I am in Oklahoma, it doesn't get as cold here but am learning how to get an energy free greenhouse to grow year round. Now I can grow turnips, carrots cabbage, and other cooler foods until mid December. Then in mid February I grow another crop of these and start my summer veggies so by the end of April start getting cucumber, tomatoes, squash and so much more. I have been doing the double plastic in winter, but your idea of blankets... So cool
Wow, that’s brilliant! I’m only trying to keep a 5m x 3m greenhouse around an average of 20 degrees Celsius in central France in order to run a homebiogas tank that processes our toilet waste and small amounts of food waste - I will definitely be doing some mini versions of the things you have been talking about - insulating the north side and coming up with a roll down blanket of some sort - we already cover the biogas tank with old swimming pool bubble covers and some light weight silver roof insulation but insulating the plastic greenhouse she lives in (yes we call her Bertha) must help from October to April here! Thankyou!
@@SimpleTek what sort of materials are ok for blankets when there is a lot of rain? It’s a pretty light weight greenhouse - would it be better to have something inside?
When I set up my greenhouse I will be using the insulated blanket for sure, especially in Alaska where we get so little sun in the winter. One change I want to make is to add a thermal block under the blanket, kind of like the silver emergency blankets in cold weather emergency kits. That should increase heat retention significantly from the thermal mass back wall, and the material is light weight and not very expensive.
@@SimpleTek Sure, lots of companies make it or a version of it. They are used for all kinds of purposes, from insulating yurts with double bubble to insulating steel and wood buildings. What I will be looking for are large rolls like the second link below. I am sure Alibaba has them cheaper than we can get here, just like most things unfortunately. www.insulation4less.com/metal-building-insulation-stop-condensation-heat-cold-and-air?gclid=CjwKCAjwzruGBhBAEiwAUqMR8BVecKNFVs5s7gXxc9-4_D6mF5VlYRJyvcLfv8Q5aQvrmHiHUdh1hRoC1VUQAvD_BwE www.amazon.com/SmartSHIELD-3mm-Reflective-Insulation-Commercial/dp/B084RGYM7S/ref=asc_df_B084RGYM7S/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459419428539&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1811157474529701701&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033878&hvtargid=pla-942366899446&psc=1
I checked out Dong’s channel and he has a 6.5 foot gap between his two layers of plastic. With my local zoning laws there is no way I could get away with a 13-14 foot greenhouse, unless I sunk it into the ground. I was impressed that he was able to keep the greenhouse 55 degrees (Fahrenheit) warmer than outside. I would love to see a video on where to find and comparing insulated blankets for the greenhouse.
A 6.5' air gap is roughly equivalent to an R20 insulation layer with relatively little thermal bridging. Granted it still makes your structure like 13 feet longer so it isn't practical if size is a constraint, but that is actually really good for a clear layer.
Sinking into the ground might actually be a added bonus. You could maybe score some geothermal heat. I mean if you're digging it all out anyways, why not just install the geothermal system.
Tell you what *didn't* work: foil-faced bubble wrap. 14 ft. roll, supported with rail in middle, (so 7 ft. span between end supports and centre support). Bubble wrap rolled on 4" core , rolled up by cords passed from top underside, around end of roll, back along top side, over pulleys to axle. (I drove the axle with a salvaged windshield wiper motor, controlled with a simple Arduino setup triggered by light levels, but this was not the problem.) What went wrong? 1) the cords cut into the bubble wrap - need some sort of wider strap, which would oblige a much more robust, (probably metal rod), means of winding than the cords. 2) the roll keeps slewing to one side or the other as it rolls up, jamming the expanding roll in the ways on either end. (Maybe roll the roll up onto an axle at top, rather than try to roll the whole roll up and down??) 3) I suspect the core on which the bubble wrap is fastened is bending in the centre. (I ran internal supports down it to try to counteract this, but I suspect that it needs a much more rigid material). If one goes with a secondary rod to wind the tapes, (replacing the cords), perhaps simply adding more tapes would alleviate this. (At present there are just 2 cords, at roughly 1/3 from each side. 4) No matter what one does, my understanding is that the edges, top and bottom of the blanket need to be sealed as closely as possible to prevent a chimney effect. (I was ruminating on using flexible magnetic tape along the edges of the blanket, with matching tape fastened to the runners. But when I was unable to get the roll to roll up straight in the first place, I gave up here.)
