Making the heating of the greenhouse yourself is real. So that heating does not turn out to be unprofitable, it is useful before planning landings to get acquainted with the climatogram of a particular area.
Table of minimum temperatures of the territory, available on the network, will tell you in which months which frosts can be expected. This information will save you from heating the greenhouse during the period when it would be technically and economically inexpedient to warm it up.
Types of greenhouse heating, how to do it yourself
There are several ways to heat greenhouses.
biological
This is the oldest method of heating greenhouses, which does not lose its relevance to this day. Suitable for heating greenhouses spring and autumn. This option is quite labor intensive.
Peculiarities
Biological heating is based on heat release during decay of organic waste in. More often, cow or horse manure is used to heat greenhouses, including mixed with chopped straw.
One bookmark is enough for 3-4 months, thus, per season may need one or two bookmarks. Plants may need to be removed, so it is more appropriate to use this method for plants with a short growing season.
How to do it right
- Prepare manure. It must be kept well dried.
- A week before laying, “warm up” manure: put in a pile, spill with warm water. When the pile begins to soar, the manure is ready to be laid.
- Spread in ditches or just in a layer 30-60 cm.
- Pour on top 20-25 cm soil in which to plant the plants.
If do second bookmark does not make sense, for example, there are few plants left or time before severe frosts, then consider additional heating methods, for example, episodic electrical.
After all, even at the end of the season, temperature drops are short-term, and you may have to heat the greenhouse only a few nights a month.
Water
This type is implemented as part unified system home heating(in this case, a common house boiler is used, but the heating circuit must be separate in order to turn it off for the winter), and it is also possible to install a separate system (an additional boiler is required).
Features of operation depend on the type of boiler, they are:
- solid fuel;
- gas;
- electric.
Another option is use of a solar collector.
solid fuel less convenient due to the need to periodically manually place it in the firebox. Gas and electric heating more automated, but electricity is much more expensive than gas. Solar panels will require impressive initial costs, but will be as economical as possible in operation.
Photo 1. Solar collector installed on the roof. Is economical way greenhouse heating.
And there is also the easiest option for using water to increase the temperature in the greenhouse. If placed in it one or more barrels of water(especially black ones), during the day they will warm up in the sun, and at night they will heat the greenhouse.
How to do it right
Depending on the selected type of water heating, a system diagram is designed. It may include boiler or solar panels, pipes, radiators, circulation pump and other components. The selected option should be studied in detail, consultants of the companies selling it will also provide assistance in choosing equipment. It is also optimal to attract specialists for design, although a lot of the necessary information for self-creation of a circuit is now available on the web.
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Electrical
Greenhouse electrification - very useful thing not only for heating.
It is possible to create an almost automated system, which will maintain the right temperature, humidity and light for growing specific plants.
Features of electric heating
A feature of this type of heating is a variety of technical solutions. Here are some current options:
- electric boiler with water heating system;
- infrared heating devices;
- heat guns;
- heating system for solar panels;
- split systems with heating function.
Photo 2. Infrared heaters for heating greenhouses. The devices are installed under the ceiling of the greenhouse.
How to do it right
It is believed that electric heating is expensive. A well-thought-out scheme of such heating minimizes costs. Here are some solutions for this:
- It is important to determine the period when the temperature in your area does not drop significantly below zero. The use of a greenhouse only during a period of predominantly positive temperatures will significantly reduce heating costs throughout the year.
- Use the installation of water barrels for heat storage from natural sunlight and low-cost ways to raise the temperature, such as biological.
- Take advantage of solar panels. This not only minimizes operating costs, but also protects the greenhouse from an emergency power outage.
- Automate the system, including temperature sensors in it, so that when there is sufficient heating, the devices automatically turn off.
One of the simplest electric heating schemes is the installation of infrared heaters on the ceiling. Their calculation is based on the area of the greenhouse: 1 kW heater power used per 10 sq. m. greenhouses. In this way, for 30 sq. m., for example, you need I 3 heaters of 1 kW. This type of device is often used to save money.
oven
This type of heating is traditionally popular in Russia. due to its autonomy and availability of fuel. Although it can not be called either the most convenient or well amenable to automation.
Photo 3. A solid fuel stove for heating a greenhouse. The device is connected to a water heating circuit.
Peculiarities
In greenhouses, as a rule, metal and brick stoves are used. brick- retain heat longer, cooling slowly, and do not overdry the air. metal- dry the room and cool quickly. To level the second problem, they are supplemented water circuit. The coolant cools down longer, sharp temperature drops are smoothed out.
How to do it right
Furnace selection depends on the seasonality of the use of the greenhouse. If it is planned to be used for several months of the year, a metal stove is better. Such a stove can be removed from the greenhouse for the winter, there is no need to make an additional foundation. A metal stove is often installed in a vestibule, supplemented by a water circuit that enters the greenhouse, which allows you not to dry out the air in the main room with plants.
Brick oven requires foundation and more suitable for year-round use.
Attention! Due to the high temperature of the heating chimney fires are possible.
What gives us high-quality heating for a stationary greenhouse? Ability to grow crops all year round. It is for these purposes that many arrange greenhouse heating with their own hands from any materials - polycarbonate, glass, even films. To constantly observe and maintain a favorable microclimate for plant growth inside. The question "How to do it yourself, and what to consider?" remains relevant for many, so consider it in more detail.
