greenhouse heaters

[harrywitmore]

I have used an unvented heater with no signs of a negative effect that I can tell. I also have a vented one and there seems to be no difference.

[kavanaru]

Originally Posted by Becca

Ramon, wouldn't gas have a negative effect on the plants only if the heater wasn't vented or am I missing something or is there something I don't know about?

no idea, Becca.. it is just the general advice I have foudn here... I think I need to check for both vented and unvented heaters and check the differences... however, in my case it seems that in France (yes, I am planing moving to France and buying a house there) it is cheaper with electricity than anything else...

[BikerDoc5968]

OK, first, I have been using a non-vented NG heater for the past 3 years and have not noticed any problems with my orchids flowering or growing. This has been my personal experience. Others may have different opinions; I'm by no means an expert! If your NG heater is in GOOD WORKING ORDER, the only thing, besides heat, that it should produce from the combustion of methane is carbon dioxide and water vapor. There should be no or possibly minute amounts of carbon monoxide. These things are designed to be used inside of homes as a supplemental heat source! As for rust etc, I don't use a garden hose during the heating season because it is FROZEN! My unit is as clean and functional today as it was 3 years ago when i installed; I do remove it during the spring/summer months. I use a 3 gal hand pump sprayer which works out just great for my situation. As for the manner in which I built my GH, I placed it up on a wall so I would have greater head room since it is only 7' 4" at the center and the entrance is now level with the adjoining deck. The floor is insulated with 3" of polystyrene and the side walls with 3.5". I used a treated wood floor because of the ease of keeping things clean and water drains off and it is much easier to walk on a solid surface. In the dead of winter I can walk out there bare foot and not notice the cold! The heater is 20,000BTu and has no problem heating my 8' x 15' GH to 75 ~ 80F deg even last week when we had night time temps to 0 ~ 5F.

[kavanaru]

Originally Posted by BikerDoc5968

OK, first, I have been using a non-vented NG heater for the past 3 years and have not noticed any problems with my orchids flowering or growing. This has been my personal experience. Others may have different opinions; I'm by no means an expert! If your NG heater is in GOOD WORKING ORDER, the only thing, besides heat, that it should produce from the combustion of methane is carbon dioxide and water vapor. There should be no or possibly minute amounts of carbon monoxide. These things are designed to be used inside of homes as a supplemental heat source! As for rust etc, I don't use a garden hose during the heating season because it is FROZEN! My unit is as clean and functional today as it was 3 years ago when i installed; I do remove it during the spring/summer months. I use a 3 gal hand pump sprayer which works out just great for my situation. As for the manner in which I built my GH, I placed it up on a wall so I would have greater head room since it is only 7' 4" at the center and the entrance is now level with the adjoining deck. The floor is insulated with 3" of polystyrene and the side walls with 3.5". I used a treated wood floor because of the ease of keeping things clean and water drains off and it is much easier to walk on a solid surface. In the dead of winter I can walk out there bare foot and not notice the cold! The heater is 20,000BTu and has no problem heating my 8' x 15' GH to 75 ~ 80F deg even last week when we had night time temps to 0 ~ 5F.

wow... really nice GH! Very similar to the one I have in mind....

[Becca]

Originally Posted by BikerDoc5968

OK, first, I have been using a non-vented NG heater for the past 3 years and have not noticed any problems with my orchids flowering or growing. This has been my personal experience. Others may have different opinions; I'm by no means an expert! If your NG heater is in GOOD WORKING ORDER, the only thing, besides heat, that it should produce from the combustion of methane is carbon dioxide and water vapor. There should be no or possibly minute amounts of carbon monoxide. These things are designed to be used inside of homes as a supplemental heat source! As for rust etc, I don't use a garden hose during the heating season because it is FROZEN! My unit is as clean and functional today as it was 3 years ago when i installed; I do remove it during the spring/summer months. I use a 3 gal hand pump sprayer which works out just great for my situation. As for the manner in which I built my GH, I placed it up on a wall so I would have greater head room since it is only 7' 4" at the center and the entrance is now level with the adjoining deck. The floor is insulated with 3" of polystyrene and the side walls with 3.5". I used a treated wood floor because of the ease of keeping things clean and water drains off and it is much easier to walk on a solid surface. In the dead of winter I can walk out there bare foot and not notice the cold! The heater is 20,000BTu and has no problem heating my 8' x 15' GH to 75 ~ 80F deg even last week when we had night time temps to 0 ~ 5F.

Wow it's beautiful! I really like the looks of the wood floor, I would think that wet wood floors would be slippery, is this not the case? Sooo....when can you stop by and build my greenhouse Your greenhouse is just what I have been looking for...but just a tad bigger in size!

[BikerDoc5968]

Becca, the wet wood is no different than a treated wood deck. I spray it with an algaecide from time to time which is really the only thing that might make it slippery. The wood was just cheap, relatively speaking, and very easy to get level and install. I never have standing water, yet the wet wood gives off water which is helpful since my humidity is a real problem in the winter or dirt to drag in the house and it is very easy to keep clean which is an absolute for me!!!! This G/H kit comes in many sizes as well as a lean-to.

[dounoharm]

most definately dig in the floor and gravel it....gravel will help with humidity regulation as well....i use a non vented blue flame propane heater, as that is what came with my kit package....and have used it for 3 winters with no problems....i have a 12x24 house....i will replace it with a vented blue flame heater....i like the procom heaters and they are compact and easy to work around in the gh...and cheap! i havent had a problem with rust yet, and i am careful of watering just by the heater...i water with a hose....i havent had any luck with the mist systems as they tend to keep too much moisture dripping on the orchids...

[dounoharm]

Originally Posted by kavanaru

no idea, Becca.. it is just the general advice I have foudn here... I think I need to check for both vented and unvented heaters and check the differences... however, in my case it seems that in France (yes, I am planing moving to France and buying a house there) it is cheaper with electricity than anything else...

i would be afraid of power outages in the nite if i had electric....we get frequent power outages in the winter months which make electric untrustworthy.....the non-vented heaters are designed to be used indoors so i doubt that there would be any of the problems of excaping gas fumes to damage either the orchids of myself.....gas heater technology has come a far ways from the old days....then you only had a choice of boilers for heat....

[harrywitmore]

One thing to consider also is that many high end heaters require electricity for the thermostat to work. This is the case with my Reznor. I would opt for something else if I had it to do again. It's a pain to have gas and no electricity and no heat!

[Becca]

Originally Posted by harrywitmore

One thing to consider also is that many high end heaters require electricity for the thermostat to work. This is the case with my Reznor. I would opt for something else if I had it to do again. It's a pain to have gas and no electricity and no heat!

What is the other option for a thermostat then? I planned on having electricity to run the fans n such anyways...just not for the heater. But I thought I would ask anyways for those who do not intend to have electricity at all.