best gas heater for shed/greenhouse
Comments
-
Do NOT use a no vent heater in a greenhouse. Some plants don't mind so much. Others? They die... which, I presume, is not really what you want.
I doubt that the difference in efficiency is that much -- certainly not enough to justify using a no-vent in that type of application.Br. Jamie, osb
Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England0 -
Thanks for your input, i wanted to use the Rinnai for ease of install [no vent] and assumed efficiency. Would you recommend any other solutions?0
-
Go with a direct vent heater, or that Monterey. I agree that the no vent variety is easier to install -- but as I say, they are pretty tough on plants.Br. Jamie, osb
Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England0 -
The Rinnai is a direct vent, no?0
-
Efficiency is not possible.I'd use Modine heaters.0
-
Rinnai has both direct vent [81%] and ventless [99% efficiency] heaters.
https://www.rinnai.us/documentation/downloads/R-CNHT-E-07.pdf0 -
I don't understand your comment Paul, can you explain? I'm thinking Rinnai but the direct vent one. It seems more modern than the others. Needs electric to run but it has no pilot always running and had multispeed fan and different heat temps. It's more complex but if reliable seems like a better unit. It's 81% efficient not as good as i hoped and it's more money but i've always heard good things about Rinnai.0
-
It was my thought, that you are essentially heating the "Great Outdoors". Having a greenhouse in the winter may be a necessity, or a luxury, but heating it with a furnace is probably not the most efficient way to do it. I'd imagine there are some very resourceful folks that heat their greenhouses efficiently with solar, passive or otherwise. IMHO0
-
Depends on your climate, @Paul48 . In some southern climates, or, say, Kalifornia, you might be able to. Most of the northern US east of the Cascades and especially New England, never mind Canada? No hope. Sorry. No can do.Paul48 said:It was my thought, that you are essentially heating the "Great Outdoors". Having a greenhouse in the winter may be a necessity, or a luxury, but heating it with a furnace is probably not the most efficient way to do it. I'd imagine there are some very resourceful folks that heat their greenhouses efficiently with solar, passive or otherwise. IMHO
And I might add that for some farmers, at least -- and the OP may be one -- a greenhouse isn't a luxury at all, but the only way to grow some of the crops which the market demands.Br. Jamie, osb
Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England0 -
"And I might add that for some farmers, at least -- and the OP may be one -- a greenhouse isn't a luxury at all, but the only way to grow some of the crops which the market demands".
My statement covered that possibility, but then it becomes about profitability. I could be wrong, it is just my opinion. Maybe there is an efficient way to heat a greenhouse. You know better, than I.0 -
I worked on a house, years ago, that was passive solar. It was a replica of one in Nova Scotia, that spent under $200 year round to heat.0
-
My father in law, now passed away, was one of the real pioneers of passive solar heating, both for domestic and commercial uses. I have great admiration for his work. A number of his full and partial passive solar houses and buildings are scattered around New England.Paul48 said:I worked on a house, years ago, that was passive solar. It was a replica of one in Nova Scotia, that spent under $200 year round to heat.
One of the things which made his work great was that he recognized the limits of the technology...Br. Jamie, osb
Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England0 -
Absolutely..........And building in such a way as to minimize the run time of a greenhouse heater is probably the best way to be efficient. My only point of reference is that I worked for a company, a while ago, that sold greenhouses and greenhouse heaters. They were anything but efficient. Things may be different now-a-days, as far as the furnaces go. I don't know.0
-
Funny thing about greenhouses and passive energy, sometimes you need to dump heat, even in cold climate conditions. Seems like ventilation fans are a key component.
On the heating side, it seems like r-value and green house are oxymoronic. They are typically energy pigs.
Root zone heating is another method, where warming the soil, not necessarily the entire volume of the space, is adequate.Bob "hot rod" Rohr
trainer for Caleffi NA
Living the hydronic dream0 -
I'm no farmer and the greenhouse/shed is strictly for my pleasure. I want the GH to be a mini zoo/botanical gardens with ponds for fish and turtles and the shed to be a man cave. I know it seems like an expensive hobby but i really enjoy the thought of having my own botanical gardens. Just moved into a new home with this big shed and i'm getting crazy ideas. Plus my wife is sick and tired of all my plants and tanks in the house.0
-
It can be done, with renewable energy, too. Amory Lovins grows tropicals at his home in Snowmass, Colorado
http://grist.org/climate-energy/amory-lovins-high-tech-home-skimps-on-energy-but-not-on-comfort/Bob "hot rod" Rohr
trainer for Caleffi NA
Living the hydronic dream0 -
I think that's an awesome idea. You might want to talk to a greenhouse manufacturer. Tell them you're interested in alternative ways of heating a greenhouse. They may be able to help. Don't get me wrong....you'll need a furnace, but you don't want to have it running 24/7.0
-
I suspect I would have greatly enjoyed meeting the man. After decades of studying and messing about with various aspects of buildings and energy my understanding of the value of passive solar design continues to grow. There's literally almost no place on earth where it does not represent a good investment. Insanely good on some places of course, but pretty reliably good.Jamie Hall said:My father in law, now passed away, was one of the real pioneers of passive solar heating, both for domestic and commercial uses. I have great admiration for his work. A number of his full and partial passive solar houses and buildings are scattered around New England.
One of the things which made his work great was that he recognized the limits of the technology...-1 -
The shed also had a brick fireplace [the shed was a sauna] and i was thinking of adding a wood burning stove for extra heat. Aqua shield has a lean to greenhouse 10w by 20l for @ $12k. Hope i can get this done without breaking the bank.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 86.3K THE MAIN WALL
- 3.1K A-C, Heat Pumps & Refrigeration
- 53 Biomass
- 422 Carbon Monoxide Awareness
- 90 Chimneys & Flues
- 2K Domestic Hot Water
- 5.4K Gas Heating
- 100 Geothermal
- 156 Indoor-Air Quality
- 3.4K Oil Heating
- 63 Pipe Deterioration
- 916 Plumbing
- 6K Radiant Heating
- 381 Solar
- 14.9K Strictly Steam
- 3.3K Thermostats and Controls
- 54 Water Quality
- 41 Industry Classes
- 47 Job Opportunities
- 17 Recall Announcements