Real and unreal ways of heating greenhouses
We want to figure out how to make greenhouse heating with our own hands from available materials, and even in an economical way?
Therefore, we will consider real, and not fantastic and too expensive options that can be found on an industrial scale.
- Electric heating - by. There is such a method, and it even works very productively, but we can buy expensive potatoes, as well as tomatoes and cucumbers, on the market all year long - it will come out cheaper.
- Gas is also not our option. Bringing a gas pipeline into place or storing cylinders on site is expensive, inconvenient, even dangerous. In addition, you will not be able to work with gas without specialists, you will simply be fined. It turns out that this is no longer the heating of greenhouses with your own hands, but with the involvement of professionals, where your destiny is “bring-give”.
- with a hog - this is normal stove heating with a horizontal chimney. Very practical, accessible to all "Samodelkin", inexpensive. But "angry", albeit cheap. It is necessary to lay out the stove inside the greenhouse itself or in the vestibule, lay horizontal chimney pipes under the racks, ensure normal exit and draft. The downside is the long length of the homemade chimney, the obligatory fistulas in the joints and the penetration of a small amount of carbon monoxide into the greenhouses.
- Do-it-yourself water heating in a greenhouse is a process of serious improvement in the stove version. Takes more time and costs a little more, but has a reasonable argument: high efficiency, safety and low fuel costs. Especially if you put a pellet or pyrolysis oven.
Retreat advice!
Why pay attention to the latter option, especially with pyrolysis ovens? The stove, as already mentioned, has a high efficiency, but the main advantage, which is very important for modern summer residents, is the time between laying firewood. Or not firewood, but any other type of fuel, it doesn’t matter.
It is possible to put a liquid fuel boiler as a heating unit. It will also add advantages to your greenhouse heating system: it has automation of the combustion process itself, as well as a fairly long period of filling (refueling) fuel.
Do not forget about the "grandfather" methods of warming the soil, and additionally use natural products. For example, horse manure is a great way to warm up the soil without heating systems.
After entering into fertile layer horse manure will heat the soil in your greenhouse to +60 in a week, and then it will keep this temperature for at least another three months, and in general - up to 150 days! Isn't it better to buy horse manure from a neighbor in the country than to arrange a soil heating system under the racks? In this case, the heating of the air will suffice.
Practice: we make heating in the greenhouse
Initial data
We will take a polycarbonate greenhouse as “Dano”, and we will create heating with our own hands in the greenhouse from scratch. (See) Let the area be 25 m2, then it will be easy to push off in the calculations and technology for your own volume. And we will immediately take into account the possibility of the subsequent expansion of your greenhouse: you never know, you will like it, and you will also design a place for watermelons. Under the melon, that is.
We will not stir up manure, and we will consider that you did not purchase it. Well, nowhere, there are not so many horses in Moscow and the region! Then your heating system will consist of two circuits or parts:
- Ambient air heating system.
- Soil (soil) heating system.
Rationale
For what purposes is the warming of the soil necessary? There are roots in the soil, and the environment for them also needs to be heated. Soil is a much better conductor of heat than air. Accordingly, the cold.
If the optimal regime is not maintained, the plants will seriously slow down growth or simply die, and you will not have a single tomato in winter.
Warming up the ground is akin to the underfloor heating system in the house, but slightly different:
- A pipe through which water flows or hot air passes is laid in the drain or not. For drainage, it is preferable to use medium-sized expanded clay as the main material, and cover it with geotextile on top (such a special material that allows water to pass in one direction is sold in specialized stores in abundance). The cover is necessary so that the soil (soil) does not penetrate into the drainage.
- Instead of a concrete base in such a "heat-insulated floor system" - loose soil, which is also constantly moistened.
Variations on the air theme
We decided on the heating of the soil, now we need to choose a method of heating the air, that is, in fact, a heating option. Let's focus on two:
- The classic option: do-it-yourself heating of greenhouses with registers around the entire perimeter, completely welded from thick-walled pipes of a rather large diameter. The problem is in the material itself, which has recently seriously risen in price, and the problem is in a normal welder who will weld all the seams beautifully (in the sense, hermetically and for a long time). It will still work - not with your own hands.
When choosing this option, consider the biggest minus - the huge working volume of the coolant, and also the relatively small area where the heat exchange process takes place. The efficiency of your boiler in this case is greatly reduced.
- Batteries around the perimeter - there is less water in the system, and all the benefits associated with this point. Including, you do not need to call a welder. The heat exchange area is large, the return is maximum. The efficiency is higher. You can install a variety of batteries, especially those that you removed yesterday at home when you were doing new system heating. It won't be expensive at all!
In general, it does not matter which batteries will be installed, because all will have approximately the same efficiency. When installing, keep in mind that the maximum coolant pressure will be no more than 1.5 bar, while almost any battery is designed to withstand a pressure of 5-6 bar. You can not really care about the strength of the connections. At least the paint does not need to be threaded.
Pipe question
Much attention must also be paid to the piping system so as not to spend more than is required for the normal functioning of the equipment. If you install radiators, it makes no sense to pull expensive metal pipes from the boiler to the batteries; you can get by with non-stacked polypropylene.
- First, it's cheaper.
- Secondly, polypropylene pipes do not corrode.
- Plastic well withstands the "defrost of the system" when we "missed" and created an emergency. The ice that forms in the pipes during “defrosting” will not tear polypropylene, while the metal will fail not only in the joints, but also in the seams if the pipes are seam. If they are seamless, so much the worse: the gap will be in the most unexpected place.