This is brilliant. Im only going to grow a small amount of winter veggies and they will be inside a small cloche or two inside polycarbonate dome so i will cover the cloches with blankets at night. How easy! I can use comforters I already have. Im talking about like 5x8 feet of cloche or polyethylene cold frame type things
Great idea. But in the winter the greenhouse should be closed to heat loss until the solar gain is worth opening up. Have a heat GHAT and cheap heat source plus light source. Thanks
Working on clearing the right area on our sloped property for a Chinese Greenhouse that incorporates either a rocket mass heater or Jean Paine method. Thank you for this video as I had no solid data on how much sunlight is decreased with each layer of plastic. For the blanket I'm considering using a plastic tarp with gifted bubble wrap glued on facing down toward greenhouse. Great tip on placing the blanket between layers. Anyone with a video on how to roll up (crank mechanism specially)?
I would love to see info about how the blankets roll and unroll. Any resources or videos cover this? I am imagining all sorts of complicated mechanisms to get the blanket to roll correctly over the greenhouse side but I am not sure I like any of my ideas and have not had much luck finding enough details on how that aspect works.
In Upstate NY, and trying CONCRETE BLANKETS ( amazon in 12x20 or 12x24 sizes) this winter. very light ( approx. 25lbs, 1.8mm thick with insulation in middle, and use as wind breaks and for curing concrete. Weather resistant and water/snow proof. I will also use reflected insul board 3ft up each side and on both end walls with my house furnace inside, and a wood barrel stove. let's see what happens:)
@@SimpleTek They are quite light actually and have grommets just like tarps. I will need 3 to cover my 32 ft length so I will tie them just like a shade cloth so I can raise and lower them one at a time, so they overlap each other a couple feet. They are used to cover concrete to help it dry and not freeze, and also excellent for burying over a sewer line for same reason:)
@@stingingmetal9648 Just took them off for the Spring. Pros: My furnace maintained between 38-45, which is good for most veggies. There were a few very sunny days where it would have reached even higher with them off, but it is a pain. Cons: 1) they collect snow and a lot of it because no heat escapes. Normally, snow melts off on its own. 2) greenhouse is 32' long, so I needed 3 blankets, which i had to overlap a little and wind turned them over, but not off couple times. I do not want to sew them together so I can move 1 at a time when needed. Not really a con, just pain in the butt with 3' snowbanks on either side:) Overall, I am satisfied with what they did, but will work over the summer to figure out a way to install them INSIDE on guy wires so i can slide them. Will be difficult because I have rafters that prevent front to back sliding, UNLESS i go below all the rafters, which means changing the stove pipe set up. I will likely add a "duct" system down the middle with -6 outlets throwing out heat at an angle. Strong cable and I can slide them front to back as a group or one at a time. Also means I have to move my lighting for that:) I will make a video on new installation, however it turns out. I have discovered "mylar" blankets, but one big enough is very expensive, but just one VERY LIGHT piece and lot less work to move. debating:) Thanks for asking
Just found your videos. I've been researching indoor gardening, aquaponics, hydroponics etc for over 10 years. Right now, we are looking at a roof where we want to build a greenhouse. It just happens to have a north and west brick wall. However, I'm trying to figure out ways to build the structure using free, or the cheapest materials (without sacraficing quality/function)
@@SimpleTek Is that for feeding several persons or going for many different types of produce? The pool covers are usually available at outlet/overstock stores here, so my curiosity was piqued when I saw your Chinese greenhouse video.
We have just built a 11' x11' greenhouse with a polycarbonate roof in Carman, Manitoba and I would like to incorporate an insulated blanket for it. Where could I get such a blanket with a manual crank system?
Your videos are very helpful. My next design is currently double skin corrugated polycarbonate above 90cm high insulated walls. Thermal storage under benches set at 80cm high. Plus two layers of growing shelves. But its a design in progress...
