In central Russia, it is simply impossible to get a good harvest of heat-loving crops without greenhouses. If they are also heated, then from the beginning of March you can plant seedlings of any plants in it, as well as get early greens on the table. Moreover, the installation of most do-it-yourself greenhouse heating systems is quite simple and does not require special skills.
Content:

Which way to choose?

Heating with infrared heaters, heat guns, stoves and gas guns
It all depends on the goals, the type of greenhouse, the type of crops, as well as financial capabilities. If you plan to grow vegetables or flowers in it throughout the year, you will need a full-fledged insulated building that can be heated with infrared ceiling electric heaters, underfloor heating systems or water circuit. To heat the greenhouse only in spring and autumn, it is enough to install a potbelly stove, a gas gun or lay biofuel (manure or plant residues) in the soil.
For cultivation cucumbers more heat is required - they are able to grow at a temperature not lower than + 15 ° C. Greens and flowers do not need too high a temperature - a little above 0 ° C is enough. In central Russia for heating 1 sq. m of the room will require approximately 300 Wh of thermal energy.

Room insulation

Foundation for the winter greenhouse
It does not make sense to heat a room that is blown from all sides. Therefore, before proceeding with the installation of greenhouse heating in winter, it should be carefully insulated. For this you will need:
- warming foundation: if, to protect against drafts, it is enough to cover the base of a summer greenhouse with a 15-20-cm layer of soil, then to equip a winter greenhouse, it is necessary to build a full-fledged strip deep-seated foundation
- sealing all joints of the structure; careful sealing is required for both glass structures and polycarbonate structures
- construction of warm walls and roof insulation using thermal insulation materials
It is possible to keep heat as much as possible in a polycarbonate structure using a 2-layer coating. The formed layer of air between the two layers of material will reliably keep the heat in the room.

Water heating

Greenhouse heating
This method of heating provides uniform heating of both the soil and the air. Another advantage is the creation of an optimal microclimate in the room - the air does not dry out with such a heating system. Heating in a similar way is possible with the help of firewood, peat, gas, coal, or even the development of automotive fuel. Therefore, you can choose the best option, taking into account the cost of energy in a particular region.
How to make water heating of the greenhouse? Such a heating system consists of:
- boiler or furnace
- expansion tank, serving to store water
- radiators
- pipeline
- pump: since it is rather problematic to lower the heating boiler in the greenhouse below the ground level, the circulation of water through the pipes is forced
- chimney
Even with a circulation pump, the pipeline in such a system is best placed at a slight slope. In this case, even with a temporary failure of the pumping system, the heating will continue to function.
To calculate the heat output of radiators, the formula is used:
P=S*120,
S - the area of the greenhouse (with a standard wall height of 3 m, the calculation of the volume of the room is not required).
For example, for heating a greenhouse with a size of 3x8 m, its area will be 3 * 8 = 24 square meters. m. We find the required thermal power: 24 * 120 = 2880 watts. You can specify this parameter for one section of the radiator in the data sheet.

Stove heating
So that heating costs do not “eat up” the lion's share of the profit from the sale of grown products, when choosing the type of boiler or stove, one should take into account the cost of fuel in a particular region of residence. Take care also of an effective room insulation system.
Brick structures are more complex in execution. It is difficult to build them yourself without experience. Plus for building brick ovenshaving a lot of weight, you will need a powerful foundation. The cost of a brick structure will be considerable. However, such furnaces are able to store heat for a long time, saving fuel. If you attach a horizontal chimney ("burs") made of metal to such a furnace, you can get an additional source of heating.

Brick oven with water circuit
metal oven if you have the simplest skills in working with metal, you can weld it yourself from scrap metal or even an old iron barrel. Therefore, the price of such structures is minimal.
However, if there is no radiator system in the greenhouse, the stove will warm up the air for the most part. Therefore, it is desirable to install it in the center of the room and slightly deepen into the ground. You can also raise the beds or place them on shelves where the air temperature is always higher.

metal oven
Convection and pyrolysis ovens have high efficiency. Such designs are quite complex in execution, so it is better to buy them ready-made. In convection boilers, air passes inside the casing. The principle of operation of pyrolysis structures is based on the complete combustion of gases that are formed during the combustion of fuel.

pyrolysis oven
Furnace "Buleryan", surrounded on the sides by open pipes, takes cold air from below with the help of them. The rapidly circulating air in the room warms up faster even after a single filling of fuel. If “sleeves” are put on the lower pipes, then it will be possible to distribute heat evenly throughout the greenhouse.