- Polypropylene is an excellent heat insulator, so the coolant will not lose temperature on the way to the radiator.
Lower wiring is preferable, especially during installation - the issue of the convenience of attaching pipes is being decided. Especially if the radiators are not mounted on flimsy polycarbonate walls, but are installed directly on the foundation with a bottom mount.
At the entrance to the radiators, it is advisable to equip the pipes with ball valves or thermal valves in order to regulate the temperature in different parts of your huge greenhouse for specific plants.
Boiler and chimney
With heating, this is not only hanging radiators and piping, but also installing a boiler with a chimney.
The heating boiler can be placed both inside the greenhouse itself and placed in the heated room itself, which will further increase the efficiency of the entire system. Heat transfer from the boiler to the surrounding space will be unequivocal, so the air temperature in the greenhouse will increase.
But in the first option, you can not go inside the greenhouse at all while loading the boiler with fuel. The second option not only increases productivity and efficiency, but also saves a lot of space.
Laying out a brick oven is not an option, because it will be too cumbersome and labor-intensive for a greenhouse, unless you have a regional greenhouse. Ready-made heating boilers are not so expensive, but they are compact, productive and easy to use. Boiler issue closed.
Now the chimney: this is perhaps the most important part of the entire heating system. Probably, it is worth putting the chimney on a light foundation, installing a supporting channel or pipe and attaching the main structure to them. This is for black pipes, that is, for ordinary material under the chimney.
We have dismissed the horizontal version of the chimney. Therefore, we do not expect high efficiency from the smoke removal system in terms of air heating. We make the chimney as short and reliable as possible in terms of sealing, so that combustion products do not get inside the greenhouse. It is best to buy a sandwich chimney and put it vertically directly from the boiler - then the foundation will not be needed.
Install the structure not higher than 7.5 meters, but not lower than 6 meters- this is the optimal height for good traction. Both the boiler and the chimney to it can be mounted according to a simple, classic heating scheme. And already connect the circuits to the boiler - according to your project.
Conclusion
A long-burning boiler is the best option that yours wants. With such a system, you will not live near the firebox's loading door, and the plants will grow in an optimal microclimate. The main thing that is needed for this is desire and a measured approach. Spontaneity is the lot of lazy people and adventurers!
The heated greenhouse allows you to have fresh herbs all year round. In addition, it is possible to grow not only vegetables and flowers traditional for their latitude, but also heat-loving exotic plants up to pineapples and melons in Siberia or the Urals. Mounting the heating of the greenhouse with your own hands is quite realistic. There are several ways to efficiently heat a greenhouse. In this article, we will focus on each of them so that you can choose the best option for yourself.
How does the material affect heat loss
The choice of a heating system should first of all be based on the area of \u200b\u200bthe greenhouse and the material from which it is built. Each type has its own heat loss coefficient. Most often for the construction of greenhouses use:
- glass - the heat loss coefficient is 5.5 W/kV.m;
- polyethylene film - K=12 W/kV.m;
- polycarbonate - 2.8 W/sq.m.
As you can see, cellular polycarbonate, due to its cellular structure, has the lowest heat loss rates, and polyethylene film, on the contrary, the highest. It is very important that the heating does not dry out the air in the greenhouse, and that the heat is distributed evenly over the entire area.
Best Options
Among the huge variety of options for heating greenhouses at home, we will consider only those that can be built independently without the help of professionals. So, the most common ways of home-made heating of greenhouses:
Electrical heating systems
Mostly practiced are ultraviolet lamps, which allow you to heat the soil and, accordingly, plants. The air is not heated. It receives heat from the ground and therefore does not dry out. In such a climate, plants feel very comfortable.
The number of ultraviolet lamps for rooms is calculated according to a simplified scheme: for every 10 sq.m, 1 kW of heater power is required.
Since the use of electricity for heating is the most expensive way to heat up, this option cannot be classified as economical. But if you plan to grow berries or flowers year-round in home greenhouses, then this option should be considered as optimal.
To optimize costs, it is necessary to install temperature controllers and sensors and thereby automate heating. You may also need additional lighting and automated system glaze.
VIDEO: Do-it-yourself electric heating of the greenhouse
Gas heating of greenhouses
In terms of arrangement, this is the most expensive project, but in terms of operation it is the cheapest. Can be used as boilers running on gas, so gas cylinders. For the use of gas equipment, a special permit is required, and for its installation, the involvement of specialists.
In order to build a gas heating greenhouse with your own hands, it is attached to the house and communications are pulled from there. In general, the process is not complicated, since you only need to build up pipes and loop them in conjunction with the house. Separately, it is advisable to build a gas system for the greenhouse premises only if its premises exceed 100 sq.m and it is used for commercial purposes.
Solid fuel or mining stoves
Anyone can make stove heating in a greenhouse with their own hands. In fact, this is the most common stove - a stationary stone or mobile metal stove, through which the entire room is heated.
A huge number of drawings are available with a detailed step-by-step description of how to build a greenhouse with your own hands with heating or how to equip an oven for heating an already finished greenhouse. You can independently lay out the stove inside or in a separate vestibule, or purchase a wood-burning stove.
In addition, the market has a huge selection of modern solid fuel boilers for long burning. They remove the biggest inconvenience of using the stove - the frequent laying of firewood, coal, etc. Thus, everyone can make heating in the greenhouse on their own. Price solid fuel much cheaper than electricity.
