GREENHOUSE HEATER

A greenhouse heater allows you to enjoy year round indoor gardening whatever the weather. Find out the different types available and which one will be suitable for you.

You may need to use a greenhouse heater if the nights are getting cold or in the winter months when the heat derived from the sun is not enough. The size and strength will depend on the amount of space to be warmed, the type of plants you have and your climate. It is recommended that in cold climates one greenhouse heater will cover 150 – 175 square feet while in warmer climate it will cover 200 – 225 square feet. A thermometer will help you keep track of the temperature,

Electric Greenhouse Heater

There are a number of options when choosing and buying a greenhouse heater: electric, gas, kerosene (paraffin), steam, warm water and solar. A word of warning, only use models designed to be a greenhouse heater, household models are not recommended because of safety issues.

Installing an electric greenhouse heater has many advantages, the cost is reasonable, installation zip, unless you have to install a power point, and it can be moved around to suit your heating needs. It can stand on the floor or hang overhead. Choose a model with adjustable fan strengths, and also specify that you’ll need a model that will blow unheated air and it’s essential to have a thermostat. This type of greenhouse heater gives you the additional benefits of circulation plus a very quick response to temperature changes. You need to maintain air circulation so that the temperature remains constant throughout the structure otherwise the warm air will rise and the cool air will settle at the bottom around the plants.

One disadvantage of an electric greenhouse heater is that the distribution of warmth is not ideal, as cold spots will occur in areas not being covered by the warm air blown from the fan. An alternative is to have two greenhouse heaters so the area is maximized. You need to make sure that no plants are directly in line with the warm air flow as they will probably dry out.

Heat Mat thermostat controls optimum temperatures for specific crops

A natural gas or propane greenhouse heater may be another alternative for you. They come in lots of different shapes forms and sizes but be aware that propane gas does produce fumes during the burning process. Having natural gas installed will solve this problem and will take away the need for replacing propane gas bottles periodically, but may not be an option in your area. You can also choose a vented or a non vented gas greenhouse heater.

Of course it’s worth mentioning the good old kerosene heater which is useful for small areas or coldframes or to use in an emergency when there is a power outage. It is a portable nonventing greenhouse heater and some of the gases formed when the fuel burns may be damaging to plants causing leaf scorching or leaf drop. You can install a carbon monoxide detector if you a worried about the levels of gas.

A mention should be made with regard to steam and water pipe greenhouse heaters which are used mainly for the larger and commercial gardeners. They maintain a steady temperature and are usually fuelled by coal which heats the water outside the structure thus avoiding fumes which damage the plants. Although they are highly recommended, the cost and expertise needed for installation do not make them viable for the average gardener.

Solar greenhouse heaters are becoming very popular around the world as technology moves to eliminating mans carbon footprint on planet earth, however they are not very economical. Separate solar collection (panels heated by sunlight) and storage systems (water or rocks) are required and take up a lot of space. Another type of greenhouse heater may also be required as a backup system.

A wide selection of hobby, commercial and custom greenhouse kits and accessories for every gardener & enthusiast!