Where could you find thermal curtains for a greenhouse in the US? - If you were going to make one how would you layer it? anyone have an in depth china design tutorial?
where can you get these thermal blankets that can be used outside for greenhouses in the USA? Everything I see is in China. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated because I am very interested in fixing something like this up for my orchid house especially with how unstable our economy seems to becoming now. maybe this can help off set the predicted rises in heating fuel.
Reuse double pane Windows. You can have an inside Ir refelective blanket. Outside roll up shades. Are you speaking in us emperial R values ? I thought Canada was in International units
Do you know the r value of double layer bubble wrap? Can I leave it on my lean to 4x8 greenhouse in the winter( yes South Dakota gets -40 too). I plan on using 100 gallon RV water tanks painted black against the north wall and black floor covering. Thank you for your channel 🙏
The aluminized bubble wrap used to wrap hot water tanks has an R-value of only 0.8 - 1.0 Very poor. Our local community hall spent thousands warpping the building with it, under a new metal siding, and it didn't lower the heating costs one bit. A complete waste of time and money.
In our CLOUDY vancouver Island area (2 sunny hours daily in the 4 winter months) I have 1500 pounds of water in black barrels. Zero temp gets stored. I've been told (?) that there 'should' be 4 gallons of water for each square foot of south-facing sun area. No way I'm doing that route. Spinach and greens will have to do. No heating added to the GH
i live in charlotte, NC, where can I buy these insulating blankets I need one that is 16x12' in size. maybe I can use rolled fiberglass insulation 6' wide used for metal warehouse buildings? , but how would I protect it from the rain/elements?
@@SimpleTek no thanks that means I essentially have to make 2 green houses, got to keep it economical. is there a way to make the outershell economically???
@@SimpleTek not sure about it still requires an expensive frame of some type to attach to it and that stuff only lasts 2 years in charlotte, nc. I guess it would last 4x longers if taken down in the off season
@@SimpleTek do you have any recommendations or links you can send i could only find one on alibaba and the shipping to canada is too expensive. Higher r value the better we are growing in -25 weather.
Thks but a simple question, Since glass & rigid/flexible poly has such low Rvalues, why not just use window screening with your retractable insulative blanket. Another question, ?Do you know of any good listing of inexpensive materials for insulated blankets?
So you mean instead of use the poly or glass panes, you use window screening instead, and in the winter just get away with rolling the thermal blanket on top? I wonder what the difference in price of the screen compared to the glass/poly would be, as well as the difference in how well each would hold heat in. Interesting way of saving money while getting almost the same R value out of it, if that's what you're pointing at.
The only insulated concrete I’m aware of is aircrete. And I don’t know of any concrete that’s flexible once it’s poured and set. Do you have a link to what you are referring to? Very interesting…
so what is the R value of these blankets? they can't be very thick, maybe 1" thick max which if lucky is R3 right???? and if that is the case, maybe it is just better to go with a 16mm thick multi wall polygal sheet with R5 value???
Regarding double skins (panes): a bigger air gap isn't necessarily better - too big and convection cells can set up within the gap between the skins (panes). The gap is mostly a thermal break to prevent conduction. However, there exist a scheme (trade named SolaRoof) to blow dish soap foam between the skins. In this case, a wider gap between skins (panes) becomes a closed cell foam, preventing convective currents. Every couple of hours (as required) more foam can be blown in to "top up" the level. Fans are used to push the foam back to a reservoir when it isn't needed, but light transmission through the foam is decent (if diffuse), so on really cold days the foam can remain in place. Clog resistant spray nozzles (look like a pig tail) reportedly make the system more robust. I haven't yet used the scheme myself, but it looks interesting. Together with a furling foil faced reflective barrier on the interior (something like Reflectix or aluminized Mylar, to kick long wave infrared radiant energy back to the interior), floating row cover and a good bit of passive thermal mass, it seems like it should be possible to at least keep cold hardy salad greens going without additional heat/energy input in most habitable parts of northern North America. With some additional heat inputs (air-ground climate battery, Modified Trickle-down solar collectors heating a large volume water tank, rocket mass heater), rather delicate things like tomatoes and eggplants - even citrus - are probably possible with fairly low recurring input costs. A large volume water tank could possibly be used to keep efficient protein converters (e.g. tilapia) going during the cold months, too.