Steam heating
Do-it-yourself steam heating of the greenhouse can be done in two ways: connect it to the heating of the house or make an independent system. This method can be considered an improved version of furnace heating. It has a higher level of efficiency and safety, but at the same time, higher maintenance costs.
Above are the most effective ways heating domestic greenhouses. Everyone chooses the most suitable option for him. We suggest opting for the latter method, which also has a lot of variations.
Steam heating
If you do not know how to make heating in a greenhouse with steam, then you need to heed the advice of specialists. They advise connecting the greenhouse to the heating system of the house only when it is located at a maximum distance of 10 meters from the house. Otherwise, such a connection is not economically viable and it is better to dwell on the option of installing a boiler or stove. By the way, the most ordinary potbelly stove will cope with the task of heating by 100%. It is easy to maintain, easy to clean and refill.
Steam heating schemes:
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If a plot near the house was chosen as a greenhouse for connection to a common heating system, then two requirements must be met:
- the power of the boiler should be enough to heat both the house and the greenhouse;
- the pipeline running along the street should be reliably insulated.
Regardless of where the boiler will be installed, as well as what type it will be, home-made heating in the greenhouse is built according to the same scheme. In addition to the boiler, you will need to purchase the following equipment:
- radiators;
- pipes;
- circulation pump;
- security group;
- expansion tank;
- balancing valve;
- coarse filter.
To ensure heat, it is very important to correctly determine the number of radiators. If the height of the greenhouse does not exceed 3 m, then you can use a simplified calculation algorithm: multiply the area of \u200b\u200bthe greenhouse by 120, and then divide by the heat output of one section of the radiator according to the data sheet.
Steam heating connection algorithm
Consider step by step algorithm equipment mounting:
- We install the boiler on a previously prepared concrete foundation. If you opted for a solid fuel boiler, then it is better to build a special vestibule for it - so you will not open the greenhouse with each load of fuel.
- We connect the boiler to the chimney. A more preferred option is a vertical stainless steel sandwich chimney that leads outside through a roof or wall. First, it is very easy to install. Secondly, it has a reliable design.
- Pipes connect radiators. Optimum pipe diameter: 20-25 mm. Radiators must be selected as low as possible. If after replacing the heating system in an apartment or house you still have old radiators and pipes, then use them. So, you will significantly reduce the cost of arranging a greenhouse. An air valve should be installed on each radiator - a Mayevsky tap, as well as a valve that allows you to shut off the flow of water.
- We connect the safety group immediately after leaving the boiler (the place of maximum temperature and pressure). It is a steel manifold, on which a pressure gauge, an air vent and a safety valve are placed. The collector is equipped with a coupling with which it is attached to the pipe.
- We mount the expansion tank from below through the valve. It is installed in the area from the outlet of the boiler to the circulation pump.
- We install a circulation pump to maintain a stable pressure in the system. It is mounted on the return pipe before entering the boiler. Before it, be sure to install a coarse filter.
So, the system is assembled, you need to press it with air to identify possible installation defects. To do this, connect a special compressor. First, with a sponge, soap all the joints. Then close the valves and taps. The compressor supplies the pressure specified in the technical passport of the boiler and radiators. Carefully inspect the joints - they should not have soap bubbles. If all is well, then you can fill the system with water to test the boiler.
Heating alternative
Not everyone uses greenhouses for year-round cultivation of greens, vegetables and fruits. For personal needs, planting starts mainly in mid-February and ends in October. Install a separate heating system in this case irrational, as well as using powerful electrical systems. As an alternative, warm beds or infrared floor heating can be offered.
Warm beds
It is a combination of certain materials that release heat when interacting. To create warm beds, they dig a ditch 70-80 cm deep, where the following components are laid:
- large branches for aeration;
- straw, hay, dry grass
It is better not to use cut tops from the beds, as it may contain pathogenic flora - insect larvae, viruses, etc.
- manure;
- peat;
- sod land.
All this is laid in layers and after 2 weeks you can start planting. Manure and straw begin to rot, while releasing a fairly large amount of heat. This is enough to warm the root system, thereby creating comfortable conditions for the plant.
infrared floors
This is a kind of electric heating system, but compared to UV lamps, it is not as wasteful. Due to the large heat-releasing surface, heating occurs faster. Structurally, this is a thin film that is rolled out on the surface, fixed and launched. You can use infrared floors directly for heating beds, as well as place them on walls or between rows.
VIDEO: How to make greenhouse heating with your own hands
The early crop is harvested from their greenhouse primarily due to its heating - after all, solar radiation is sufficient for most plants only in the summer months. But keeping a winter garden or growing fresh vegetables and exotic fruits in severe frosts is impossible without specially equipped heating in a greenhouse, because the lowest temperature that can only be in a greenhouse is + 18 ° C. And only warm impenetrable walls are indispensable here. The most budgetary option for heating a greenhouse is if a heating main passes under the summer cottage. Then it remains to find the right place, and the problem of how to make heating in the greenhouse is solved. In all other cases, heating greenhouses will be more difficult, but it is quite possible to do it yourself - the diagrams and tips in this article will be extremely useful for this.
Option #1 - solar panels
It is possible to heat the greenhouse with the help of solar heat accumulators. First, they dig a 15 cm hole in the greenhouse and cover the ground with a layer of heat insulator, possibly polystyrene. A layer of polyethylene film is placed on top for waterproofing.
