REDUCE GLASS GREENHOUSE HEATING COSTS

摘要

As fuel oil prices rise and supplies become shorter, hobby growers are looking for methods to reduce their costs. Heating costs in some glass greenhouses can be reduced substantially by creating an insulation barrier with an air supported layer of polyethylene applied over the glass. This method is better than placing the poly inside as (1) it is easier to install and (2) it will deflate and allow snow to melt if it is overloaded. A saving in fuel cost of 30 percent can be realized in a tight greenhouse and as much as 50 percent lost in a poorly glazed one. Reports from growers who have tried this technique indicate that it results in more uniform temperatures in the greenhouse and also that there is less glass slippage.