One idea I have is to have two layer poly film cover. Now the R value is still very poor because the air circulates between the layers and that is very true with four inches or more between them. Need to decrease the circulation of air. A bubble machine blown between the layers will drastically improve the R value. Now the issue is to how to remove the bubbles. Blow in air will push out the bubbles. And you need to have not have the liquid from the bubbles lay on the film.
He has linked his channel, if you message Dong Jainyi he has been great about answering any of my questions, I even got to do a tour of his greenhouse.
@@SimpleTek I didn't because it was exactly what he shows on his videos, but it was very interesting to talk to him to find out why he did/didn't do certain things.
Firstly, I dunno how your R rating values work if I have 1 foot thick rockwool insulation in my ceiling that's R6. Maybe that's your R60. Secondly, nobody is growing tomatoes in 10C PERIOD. As for the stuff about argon, that's the gas used in double and triple glazed glass here in Australia. Your blanket is on the TOP, what HOLDING IN SNOW? And ZERO MENTION of emergency blankets or silver paper?! Here in Australia we have silver paper UNDER THE FLOOR strung between the floor joists. And of course in the walls and under the roof. Instead of blankets holding in snow and hard to get off for snow or freezing, there's a different option. My parents have a passive solar house, big bunch of continuous windows in the loungeroom, and concertina doors that come together in the evening and you open in the morning and the tiled concrete slab behind the glass heats up during the day. It works REALLY well. You'd be far better with a silver paper backed blanket INSIDE the greenhouse instead of out with the snow.
Excellent video. I've also seen a few of the impressive Chinese passive greenhouse here in Alberta.
Amazing results from simple ideas.
Cheers!
I am in Oklahoma, it doesn't get as cold here but am learning how to get an energy free greenhouse to grow year round. Now I can grow turnips, carrots cabbage, and other cooler foods until mid December. Then in mid February I grow another crop of these and start my summer veggies so by the end of April start getting cucumber, tomatoes, squash and so much more. I have been doing the double plastic in winter, but your idea of blankets... So cool
That is fantastic
@@SimpleTek thanks to your video’s I am learning a lot. God Bless
Chickens in the coldest months in winter?
Thank you Scott, another great video!
@@thomaswest9634 :)
Thanks for the valuable tips as always. Liked and subscribed.
Awesome, thank you!
Wow, that’s brilliant! I’m only trying to keep a 5m x 3m greenhouse around an average of 20 degrees Celsius in central France in order to run a homebiogas tank that processes our toilet waste and small amounts of food waste - I will definitely be doing some mini versions of the things you have been talking about - insulating the north side and coming up with a roll down blanket of some sort - we already cover the biogas tank with old swimming pool bubble covers and some light weight silver roof insulation but insulating the plastic greenhouse she lives in (yes we call her Bertha) must help from October to April here! Thankyou!
Thank you for the wonderful comment!!! Good luck with your greenhouse
@@SimpleTek what sort of materials are ok for blankets when there is a lot of rain? It’s a pretty light weight greenhouse - would it be better to have something inside?
@@bernadettekerbey9117 I think you answered your own question ;)
@@bernadettekerbey9117 personally, I’d do what I could to have it inside
When I set up my greenhouse I will be using the insulated blanket for sure, especially in Alaska where we get so little sun in the winter. One change I want to make is to add a thermal block under the blanket, kind of like the silver emergency blankets in cold weather emergency kits. That should increase heat retention significantly from the thermal mass back wall, and the material is light weight and not very expensive.
very interesting, do you have a link for this?