Then coarse-grained wet sand is placed on top and all this is covered with dug earth. This simple device makes it possible to maintain a satisfactory temperature in the greenhouse due to the accumulated energy of the sun, even at a temperature of - 10 ° C.
Option #2 - air heating
The easiest way to heat a greenhouse or hotbed is to equip primitive air heating:
- Step 1. A piece of steel pipe is taken with a diameter of 50-60 cm and a length of about 2-2.5 m.
- Step 2. One end of such a pipe must be inserted into a film greenhouse or a greenhouse, under the other, a fire should be made.
- Step 3. The fire now needs to be constantly maintained. The air will quickly heat up in the pipe, pass into the greenhouse and give off heat to the grown plants.
This method of building heating is really easy, but somewhat inconvenient due to the fact that the fire must be constantly maintained.
Option # 3 - heating with gas
The main advantage of gas is that it is more stable in terms of supply, but the final cost of products from the greenhouse can surprise. Therefore, if heating a greenhouse in winter with gas lasts only a few weeks, then it is not necessary to pull it from a residential building and purchase expensive pipes for this. It will be enough to take a couple of cylinders for this purpose - they will last for a long time.
It is important to remember that excess carbon dioxide can adversely affect the condition of plants, and therefore such a greenhouse must be well ventilated. And to remove combustion waste, it is necessary to use an exhaust device so that a constant supply of oxygen to the greenhouse is ensured. And so that the lack of oxygen does not lead to the cessation of the combustion process and the release of gas into the air, it is advisable to use heating devices with an automatic protective device - the sensors will immediately work as soon as the gas supply to the burner stops.
Option # 4 - stove heating
Unlike electric heating, classic stove heating is not so financially burdensome. So, you can build a simple greenhouse stove with a hog or a horizontal chimney with your own hands and at no special cost. Its device principle is quite simple:
- Step 1. A brick firebox is laid out in the vestibule of the greenhouse.
- Step 2. A chimney is laid out along the entire length of the greenhouse, either under the beds or under the racks.
- Step 3. This chimney is removed from the greenhouse on the other side so that carbon monoxide leaves, and all the heat remains inside the building. As a result, the distance between the end wall of the greenhouse and the firebox itself should be at least 25 cm, but from the garden bed or rack with plants to the top of the hog - from 15 cm.
Or in this way:
- Step 1. You need to take a large barrel, with a capacity of about 3 cubes, and paint it from the inside in 2 layers so that it does not rust.
- Step 2. Holes are made inside the barrel for a chimney, a stove, an expansion barrel on top and a drain valve on the bottom.
- Step 3. The stove is boiled and inserted into the barrel.
- Step 4. A chimney is removed from the barrel, and a pipe 5 meters high is placed on the street.
- Step 5. A home-made expansion tank of 20 liters is installed on top of the barrel, which is pre-cooked from simple sheet iron.
- Step 6. From profile pipe 40x20x1.5 heating is brewed, and the pipes are laid out on the ground at a distance of 1.2 m. It is necessary to lay them out so that the soil near the roots of the plants warms up well.
- Step 7. To circulate water in such a home-made heating system, a special, but inexpensive pump is purchased.
You can heat such a stove with any wood, and the drain valve at the bottom of the barrel can be used not only to drain water, but also for drip irrigation when the water itself has cooled. To control the temperature in such a greenhouse, you can install an electronic temperature sensor inside it, and the digital display itself can be installed right in the house.
Option #5 - water heating
Water heating for a greenhouse is one of the most profitable in material terms. And you can make a water electric heater with your own hands.
Method # 1 - a thermos from an old fire extinguisher
So, you will need the body of an old, already unnecessary fire extinguisher, the top of which will be cut off. Work order:
- Step 1. At the bottom of the case, you need to mount a heating element with a power of 1 kW, which can be taken from an electric samovar.
- Step 2. In order to be able to pour water into the electric heater, a removable cover is made on top.
- Step 3. Two water pipes must be attached to the body, which are connected to the radiator. It is necessary to fasten the pipes with rubber sealing gaskets and nuts.
In order for the heater to be automated, it is better to use such a circuit - with an AC relay, such as MKU-48 with a voltage of 220 V. As soon as the temperature sensor works, it will close contacts K1. The heater will begin to heat the water, and it will raise the temperature in the greenhouse. As soon as the water reaches the set level, the temperature sensor will immediately work and the power circuit of relay K1 will break, and the water heater itself will turn off. If the MKU-48 relay cannot be found, you can use the second circuit, where the relay has contacts that do not pass current less than 5A.
Method # 2 - heating element + old pipes
In this case, a small amount of old pipes, heating elements and an electric welding machine will be used. Everything will be made quickly and reliably.
So, in a convenient corner of the greenhouse, you need to install a boiler with a volume of about 50 liters and with an electric heater of 2 kilowatts. When heated, the water will rise into the expansion tank along the riser, and will be supplied to the heating system located around the entire perimeter. The system itself should be with a slight downward slope of the pipes.
Step 1. The boiler will need to be made from a piece of large diameter pipe, to which the bottom with a flange will be welded.
Step 2. The heating elements must be connected with a power cord to the plug and securely insulated.
Step 3. All joints between the flange and the body must be well sealed with a rubber gasket.