Furnace type "Buleryan"
A feature of the Butakov boiler is the increased heat transfer, which occurs due to the special design of convective pipes. However, it is quite difficult to clean it from combustion products. Plus, a single bookmark will not be enough to ensure a comfortable temperature. Yes, and it heats the air unevenly. The absence of a secondary afterburning chamber significantly reduces the efficiency of the design.

Butakov's furnaces
Miracle oven "Bubofanya" works only on used engine oil. In fact, this is a modified version of a potbelly stove with two chambers, a lowering and rising piston and a valve for adjusting the air supply. Such a unit is able to work without re-laying up to 61 hours! Therefore, if you have the opportunity to regularly fill it with spent fuel, this option is just for you.

Miracle oven "Bubofanya"

Infrared heaters
Ceiling-mounted infrared heaters are among the latest developments in greenhouse heating. They consume a minimum amount of electricity, plus the effect of their action far exceeds any other types of heating devices, including water radiators and even underfloor heating.
The heat from them does not rise up, but spreads evenly throughout the room. Moreover, it is the soil that warms up most intensively, and not the air, which is very important for plants.
It should be noted that for heating greenhouses it is necessary to use only long-wave devices (preferably ceramic) with heating of the working fluid up to 270-300°C. Unlike medium-wave emitters, heated up to 1700-1900°C, they are not capable of burning plants.
Significant advantages of infrared heating include:
- environmental friendliness and harmlessness: such heaters do not emit carbon dioxide harmful to plant health and other combustion products into the air
- infrared devices do not dry the air at all, since they do not heat it, but any objects and surfaces; no humidification of the room during their installation is required
- no heat loss - the efficiency of such heaters is 95%
- efficiency: since they do not heat the air, but the ground, the required amount of thermal resources is reduced by 35%; Plus, such devices consume a minimum of electricity
- system installation is easy
- the risk of fire when using infrared devices is minimized

Underfloor heating system

Arrangement of warm floors
An ideal option for heating the soil in a greenhouse is also a system of underfloor heating. Indeed, for the successful growth of plants, it is the roots that need to be warmed up.
Since heating a greenhouse with electric heating elements will cost a round sum, it is better to install a stove or boiler in it. The heating system can be combined by installing radiators around the perimeter.
- For heating the greenhouse, it is better to use polyethylene pipes. They are buried to a depth of about 40-50 cm in the drainage - a layer of rubble and sand
- It is undesirable to use metal-plastic for laying in the ground. After all, its fittings (connecting elements) require regular tightening. If you still decide to use such hard plastic, use compensation loops when laying the pipeline
- Polyethylene film is laid firstserving as waterproofing
- Next, a layer of thermal insulation is laid foam or expanded polystyrene
- It is also possible to reduce the thermal conductivity of the soil with the help of compacted sand., which is poured over the heat-insulating layer to a height of 10-15 cm
- The distance between the pipelines should be 0.36 m. To ensure uniform heating, 2 collectors are placed along the edges of the greenhouse. Pipes are connected to them in alternation
- To protect the pipeline from damage during digging of the soil with a shovel or fork, slate or a metal mesh is laid on top of it
- Next 35-40 cm layer - fertile soil

Heating with gas

Infrared burner
The disadvantages of such heating include the need for mandatory coordination with special services. Moreover, you will not be able to make gas heating of the greenhouse - the drafting and installation of such systems is carried out only by specialists. Due to the high risk of ignition during operation, the operation of gas boilers will need to be constantly monitored. Due to the excess of carbon monoxide formed during the combustion of fuel, in order to avoid poisoning and the threat of an explosion, it is imperative to install in a heated room ventilation.
But still, there are many more advantages to such devices. The cost of gas is not that high. You will have to spend money only on the purchase of a boiler and equipment for it. Such designs provide uniformity and fast heating rate of the greenhouse, plus they are as easy to maintain as possible. But in order for it to warm up evenly, it is better to install heaters or connect several burners at once.
We list the main types of gas equipment used to heat greenhouses:
- convectors: the industry produces special devices of this type specifically for heating greenhouses; built-in heat exchanger evenly distributes heat throughout the room; ventilation in it is provided with the help of a coaxial (pipe in pipe) chimney
- heater with two open burners (the second of them serves as a spare) and a vertical chimney; ventilation system installed separately
- infrared burners: they are located in separate zones for local heating of certain types of crops or accelerating seed germination; equipped with a smoke exhauster that throws combustion products into the chimney; during their operation, the arrangement of forced ventilation systems is not required - natural enough
In most cases, gas heating in greenhouses is combined with water heating.. The principle of its arrangement is similar to that described above.