@@SimpleTek Sure, lots of companies make it or a version of it. They are used for all kinds of purposes, from insulating yurts with double bubble to insulating steel and wood buildings. What I will be looking for are large rolls like the second link below. I am sure Alibaba has them cheaper than we can get here, just like most things unfortunately.
www.insulation4less.com/metal-building-insulation-stop-condensation-heat-cold-and-air?gclid=CjwKCAjwzruGBhBAEiwAUqMR8BVecKNFVs5s7gXxc9-4_D6mF5VlYRJyvcLfv8Q5aQvrmHiHUdh1hRoC1VUQAvD_BwE
www.amazon.com/SmartSHIELD-3mm-Reflective-Insulation-Commercial/dp/B084RGYM7S/ref=asc_df_B084RGYM7S/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459419428539&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1811157474529701701&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033878&hvtargid=pla-942366899446&psc=1
Amazon has some 12’x24’ pool covers for fairly cheap that I have been thinking would work for this
I checked out Dong’s channel and he has a 6.5 foot gap between his two layers of plastic. With my local zoning laws there is no way I could get away with a 13-14 foot greenhouse, unless I sunk it into the ground. I was impressed that he was able to keep the greenhouse 55 degrees (Fahrenheit) warmer than outside. I would love to see a video on where to find and comparing insulated blankets for the greenhouse.
me too!!! I think I might have to make one in the future!
A 6.5' air gap is roughly equivalent to an R20 insulation layer with relatively little thermal bridging. Granted it still makes your structure like 13 feet longer so it isn't practical if size is a constraint, but that is actually really good for a clear layer.
Sinking into the ground might actually be a added bonus. You could maybe score some geothermal heat. I mean if you're digging it all out anyways, why not just install the geothermal system.
Tell you what *didn't* work: foil-faced bubble wrap. 14 ft. roll, supported with rail in middle, (so 7 ft. span between end supports and centre support). Bubble wrap rolled on 4" core , rolled up by cords passed from top underside, around end of roll, back along top side, over pulleys to axle. (I drove the axle with a salvaged windshield wiper motor, controlled with a simple Arduino setup triggered by light levels, but this was not the problem.) What went wrong? 1) the cords cut into the bubble wrap - need some sort of wider strap, which would oblige a much more robust, (probably metal rod), means of winding than the cords. 2) the roll keeps slewing to one side or the other as it rolls up, jamming the expanding roll in the ways on either end. (Maybe roll the roll up onto an axle at top, rather than try to roll the whole roll up and down??) 3) I suspect the core on which the bubble wrap is fastened is bending in the centre. (I ran internal supports down it to try to counteract this, but I suspect that it needs a much more rigid material). If one goes with a secondary rod to wind the tapes, (replacing the cords), perhaps simply adding more tapes would alleviate this. (At present there are just 2 cords, at roughly 1/3 from each side. 4) No matter what one does, my understanding is that the edges, top and bottom of the blanket need to be sealed as closely as possible to prevent a chimney effect. (I was ruminating on using flexible magnetic tape along the edges of the blanket, with matching tape fastened to the runners. But when I was unable to get the roll to roll up straight in the first place, I gave up here.)
Oh, i found the blanket video. Nice.
@@Shakalakahiki8 cool
Yes!!! I have been waiting especially for this video 🥳🤩😁
Thank you too much for the kind words! That made my day!
Recommend you to watch this video: th-cam.com/video/EHbaW1Ea_O4/w-d-xo.html
@@CN_SFY_General Thank you for the recommendation! I will look at it.
I'd like to see a deeper dive into the two layer blanket rollup greenhouses.
good idea
great so where can I buy one?
@@ostertag100 do I need to do everything?
This is brilliant. Im only going to grow a small amount of winter veggies and they will be inside a small cloche or two inside polycarbonate dome so i will cover the cloches with blankets at night. How easy! I can use comforters I already have. Im talking about like 5x8 feet of cloche or polyethylene cold frame type things
Sounds great!
How do you keep heat in your greenhouse?
:)
Great idea. But in the winter the greenhouse should be closed to heat loss until the solar gain is worth opening up. Have a heat GHAT and cheap heat source plus light source. Thanks
Working on clearing the right area on our sloped property for a Chinese Greenhouse that incorporates either a rocket mass heater or Jean Paine method. Thank you for this video as I had no solid data on how much sunlight is decreased with each layer of plastic. For the blanket I'm considering using a plastic tarp with gifted bubble wrap glued on facing down toward greenhouse. Great tip on placing the blanket between layers.
Anyone with a video on how to roll up (crank mechanism specially)?
Thank you for the kind words!