Step 4. An expansion tank with a volume of up to 30 liters is made from pipe scraps. Couplings are welded from below and from both ends for connection with the boiler riser and with the system.
Step 5. A lid for topping up water is cut out in the tank itself, because its level will need to be constantly monitored.
Step 6 A pipeline is made from metal pipes, at the ends of which it is necessary to make a thread in advance for a convenient connection.
Step 7. Now the boiler body must be grounded with a flexible three-core copper wire, which is rated for voltage from 500 V and without insulation. Both cores must be attached to the heating element phases, and the third core to the boiler body. By the way, for the period of cold weather it will be possible to use special screens made of foil or other heat-reflecting material.
The main thing is that during any installation of the heating system of a greenhouse or hotbed, observe all safety rules and strictly follow the instructions.
Method # 3 - installing a solid fuel boiler
The boiler itself can be located both in the greenhouse room and in a separate room. The advantage of the second option is that you can put firewood or fuel into the boiler without going into the greenhouse, and now it will not take up valuable space, like the fuel itself. And the downside is that the boiler also produces some heat energy, which would not be an extra greenhouse.
You need to put fuel into the heat generator 2 times a day - and that's it. And at the same time, such a boiler is absolutely fireproof, and therefore it can be safely left overnight without any control. In addition, fuel consumption is quite small.
To maintain a certain temperature in the greenhouse temperature regime using different heating systems. The choice of heat supply method depends on the dimensions of the building, the climatic conditions of the region, the availability of a particular type of fuel, financial capabilities and other factors.
Some home craftsmen undertake to organize the heating of the greenhouse with their own hands - such a solution will significantly reduce labor costs, agree? Of course, self-arrangement of stable heating is not an easy task, but it is quite feasible. The first step is to choose a heat source.
We will tell you what options for greenhouse heating exist, what are their specifics of work, the advantages and disadvantages of using them. Based on the information provided, you will be able to determine the type of heating, perform a preliminary calculation of the thermal power, select the working units and elements of the system.
Greenhouse heating is necessary to compensate for heat losses that occur through the walls and ceiling of the structure, as well as due to the ingress of outside air. To reduce heating costs, it is first of all necessary to insulate the greenhouse with high quality and minimize air exchange with the street.
In addition to the material from which the greenhouse is made, special attention should be paid to the snug fit of the structure to the soil. To do this, it is better to make a foundation of small depth insulated from the inside when building a greenhouse.
It must securely hold the structure in strong winds, prevent the formation of cracks and minimize heat exchange with the street through the top layer of soil.
To solve the latter problem, even in the conditions of the northern regions, 30 cm depth is sufficient, since the thermal conductivity of the soil is very low. The intensity of vertical heat exchange between the soil layer inside the greenhouse and the soil underlying the soil layer is very low.
In winter, snow can be used as a natural external insulation around the edges of the greenhouse.
Snow is an excellent insulating material. However, the design of the greenhouse must be able to withstand extra weight, and the material does not bend under its weight
For the normal growth of plants, it is necessary to maintain the temperature of the air and the soil-vegetative layer in a certain range. If the greenhouse operates continuously, then the fertile soil will be warmed up due to heat exchange with the internal air. Moreover, its temperature will be almost the same as under natural conditions in summer.
The soil and soil layers freeze in winter to a depth that depends on the geographic latitude of the location of the region and the structure of the rock. To warm the soil and the upper layer adjacent to it before planting, it is necessary either to maintain a positive air temperature for a very long time (up to a month).
An alternative solution is to carry out special actions to transfer heat directly into the soil. This can be done using a system of underground pipes into which the coolant is supplied.
The amount of energy spent on heating the greenhouse depends on the following factors:
- The surface area of the walls and roof of the greenhouse. The lower this figure, the lower the heat loss. Therefore, to save energy, it is better to use a rectangular or semicircular shape of the structure.
- Material thermal conductivity coefficient. The lower this parameter, the better material retains heat.
- Temperature difference between indoor and outdoor air. The larger its value, the greater the heat loss.
- Air exchange through leaks. To reduce energy costs, it is necessary to eliminate the uncontrolled influx of cold air.
A wide variety of projects of private greenhouses and the quality of their installation seriously complicates the modeling of the temperature regime. Therefore, it is possible to accurately determine the amount of energy required for heating a particular object only experimentally.
Such methods approximately calculate the value of the required power of the heater. The problem lies in the difficulty of determining the dispersion coefficient for a particular object (+)
Autonomous heating based on fuel combustion
Using the combustion process as a heat source is the most commonly used heating method for small greenhouses. Such heating has some specifics, since it is necessary to take into account the increased tightness of the room, the desirability of heating the soil and the need to maintain humidity.
Furnaces and solid fuel boilers
One of the simplest devices used in heating greenhouses during the cold period is a stove. The popularity of the use of such a device is due to the cheapness of fuel. They can be uncalibrated firewood, dry grass, coal and coal dust, garbage and flammable liquids.
With stove heating, it is necessary to ensure stable draft, since ventilation of the greenhouse when combustion products get inside will lead to its cooling.
When using a metal furnace, heating occurs quickly and energy is transferred to the surrounding air. It is also the cheapest and easiest heating method to use. You can build such a unit yourself.
On our site there is a selection of articles on the manufacture different types metal stoves that can be used to heat the greenhouse:
The stone oven heats up more slowly and keeps heat longer. It is more suitable for heating small spaces with medium or narrow range allowable temperatures. However, such a furnace must be folded and, if necessary, it cannot be moved, like its metal counterpart.
