heated house

[frostynugs420]

sorry i havent been around in a while, ive been really down and doing nothing since my brother died. i felt so horrible, i couldnt even finish my outdoor this year, i didnt go for 2 months, in sandy soil, and they all but 1 croaked...and i used water crystals
im planning on building a 25'x15' hot house within the next month. ive done greenhouses before but never a heated house. i was told you have to have 2 layers of plastic and blow air between them, creating insulation...
anyone know how to do this? i want to seal it up as best as possible because, i will probably use 2-3 electric heaters with fans, maybe an exhaust at each end at the very bottom to pull out the cold air.
any info on insulating a hot house would be very appreciated

 

[teddybud]

its a task keeping them warm... even when done right it still takes alot of heat.

 

[spaceghost22]

Well, this has been an ongoing question for me as well. Unfortunately if you live in the north this can become quite the tall order. I recommend reading up on renewable energy, the passive solar options in general. Compliment this with electric or pressurized gas (some of these will infuse the air with CO2 as well).

Here's a really useful site showing off one of the few passive solar options. This would be easy to make and effective if implemented correctly.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Solar-Heater/

 

[rckymtnthuglife]

I like your thinking man. In HT awhile back they had an article about Trinity County and B.E. Smith (this guy was one of the first to be arrested by the Feds after 215 was passed) had a greenhouse going and there was snow on the ground all around it. I almost shit myself. Looked like he was using propane tanks with a heater mounted on em. It would create C02 as well. I think my biggest concern would be a thermostat. Maybe frame and insulate the North wall if feasible. Would love to see this get up and running.

Good LUCK
Rocky

 

[Dr Psycho]

There is a simple method used by chinese Vegetable growers in the prairie provinves of Canada. They Make a Blanket for the green house by sewing 4'fibergalass or rock woold isulation bats between 2 poly hay tarps . The Blanket is pulled over the greenhouse at night and taken off in the day time. A wood or propane heater is run inside and there is usually a back wall made of rock or dark coloured sheetmetal to act as a heat-sink for passive solaar storage. These guys produce Bok Choy in January when it's -40 outside, in March they switch over to tomatoes and cucumbers and probaly some M_39 or Hash-plant. There is also a more sophisticated system of filling a double layered poly house with soap bubble, pumped in at night and out during the day, there are also sophisticated new solar water heater arrays that are very efficent in Canadian Praire conditions anyway google alternative solor greenhouses and you will find pages of good info.