Hi can you put a link on these tarps? thanks
@@2quick4u84 I don’t really do that, sorry
I would love to see info about how the blankets roll and unroll. Any resources or videos cover this? I am imagining all sorts of complicated mechanisms to get the blanket to roll correctly over the greenhouse side but I am not sure I like any of my ideas and have not had much luck finding enough details on how that aspect works.
alibaba
A strong enough Hoist or Winch. Depends how heavy the blanket is.
I'd like to try a thermal tarp that is used in concrete work. They are pretty cheap and easy to get.
Interesting idea!!!!
Look up Citris in the Snow greenhouse
Very familiar with his work
In Upstate NY, and trying CONCRETE BLANKETS ( amazon in 12x20 or 12x24 sizes) this winter. very light ( approx. 25lbs, 1.8mm thick with insulation in middle, and use as wind breaks and for curing concrete. Weather resistant and water/snow proof. I will also use reflected insul board 3ft up each side and on both end walls with my house furnace inside, and a wood barrel stove. let's see what happens:)
how to you put concrete blankets on and off for night and daytime?
@@SimpleTek They are quite light actually and have grommets just like tarps. I will need 3 to cover my 32 ft length so I will tie them just like a shade cloth so I can raise and lower them one at a time, so they overlap each other a couple feet. They are used to cover concrete to help it dry and not freeze, and also excellent for burying over a sewer line for same reason:)
@@serenityfarmsprepping2267 1 year later, hows it going?
@@stingingmetal9648 Just took them off for the Spring. Pros: My furnace maintained between 38-45, which is good for most veggies. There were a few very sunny days where it would have reached even higher with them off, but it is a pain. Cons: 1) they collect snow and a lot of it because no heat escapes. Normally, snow melts off on its own. 2) greenhouse is 32' long, so I needed 3 blankets, which i had to overlap a little and wind turned them over, but not off couple times. I do not want to sew them together so I can move 1 at a time when needed. Not really a con, just pain in the butt with 3' snowbanks on either side:) Overall, I am satisfied with what they did, but will work over the summer to figure out a way to install them INSIDE on guy wires so i can slide them. Will be difficult because I have rafters that prevent front to back sliding, UNLESS i go below all the rafters, which means changing the stove pipe set up. I will likely add a "duct" system down the middle with -6 outlets throwing out heat at an angle. Strong cable and I can slide them front to back as a group or one at a time. Also means I have to move my lighting for that:) I will make a video on new installation, however it turns out. I have discovered "mylar" blankets, but one big enough is very expensive, but just one VERY LIGHT piece and lot less work to move. debating:) Thanks for asking
Any idea on where to source 30 ft by 30 ft insulated tarp or greenhouse blanket?
Alibaba
Just found your videos. I've been researching indoor gardening, aquaponics, hydroponics etc for over 10 years. Right now, we are looking at a roof where we want to build a greenhouse. It just happens to have a north and west brick wall. However, I'm trying to figure out ways to build the structure using free, or the cheapest materials (without sacraficing quality/function)
You’re on the right track. ROI is everything
With the greenhouse within a greenhouse you could use a shade cloth in the summertime to reduce overheating as well
Good idea
For a beginner set up - how would an insulated pool cover compare?
What kind of greenhouse do you have?
interesting thought...currently have a 200 sq foot dome and working on a 800 sq foot quonset
@@SimpleTek Is that for feeding several persons or going for many different types of produce?
The pool covers are usually available at outlet/overstock stores here, so my curiosity was piqued when I saw your Chinese greenhouse video.
@@J8n3eyr3 how insulate are the pool covers? do they come with an R rating?
I just feed people here so far with the my greenhouse
They are like a stiff small bubble wrap.
We have just built a 11' x11' greenhouse with a polycarbonate roof in Carman, Manitoba and I would like to incorporate an insulated blanket for it. Where could I get such a blanket with a manual crank system?
Try Alibaba.com
Cheers from Oakpoint Manitoba
Where would one buy one of these outside thermal blanket/tarp in Manitoba? We have a 10 x 20 planta greenhouse
I would order from Alibaba.com
Your videos are very helpful. My next design is currently double skin corrugated polycarbonate above 90cm high insulated walls. Thermal storage under benches set at 80cm high. Plus two layers of growing shelves. But its a design in progress...
