We are very grateful and excited to serve across Canada. We have
202 customers in Nova Scotia!
109 in Quebec
88 in New Brunswick
58 in PEI
15 in Newfoundland
14 in British Columbia
13 in Alberta
12 in Saskatchewan
11 in Manitoba
2 in the Yukon
And many many more in Ontario!
Thank you everyone so much for trusting us to help you with your shelter solution. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with you on your projects!
Tag Archives: multi shelter solutions palmerston
Wind braces for structures
There is no dispute on the need for wind braces on any structure. There is often confusion on how and when those braces need to be installed.
The sooner that some sort of bracing is installed on a building, the easier it is to maintain plumb or vertical. For this reason, we stress the importance of tying off a building, both ways, as soon as the first section has been erected.
One detail that many over look is the total surface area of the hoops. It does not take very long to have the combined surface of a 4’x8’ sheet of plywood. For this reason, it is important to not rely for an extended period of time on your initial tie down ropes as your “bracing”. There have been instances where the combined surface area of the hoops is more than the entire gable end.
If you are doing a long building with long hoops, i.e. 30’ wide, it would be wise to install the bracing before the whole structure is assembled.
Wind bracing can be installed in two directions, one goes away from the end wall and one goes toward the end wall. Both ways are acceptable, provided that you do both. If you install them toward the end at one end, you must do the same at the other end. By doing the same concept at each end, you are essentially holding things in opposite directions.
When bracing goes away from the end, the load is referred to as “tensile load”. Cable is often used for this. The cable and the clamps used must be rated against stretching and breaking. This is a convenient system since you are not limited by a precise measurement. When using this system, it is important to end up at the ground, in the 4 corners.
When bracing goes toward the end, the load is referred to as “compression load”. Round tubing with flattened ends is most often used. It is important to make sure that the tubing is strong enough as to not bend as it is being compressed. This is the method which has been used the longest since the instinctive way to brace something it to “prop something against it”.
With either method of bracing, where you start and end is very important. For bracing to be effective, you must start at a point that is connected to the whole structure. This would be either the ridge or a row of purlins. Starting at a mid point of a hoop will give little reinforcement since the hoop can flex from side to side. The closer that bracing goes at 45 degree angle, the stronger it will be.
In the case of longer hoops with multiple rows of purlins, it is advisable to have a series of shorter braces than one long one. This means you would start at a certain hoop/purlin connection and go down and over for 3 or 4 hoops and anchor at that hoop/purlin connection. Go over to the same hoop you did the first brace on and repeat the process from the lower purlin. You would then be going down to the base or the next row of purlins. Remember that if at one end, if you are going left to right, on the other end you go right to left.
Where ever you end up, it is wise to have extra anchoring at that point.
For extra clarification, please watch our “installing wind braces” video on the website.
Featured Application: Salt & Sand Storage Buildings
It’s prime time to get your salt storage structures from Multi Shelter Solutions to be delivered while it’s still great installation weather!
We offer many sizes to choose from, and can custom manufacture for your unique situation as well.
They can be mounted on blocks, shipping containers or direct to a ground beam or with anchor posts.
Check out the pages below for extra pricing and information regarding these structures, and call us for your custom quote! We look forward to helping you find your shelter solution
Air Circulation & Humidity Control
Even though many people would consider air circulation and humidity control as totally separate functions, they are closely intertwined.
You may have the proper sized openings to create the proper amount of air changes.
You could still have hot or cold spots in your greenhouse if you do not have proper circulation.
The same can be said about removing humidity.
For a ventilation system to have optimum efficiency and benefit, there must be balance. Having proper air circulation allows you to achieve that balance.
Horizontal air flow (HAF) fans typically come with a cage around the blades, a hanger bracket and a cord with plug. This allows them to be attached or suspended from the frame at the proper location. The motors are rarely more than 1/3 hp.
HAF fans always are installed in pairs and blow in opposite directions. A short greenhouse will have one in the front right corner and in the back left corner. A longer greenhouse will still have one in the front right and back left but also two half way down the length. The one on the right will blow in the same direction as the front right. The one on the left will be blowing in the same direction as the back left.
HAF fans should never be mounted in such a way that allows them to be blowing directly at plants. This would create an uneven drying. Some people will aim the fans slightly in the direction of the cover to ensure maximum air flow along the cover to maintain dry covers.
These fans run continuously to ensure that the temperature and humidity are spread evenly throughout. It also ensures that your thermostat or humidistat are reacting to air or moisture that is representative of what is going on in the greenhouse.
Ventilation is a difficult area of greenhouse production to get perfect. The more attention you pay to the details and modify what you are doing, the greater your production. The tricky part is that with all the variables, no two years will be the same. Carefully consider all your options and the situation you’re dealing with and you will have success!
The Variations of Passive Venting
In a nutshell, passive venting is creating an opening and letting the warm / hot air escape. The simplest form of this is opening a door or window. Just because it is simple does not mean that this method will be effective in cooling your greenhouse.
If your ends face into the prevailing winds, if you can make your doors big enough and if your greenhouse is short enough. That is a lot of “if’s” and you will still be doing a lot of running back and forth to have the correct amount of opening for the amount of ventilating you need to do.
We have already reviewed the most common form of passive ventilation in the roll up sides. It was noted that roll up sides work much better when paired with a high opening to create a chimney effect. It is a fact that hot air rises so the higher you can create an opening, the more effective it will be.
If you are relying solely on gable end windows, either motorized or manual, they will need to be quite large. You will also need to have the benefit of a regularly strong prevailing wind.
The most effective form of passive venting is a continuous roof vent. This will provide a continuous opening in the precise area where the air is the hottest. A roof vent should always be mounted down wind of the prevailing wind. The benefit of being down wind is that the wind creates a vacuum as it goes over the greenhouse and sucks the warm air out. The air intake for a roof vent is often a roll up side.
A significant down side of a roof vent is the up-front cost. The cost is the same for a narrow and a wider structure. This is the reason they are almost exclusively put on wider buildings. The cost is simply spread out over a bigger area. The effectiveness of a roof vent still makes it appealing in spite of the cost.
Roof vents can be controlled manually with a chain fall opener or with a motorized gearbox. A motorized system can be a simple open / close controller that you set the limit switches or it can have a proportional controller that allows for pre-set stages. It is with an automatic controller that the benefit of the roof vent will really become apparent. Every couple of minutes it will react and adjust to the inside condition of the greenhouse.
All of the expenditures involved with your greenhouse need to be weighed as a cost versus benefit or cost versus return. This process is especially challenging when considering the options of ventilation. Many of the expenses are subtle and hard to measure. The returns are equally hard to quantify since weather is an additional variable. This makes it even more important to keep accurate records and be aware of your options for improvements.
Long Weekend Hours
Multi Shelter Solutions will be open on Canada Day and closed July 2nd. We will reopen 9am July 5th. Have a safe and happy holiday weekend!
