Tag Archives: greenhouse structures

Winter Care and Maintenance

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These buildings are not industrial grade shelters and, as such, some caution must be exercised under some winter storm conditions….

Please see the WINTER CARE page in our installation guide for additional information. We also have a Winter Care FAQ page with articles we have posted on this topic

BEWARE of this sequence which creates a “worst case scenario”:

Freezing rain, followed by dropping temperatures, Lots of snow followed by rainfall. It is easy to triple the weight of the snow load in 30 minutes.

Our structures are designed in a gothic shape with a slippery cover to be lightweight and snow resistant. This encourages the snow to slide off quickly.
This is not an industrial high snow load building. We do our best to always point out applications where the capacity of the structure is being compromised. Extra hoops or thicker steel are an economical way to increase wind and snow load capacity. We take pride in the sturdy shelters we manufacture and supply, but must point out that we cannot warranty against weather conditions

Snow removal, when occasionally required, is a simple task. Uneven snow loading is deceiving, since the total weight is not a problem but the lateral force can cause the hoops to distort.It is rare to have any significant snow build up on the roofs; however,

DO NOT GO INSIDE A BUILDING WHERE THERE HAS BEEN OBVIOUS STRESS!
Be aware of these scenarios where excessive snow build up is possible and damage could follow:
A wet snowfall followed by dropping temperatures
A building 90° to the prevailing wind (drifts could form on the backside of the building)
A building attached to and situated downwind of a taller building (significant drifting)

A building 90° to another building that has a higher roof, could cause a surge in snow weight when the snow on the upper roof slides off.

Preventative measures for excessive snow build up (where possible):

Build structures inline with the prevailing wind
Build structures level from side to side to create uniform shedding
Do not attach your building to a larger existing building

Install a heat source to melt the snow

Economical additions to increase your structure’s snow resistance:

Install cable or tubular cross-ties at each pair of hoops, to create a triangle (when using cables there is no need to put them under tension)
Place wooden or metal support posts under the ridge. These can be suspended from the ridge with no more than ½” ground clearance. This will provide support as soon as there is load and structure movement will not dislodge your supports.

Use closer hoop spacing for the first 12’ section away from another bigger building

Pointers for removing snow:

NEVER remove all the snow from one side and then the other
Remove the snow off the top of your building before using a machine (snow blower, etc) along the sides

Use a padded piece of 1×4 wood on a pole (create a “T” shape) as the best tool for gently bumping the inside of the cover

BEWARE of this sequence which creates a “worst case scenario”:

Freezing rain, followed by dropping temperatures, Lots of snow followed by rainfall. It is easy to triple the weight of the snow load in 30 minutes.

Please call us if you have any questions about any of this. Thank you

Backyard Greenhouses

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Threndyle1

please see more info at our backyard greenhouses page

This 12’W x 18’L High Profile Mini Greenhouse has a single layer of 6 mil plastic for the roof and ends.  It is used as a “season extender”.  To make it a year round structure a second layer of plastic would be added to the roof, and an inflator fan kit would be supplied to blow air in between the layers.*we only sell 7 mil plastic currently

This building sits on a 4” x 4” pressure treated beam (there are other environmentally friendly alternatives available as well), which is anchored into the ground.  Ventilation can be done manually  (through doors and windows or by adding roll-up sidewalls), or mechanically by adding an exhaust fan.

COLDFRAME vs. GREENHOUSE

A COLD FRAME usually has a single plastic covered structure and used as a season extender
A GREENHOUSE usually has a double plastic cover with air in between and sides that roll up for year round use and better heat efficiency.

AVAILABLE OPTIONS

  • Custom widths, heights & hoop spacing
  • Roof vents & forced ventilation packages
  • Various types & sizes of doors with end framing priced separately
  • 8mm polycarbonate sheeting for roof and/or ends
  • Roll up sides for natural ventilation & reduced condensation

The benefits of going to a bigger structure

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What are some of the benefits of going with a bigger structure over a smaller structure?

Budget often dictates that someone needs to start small, especially when a person is just starting out as a grower with a greenhouse.
There is also the perceived notion that staying smaller means less heating cost. In itself, that is true, since heat loss is in direct proportion to surface area exposed to the outside.

As I have mentioned before, it is very important to weigh expense
against return.

A smaller air volume has less natural circulation.
Proper air circulation for plants is critical regardless of the season.
Think of a deep pond versus a shallow pond. The deep pond never has algae on the surface because of the increased movement.

Going with a taller greenhouse will automatically increase the circulation the same way.

Another point to consider with a taller greenhouse, is that there is more open space above the plants.

This open space is where moisture can go, away from the plants even before the greenhouse ventilation system does its job.

With a lower greenhouse, moisture is always in close proximity to the plants. In a taller structure, the plants will be dry much sooner.

Moist plants in a stagnant air mass are prone to disease. These plants will, as a result, produce less.

As always, be aware of the bigger picture.