Gardening Vivian | 07 Jul 2011 04:39 pm

3 Important Greenhouse Heater Facts For Amateur Gardeners

Temperature may changes many times in a day. During the nights, it can drop to very low levels which won’t be healthy for all plants. Hence, to maintain temperature at the correct level for plant growth, generally greenhouse heaters are required. For selecting the correct heater, one must look into capability of producing correct temperatures during cold in winter and nights, but also in the money needed to installing and hence run it.

1. Different Kinds of Heaters For Greenhouses
- Electric heaters. This type of heater is suitable for tiny greenhouse structures. They can maintain the specified temperature levels. Also they don’t produce fumes and also there is no use for ventilation while using these.

- Gas heaters. These heaters are run by natural or bottled gases, they are less efficient when compared to electric heaters. Waste products while combustion are put back in the greenhouse and hence ventilation is needed while using these. These heaters must be located in a safe and secure location and also need replacement and monitoring.

- Paraffin heaters. These are the very basic among all the three. These require constant wick trimming and replacement. They also require fuel , thus, fumes enter into greenhouse and hence need lot of ventilation. These also reduce the risk due to frost damage and also prove to be emergency standby.

2. Types Of Heater Mounting
- Hanging. This heater is mounted in the ceiling or plainly just hung down from it. It’s advantageous to implement since less floor space is needed. They must be hung high so as not be an irritation or obstruction.

- Wall. These kinds of heaters are placed in the wall and also vent outside the greenhouse. Less or no floor space is needed but the place in front must be clear.

- Floor. These kinds are not mounted since they have a stand and hence can be located anywhere in the greenhouse floor. The disadvantage is that it takes up a lot of floor area.

3. Types Of Heater Combustion
- Open. These types of heaters make use of air inside for combustion needs. So long as air doesn’t contain contaminants, this works fine. Generally flammable liquids must not be kept near the open heater since the burner isn’t sealed.

- Separated. The gas heater makes use of this type of combustion mechanism where it makes use of air outside for combustion needs. The burner is sealed in order to trap air outside. Exhaust pipe is placed outside the this structure.

- Sealed. These kinds are like the separated type. It’s burner is totally sealed in and also there isn’t way use the air inside. Some sealed combustion heaters also use direct venting for exhaust and also intake.

Heater Vents
- Unvented. Unvented heaters, the combustion produced gases are released into heated location. They are for temporary use due to sensitivity of plants.

- Gravity. Exhausted air in this kind must rise via pipes and are released outside, hence, vents must be vertical. Air put out has to be gotten back by air outside.

- Power. The power vented ones have blowers which push air via pipes to outside the structure. These vents can be made horizontally or vertically, the vent pipe is smaller and hence makes it efficient.

- Direct. These kinds of venting are for sealed combustion types. They have one vent pipe for both exhaust and inlet; with one pipe being inside another.

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