Thermal gas gun
Thermal gas guns, used for spot heating, can be easily connected to both the gas line and the cylinder. Such structures are lightweight and mobile enough, they can be easily moved to any other place. The fuel in them burns out completely, so the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning during their operation is minimal.Modern gas-fired heat guns are equipped with a temperature and even humidity control system.

Solar batteries

The principle of operation of a solar battery
Collecting and accumulating the heat given off by the sun's rays will help to get an early harvest in the spring. Heating the greenhouse with solar batteries can also be used as an additional one. For the winter period, the heat received only from them will not be enough.
To accumulate solar energy, the greenhouse must be installed in the most open place and positioned from east to west. It has been proven that polycarbonate arched structures are able to "collect" the maximum number of rays. Plus, the air in the cells of this material will serve as a natural heat insulator.
Solar batteries are divided into:
- aquatic: heat storage in this case are water containers (barrels or pools); moreover, several small containers have an efficiency higher than one large one, because water always warms up better closer to the surface; they are distributed evenly throughout the room
- stone: this material is able to retain heat for a long time, so it makes sense to lay out the walls of the greenhouse with stone or fill it with a sufficiently large layer around the perimeter of the structure
- air: belong to the most efficient battery devices (see photo); for efficient heating, heat exchangers are placed perpendicular to the direction of sunlight; heated air through pipes enters the greenhouse; the intake of cold air is carried out through the second duct
When installing an air heating system in polycarbonate greenhouse to ensure rapid air exchange, it is desirable to use fans. The inlet pipe of the duct is located as close to the ground as possible. The pipe through which the heated air enters the greenhouse is placed in the upper part of the room.
![[Instructions] How to make beautiful and unusual wall shelves with your own hands: for flowers, books, TV, kitchen or garage (100+ Photo Ideas & Videos) + Reviews](https://iherb.bedbugus.biz/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/19-6-300x213.jpg)
Biological heating
Biofuels (self-heating substrate) have been used to heat plants since ancient times. Any summer resident knows that cucumbers get sick less and grow better not on open ground, but on warm manure.
Able to bring biofuel benefits to the greenhouse. As it can be used not only manure, but also the remains of plants, household organic waste (paper, rags, plant food residues), sawdust, foliage, straw. In the future, when it completely rots and turns into humus, it is used as a fertilizer. The best biofuel is obtained by mixing cow dung (1 part) with peat (3 parts). A mixture of conifer bark, sawdust and manure heats up more slowly, so its heat lasts for a long time.

Biological heating
To heat the greenhouse in this way, it is necessary to remove the top layer of the earth, lay a 15 cm layer of biofuel, spill it with warm water. A few days later, when the organic mass begins to emit heat, it is again covered with removed soil and equipped beds.
When using straw, bales are laid in shallow ditches so that it rises slightly above the ground. To start the process of decay, the substrate is shed with water, infusion manure or chicken manure. Seedlings can be planted after 2-3 days, when the temperature begins to rise.

How to heat a greenhouse with candles and bottles
This method can be useful in the event of return frosts. It allows you to increase the temperature in the room by several degrees in a short period of time.
With a slight drop in temperature just below 0 ° C, 4 candles are enough to heat a room of 6x3 m. So that the heat from them does not immediately go up, they must be covered with metal buckets, leaving a small gap between it and the ground for oxygen to enter. The buckets heated by the flame will quickly heat the air.
You can replace metal buckets with ceramic pots inserted one into the other and strung on a metal bolt. It will serve as a conductor of heat.

Heating with a candle
You can also use ordinary water bottles to heat the greenhouse. Experienced gardeners stock up on large plastic containers and use them throughout the season. During the day, the bottles are heated in the sun, and at night, when the temperature in the greenhouse drops, they begin to release the accumulated heat into the air. Plus, in the heat, containers with cold water save plants from excessive overheating and burns.
The best projects of greenhouse heating systems can be easily found on the net. For example, The author of the following video shares his own experience of heating such premises:
VIDEO: Super economical heating for greenhouses
Greenhouse heating: types of heating, step-by-step recommendations for arranging your own hands (20 Photos & Videos) + Reviews