product of fulfilling the greenhouses’s heating requirements
Point of use LP water heater and co2 generator; made for greenhouse applications.
Point of use LP water heater and co2 generator; made for greenhouse applications.
this repurposed heat exchanger can scrub away the heat captured and be distributed with fans for aerial heating
this repurposed heat exchanger can scrub away the heat captured and be distributed with fans for aerial heating
The "heart" of the system--a well built hot water circulation pump
The “heart” of the system–a well built hot water circulation pump
Are they making moonshine or heating a greenhouse?! Steel barrel for radiant hot water storage and distribution line for heat exchanger.
Are they making moonshine or heating a greenhouse?! Steel barrel for radiant hot water storage and distribution line for heat exchanger.
About Erik Biksa 245 Articles
Erik Biksa has been writing about and discussing hydroponics growing, related technologies and cropping methods since 1999 in a variety of professional publications and platforms globally Erik has travelled the world learning and teaching modern growing techniques and technologies and is appreciated by many growers for his informative yet hands on approaches. Presently, he is the Editor at Grozine Hydroponics Mag.