Sounds great!
Where can I get thermal blanket????
Chinese thermal blanket
Alibaba, eBay or Amazon have them. Or ask your local hardware store
Where can I get one of these blankets?
Try Amazon or alibaba
@@SimpleTek thanks, I enjoy your work.
@@thedomestead3546 thank you for the kind words
I love it 🥰
;)
Where could you find thermal curtains for a greenhouse in the US? - If you were going to make one how would you layer it? anyone have an in depth china design tutorial?
All I know is you can find them on alibaba
where can you get these thermal blankets that can be used outside for greenhouses in the USA? Everything I see is in China. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated because I am very interested in fixing something like this up for my orchid house especially with how unstable our economy seems to becoming now. maybe this can help off set the predicted rises in heating fuel.
To be honest I’ve only seen them from china via Alibaba.com
I'm wondering why there is no reflective layer on the inner side of the thermal tarps.
maybe cause there's no light at night.....
@@SimpleTek You mean no loss of heat at night via infrared radiation?
@@gaborbravo1 no I mean less loss of conductive radiant heat built up in the greenhouse
Reuse double pane Windows. You can have an inside Ir refelective blanket. Outside roll up shades. Are you speaking in us emperial R values ? I thought Canada was in International units
Glass is best!
Do you know the r value of double layer bubble wrap? Can I leave it on my lean to 4x8 greenhouse in the winter( yes South Dakota gets -40 too). I plan on using 100 gallon RV water tanks painted black against the north wall and black floor covering. Thank you for your channel 🙏
I don't know but it would depend on thickness and such I'd think
The aluminized bubble wrap used to wrap hot water tanks has an R-value of only 0.8 - 1.0 Very poor. Our local community hall spent thousands warpping the building with it, under a new metal siding, and it didn't lower the heating costs one bit. A complete waste of time and money.
In our CLOUDY vancouver Island area (2 sunny hours daily in the 4 winter months) I have 1500 pounds of water in black barrels. Zero temp gets stored. I've been told (?) that there 'should' be 4 gallons of water for each square foot of south-facing sun area. No way I'm doing that route. Spinach and greens will have to do. No heating added to the GH
@@paulmaxwell8851 Wow. Another example of people chasing the idea without doing enough dilligence.
Where do you get these blankets from
Try alibaba.com
i live in charlotte, NC, where can I buy these insulating blankets I need one that is 16x12' in size. maybe I can use rolled fiberglass insulation 6' wide used for metal warehouse buildings? , but how would I protect it from the rain/elements?
Plastic layer on the outside, blanket on the inside
@@SimpleTek no thanks that means I essentially have to make 2 green houses, got to keep it economical. is there a way to make the outershell economically???
@@solarroofing8072 Chinese greenhouse plastic , single layer
@@SimpleTek not sure about it still requires an expensive frame of some type to attach to it and that stuff only lasts 2 years in charlotte, nc. I guess it would last 4x longers if taken down in the off season
@@solarroofing8072 good cheap greenhouse plastic lasts 4-7 years
where can i find an insulated blanket for this?
try Alibaba.com
Try concrete insulation for curing concrete in winter. They are common up north and are plastic on two sides and some sort of fill in the middle
Where can I get a thermal blanket in Canada or North America?
And whats the r value of the insulated blankets?
eBay, amazon or alibaba - depends on the blanket for R value
@@SimpleTek do you have any recommendations or links you can send i could only find one on alibaba and the shipping to canada is too expensive. Higher r value the better we are growing in -25 weather.
@@shanenoel5771 sorry everything changed with the pandemic
Thks but a simple question,
Since glass & rigid/flexible poly has such low Rvalues, why not just use window screening with your retractable insulative blanket.
Another question, ?Do you know of any good listing of inexpensive materials for insulated blankets?
try eBay, amazon or alibaba
So you mean instead of use the poly or glass panes, you use window screening instead, and in the winter just get away with rolling the thermal blanket on top? I wonder what the difference in price of the screen compared to the glass/poly would be, as well as the difference in how well each would hold heat in. Interesting way of saving money while getting almost the same R value out of it, if that's what you're pointing at.
