Greenhouse: Thinking about a Rion?, 1 by ALBERTAROSEY

ALBERTAROSEY wrote:
Hi Folks I've been following your discussion about your Rions, almost like eavesdroppping. Hope you get all your problems sorted out. That must be hard to cope with having the doors not fitting properly and panels coming out.

I purchased a 6 x 10 EcoGrow from Rion last summer and put it together by myself (helpless female) All but lifting the roof on. Scrounged neighbours and son-in-law for that. I am mostly happy with it but there are a few problems or rather short comings that I have found. For one, the rubber gasket that fits around the door doesn't fit into the groove in the frame and seal up tightly, and the door bows out at the bottom requiring a brick to seal up the bottom 12" and hold it tight. this may not be a problem in your climate but in the north where the temps are regularly below zero any air infiltration at night causes the heater to work overtime. $$$

My model did not come with an automatic vent opener and I'm wishing that I had one now as I have to keep my eye on the weather constantly and manually adjust accordingly.

I found the service to be fine as there was a corner upright cracked and it was replaced promptly and that was crossing the border too. I also cracked two pieces that hold the roof panels in and that was replaced as well.

I guess my biggest complaint is that 6mil and 4mil polycarbonate is not substantial enough for the northern climate (Alberta, Canada) and has to be fortified with additional plastic. I don't know how the rion will stand up to our high summer heat yet so that remains to be seen. I don't consider this Rion's fault.

I have lots of seedling in there now dealing with the temperature fluctuations quite well. It's wonderful to go in and feel the warmth and the smell of green things after such a cold prolonged winter. I may feel differently after I get my next power bill.

One other thing that I never did figure out was the difference in the height of the side walls. I noticed it before the roof went on, only a fraction of an inch difference in the height when they were in place. I didn't think anything of it at the time but we had trouble getting the roof to sit down and the holes line up for the pins to go in. We had to force it down. I don't know if this was a difference in the polycarb. size or if the bottom rails had a different height causing some of the panels to go higher??? Any ways it's together and functioning fairly well.

I don't know if any of this is of any value or interest but that has been my Rion experience thus far. I'm enjoying mine, hope all your problems are few and plants are many.

Albertarosey