There is an idea of heating the space in the greenhouse with the help of hot combustion products. To do this, it is proposed to place the stove in a pit, and lay the chimney horizontally below ground level, with its subsequent exit to the surface.
With this placement of the chimney, a significant increase in its length will occur, as a result of which hot gases will give off more heat inside the room
This option will really increase the efficiency of heating.
However, in practical implementation, the following difficulties will arise:
- Demanding on the material of the chimney assembly. The air temperature at the outlet of the furnace is very high. Therefore, the chimney should not have good heat transfer, otherwise the soil around it will burn out. Asbestos pipes can be used as a material for the removal of combustion products.
- Compliance with the rules for placing a chimney. It will be necessary to provide revision windows in the chimney to clean it from soot. Therefore, it is necessary to lay a pipe between the beds.
- The need for power supply. A long horizontal section does not contribute to the creation of normal traction, so it will be necessary to install a smoke exhauster. This means the need to supply electricity to the greenhouse or periodically recharge the battery.
Therefore, the idea of underground placement of the chimney in practice has not found wide application.
Instead of a standard furnace, solid fuel can be used. They burn fuel more efficiently and do not allow rapid heat release, which eliminates the possibility of damage to plants from high temperatures. These factory-made boilers are easy to use and maintain, as well as compact.
Gas boilers and convectors
For greenhouses, the use of a gas or convector has become a good alternative to stove heating. For small private structures, equipment operating on the basis of gas cylinders is usually used.
Before installing a gas boiler in a greenhouse, it is necessary to thoroughly strengthen one of the walls to which it will be attached
It is better to place a gas cylinder outside the greenhouse. But in this case, it is necessary to solve the issue of preventing freezing of the gearbox during a long period with a negative temperature.
Connecting a greenhouse to a gas network is a rather complicated bureaucratic procedure. In addition, during the annual mandatory inspection by a gas service specialist, comments will be made.
In any case, the presence of a combination of gas supply and the use of open fire in a closed room requires increased security measures. The best solution is the presence of a gas analyzer, as well as an automatic flame extinguishing system that is triggered when the MPC of a combustible substance in the air is exceeded.
From the standpoint of comparing financial costs for the installation and use of stoves and gas equipment, an unambiguous conclusion cannot be drawn. A simple gas convector costs about 12-14 thousand rubles.
This is more expensive than metal solid fuel devices:
- metal costs and expendable materials with self-manufacturing stove-potbelly stoves amount to about 3 thousand rubles;
- factory solid fuel unit of small size, for example, the model NVU-50 "Tulinka" costs about 6.6 thousand rubles.
- installation of long burning model NV-100 "Klondike" costs about 9 thousand rubles.
A stone oven will be more expensive than a gas convector due to the cost of the foundation and its laying.
It is advisable to install a stone oven if you are sure that the greenhouse will be located at this place for more than one year
The cost of liquefied natural gas spent on heating any room will be cheaper than purchased firewood and coal. However, greenhouses are heated, as a rule, with free or cheap combustible waste, which is always enough in rural and suburban areas.
The problem of air leakage and humidity
The use of heating devices in which open combustion of fuel occurs, leads to the need to remove combustion products through the chimney. In this case it is necessary to compensate the volume of outgoing air.
In buildings, it is possible through uncontrolled inflow (infiltration) which occurs due to the presence of cracks and holes in the walls and ceiling.
The construction of modern greenhouses, such as polycarbonate, creates an airtight space. In this case, the problem of air intake is solved by the presence of air vents and the installation of a special inlet.
It should be placed in such a way as to avoid a concentrated flow of cold air on the plants. It is also possible to use several small holes to organize a distributed inflow.
Exhaust systems for gas convectors of closed type are already equipped with a pipe for the inflow of outside air into the combustion chamber.
Often after the operation of furnaces and boilers, the effect of dehumidifying the air is observed. This is due to the lower absolute humidity of the incoming cold flow (especially frosty) in relation to the warm air leaving the greenhouse through the chimney.
To maintain accurate parameters of air humidity, a humidifier with a hygrometer is used, which can operate from a local energy source. In the absence of such a need, you can place an open container with water in the greenhouse. Then, in the case of strong dehumidification of the air, the evaporation process will naturally occur.
Ways to evenly distribute heat
For small greenhouses, it is enough to place one heating source. The air circulation in the room will be provided due to the vertical temperature difference and, thus, the distribution of warm air will occur.
In any greenhouse, when it is heated, a slight vertical temperature difference occurs. This must be remembered when positioning thermometers.
In rooms of a large area or complex geometry, it is possible to form zones with different microclimate parameters. This is sometimes done on purpose in industrial greenhouses, but in most cases this phenomenon is undesirable.
To evenly distribute heat, two methods are used:
- Creation of artificial air circulation. Typically, bladed fans are used. Sometimes a duct system with integrated pumps is built so that air is taken in at one end of the room and exhausted at the other.
- Heat transfer due to intermediate heat carrier. As a rule, an ordinary water system with forced circulation is used. Pipes can be laid both around the perimeter of the greenhouse and under a layer of soil.
Forced heat distribution is also necessary to prevent the formation of a high temperature zone near the heater. Otherwise, plants located near the oven or boiler may be thermally damaged.