Regarding 4 layer glass: I was watching a Canadian video and the guy doubled up 2 layer windows. He called it a Double Double system
I get a double double at Timmy’s all the time!
need to cool in the summer house which happens through a single layer the best.
That would be cool!
Has anyone tried the insulated concrete tarps?
The only insulated concrete I’m aware of is aircrete. And I don’t know of any concrete that’s flexible once it’s poured and set. Do you have a link to what you are referring to? Very interesting…
❤❤❤
Thank you
so what is the R value of these blankets? they can't be very thick, maybe 1" thick max which if lucky is R3 right???? and if that is the case, maybe it is just better to go with a 16mm thick multi wall polygal sheet with R5 value???
depends on the blanket, lots of different ones available
Regarding double skins (panes): a bigger air gap isn't necessarily better - too big and convection cells can set up within the gap between the skins (panes). The gap is mostly a thermal break to prevent conduction.
However, there exist a scheme (trade named SolaRoof) to blow dish soap foam between the skins. In this case, a wider gap between skins (panes) becomes a closed cell foam, preventing convective currents. Every couple of hours (as required) more foam can be blown in to "top up" the level. Fans are used to push the foam back to a reservoir when it isn't needed, but light transmission through the foam is decent (if diffuse), so on really cold days the foam can remain in place. Clog resistant spray nozzles (look like a pig tail) reportedly make the system more robust. I haven't yet used the scheme myself, but it looks interesting.
Together with a furling foil faced reflective barrier on the interior (something like Reflectix or aluminized Mylar, to kick long wave infrared radiant energy back to the interior), floating row cover and a good bit of passive thermal mass, it seems like it should be possible to at least keep cold hardy salad greens going without additional heat/energy input in most habitable parts of northern North America. With some additional heat inputs (air-ground climate battery, Modified Trickle-down solar collectors heating a large volume water tank, rocket mass heater), rather delicate things like tomatoes and eggplants - even citrus - are probably possible with fairly low recurring input costs. A large volume water tank could possibly be used to keep efficient protein converters (e.g. tilapia) going during the cold months, too.
interesting
One idea I have is to have two layer poly film cover. Now the R value is still very poor because the air circulates between the layers and that is very true with four inches or more between them. Need to decrease the circulation of air. A bubble machine blown between the layers will drastically improve the R value. Now the issue is to how to remove the bubbles. Blow in air will push out the bubbles. And you need to have not have the liquid from the bubbles lay on the film.
interesting
Use what you have. Wise words. Hopefully nobody will hear that and say "that doesn't make any sense".
Thank you for the kind words!
Why don't you see if you can interview Dong Jainyi,,,, these greenhouses are the future,,,???
I would love to go see him. In Canada at this time travel is still limited due to Covid right now
He has linked his channel, if you message Dong Jainyi he has been great about answering any of my questions, I even got to do a tour of his greenhouse.
@@robyngodbout4300 did you take pictures?
@@SimpleTek I didn't because it was exactly what he shows on his videos, but it was very interesting to talk to him to find out why he did/didn't do certain things.
@@robyngodbout4300 I hope to do that someday
Firstly, I dunno how your R rating values work if I have 1 foot thick rockwool insulation in my ceiling that's R6. Maybe that's your R60. Secondly, nobody is growing tomatoes in 10C PERIOD. As for the stuff about argon, that's the gas used in double and triple glazed glass here in Australia. Your blanket is on the TOP, what HOLDING IN SNOW? And ZERO MENTION of emergency blankets or silver paper?! Here in Australia we have silver paper UNDER THE FLOOR strung between the floor joists. And of course in the walls and under the roof. Instead of blankets holding in snow and hard to get off for snow or freezing, there's a different option. My parents have a passive solar house, big bunch of continuous windows in the loungeroom, and concertina doors that come together in the evening and you open in the morning and the tiled concrete slab behind the glass heats up during the day. It works REALLY well. You'd be far better with a silver paper backed blanket INSIDE the greenhouse instead of out with the snow.
10C is the nighttime minimum, greenhouses go above that with sunlight in the day, I’m bored answering stupidity
Emphasis on "very" expensive!
expensive is relative to how much you could loose or the cost to heat it