Bubble Wrap

We live in Minnesota and it gets very cold here in the winter. We have a small 8 X 12 greenhouse that we plan to keep open during the winter. If we insulate with bubble wrap, doesn't that block out the heat from the sun as well as keep the heat from the heater in?

I don't know the answer to your question, but it sounds like a good idea, if it still allows the sunlight to penetrate. I'll be watching this thread
Sandy

This message was edited Thursday, Jun 21st 11:05 PM

I used bubble wrap in one of my greenhouses. I don't know how helpful it was, as the thing was still an energy pig, but , I'll tell you the stuff breaks down from the UV light in one year. Since my greenhouse is glass, the bubble wrap helped diffuse the light.
This is a guess on my part, but if you block any of the sun's rays, I would think you are blocking radiated light, and thus reducing heat gain from the sunlight. It's like putting shear curtains up over the window, you will not likely feel the radiated heat coming through the glass. Probably the best thing is to have thermal fabric that can be rolled up for the daylight hours. For me, this would be difficult as I have a lot of hanging plants, whose pipes that they hang from are attached directly to the greenhouse cieling .

Try searching for "Pool cover manufacturers" on www.yahoo.com.
The pool covers come in very large sizes and may be easier to cover a greenhouse with.
Some are clear plastic bubble covers. They are designed to heat swimming pools 10 degrees.

Sue

yes we used a pool cover a friend gave us one year,it's the type that helps heat the water I think it's called a Solar Blanket.nana

Hi Ferret,

I used bubble wrap last year for the first time (previously my 20 foot by 8 foot greenhouse just got any old plastic as "double glazing"). A friend at the golf club works in the plastic packaging business and when I told him what I wanted bubble wrap for he gave me some that had been UV treated; no sign of it breaking down. I doubt it prevents the Sun's heat getting through too, in the same way on a freezing sunny day you still feel warm behing the cars windscreen. On days like that my greenhouse temperature gets up to over 100f (without the heater coming on). The only problem I find with this sort of double glazing is the amount of condensation that accumulates on the inside of the plastic. I guess the moisture has nowhere else to go. It does mean when I touch the roof (I'm well over 6') I get drenched, like I'm in a rain forest !!

El Tel

You can find bubble wrap that is treated to withstand the UV rays at Charleys Greehouse and Garden, or possibly at other greenhouse supply stores. They say it is not the same as the stuff you buy at hardware stores for packaging fragile items. It comes in rolls 24"x80 ft $49.95, 24"x180 ft $89.95 and 48"x120ft $119.95. www.charleysgreenhouse.com