Popular methods of heating without open fire
The use of open fire has some limitations, since combustion waste is released, and fire prevention measures must be observed. Therefore, other methods are often used to release heat into the greenhouse room.
Application of electrical appliances
Using electricity to heat a greenhouse in winter is the most expensive way. However, it is also the simplest, since the installation of such heating includes only wiring and installation of appliances.
The use of simple automation systems frees a person from the need to participate in constant monitoring of the microclimate.
The scheme for connecting several heaters through a thermostat is quite simple. The only problem may be a power outage, so you need to provide for the connection of additional power sources (+)
Electric heating of the greenhouse can be performed using the following devices:
- Heater. The simplest and cheapest device that you can do yourself.
- Convector. The presence of a fan allows, in addition to heating the air, to carry out its uniform distribution throughout the greenhouse.
- Heat pump. A powerful device for heating air in large volume greenhouses, which is often used in conjunction with a duct system for heat distribution. For heating a compact room, you can do it yourself.
- infrared lamps. The specificity of the operation of such devices lies in the heating of the surface on which the radiation falls. Thus, it is possible to equalize the vertical temperature gradient in the room without the use of air circulation.
- Heating cable. It is used to heat local areas in a greenhouse.
In the case of small premises, the use of electric heating is justified because of its simplicity and safety. In large and industrial greenhouses, it is advisable to use other methods.
The heating cable is well suited for ground heating. Its maximum temperature is not high, so the effect of burning the soil with the loss of its qualities can not be feared
Biochemical heat release
One of the interesting ways of heating is the introduction of undecayed organic fertilizer into the soil - animal manure or bird droppings. As a result of a biochemical reaction, a large amount of energy is released, which increases the temperature of the fertile layer and indoor air.
When manure rots, carbon dioxide, methane, as well as a small amount of hydrogen and hydrogen sulfide are released. Also, manure has a specific smell. All this imposes certain restrictions on its use, associated with the need to ventilate the room.
In winter, as well as during prolonged cold snaps in spring and autumn, intensive air exchange is undesirable. In this case, the restoration of heat balance after ventilation may require significantly more energy than was released as a result of the manure decay process.
The use of such a “biological” method of heating the earth and air is justified in late spring, when airing occurs at positive daytime temperatures.
Systems with an external heat source
Heating of the greenhouse is possible due to the proximity of the house or other heated building. This simplifies the whole procedure, as there is no need to install an independent heat source. Using wired or wi-fi relays, you can remotely receive information about the temperature in the greenhouse and adjust its microclimate from home.
An ordinary wi-fi temperature complex of a sensor and a relay costs about 2 thousand rubles. When the temperature goes out of range, it transmits its values to devices running Windows or Android
Creation of a separate heating circuit
If the house uses water or steam heating, then it is possible to create a separate circuit leading to the greenhouse. It must be provided with a separate pump, since the total horizontal extent of the new segment will be large.
Also in the greenhouse you need to install an open-type expansion tank to remove air from the system. The open water area of the tank must be minimized to prevent intense evaporation of hot water into the room.
Radiators are rarely installed in a greenhouse, since the design of its premises plays a secondary role. With a lack of heat, it is better to lengthen the pipe contour, as this is cheaper and reduces the risk of leaks and breakages.
The outdoor segment of the circuit must be insulated to avoid heat loss and minimize the risk of freezing. The underground option for placing pipes is best suited for these purposes.
The connection of the heating segment of the greenhouse to the general circuit can be performed using a three- or four-way valve.
Standard scheme for connecting an additional heating circuit. The location of the taps in the house allows you to remotely control the air temperature in the greenhouse (+)
It is also possible to create an automatic temperature control system.
This can be done in the following ways:
- Change in the volume of hot water passed, depending on the readings of temperature sensors. In this case, it is necessary to purchase a pump with power control.
- Switching the greenhouse heating circuit on and off. To do this, use automatic control systems for cranes.
Instead of manually changing the position of a three- or four-way valve, servo-based devices can be used. Its electronic control unit is tuned to the readings placed in the greenhouse.
The servomotor for automatic adjustment is large in relation to the valve. Therefore, to install it, it is necessary to take the heating pipe away from the wall
Heating with exhaust air
Good heating can be obtained by using the warm air of the exhaust ventilation of a residential building. By directing the insulated ventilation duct inside the greenhouse, you can get a constant incoming flow with a temperature of 20-25°C.
The only condition is that the air does not contain excess moisture and impurities that are typical for kitchens and bathrooms.
The outflow of air from the greenhouse can be organized in two ways:
- Local exhaust opening to the street in the form of a tube without a fan. It must be of small cross section to create high speed flow. In this case, at a negative outdoor temperature, the condensate formation zone will be at some distance from the tube, which will prevent the formation of ice.
- Returning the flow back using an additional duct and its mandatory connection to a common house hood. Otherwise, the smells from the greenhouse will spread throughout the house.
This method is the most economical in terms of one-time system installation costs and recurring fuel costs. The only question remains the sufficiency of the extract volume to maintain the required temperature. It is better to check it experimentally.
If sometimes, during extreme cold snaps, the air temperature in the greenhouse drops below the permissible level, then a small heater can be built into the duct, or an additional electrical device can be installed at the facility itself.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Homemade stove with a long chimney for heating a greenhouse:
Most projects can be implemented in-house, which will reduce their cost and provide an opportunity for further independent modernization.