I've read a lot about using black drums or trash cans for thermal mass. Doesn't the water get rancid? What about mosquitos?
thermal mass questions
I have eight sealed 55 metal drums . Has made a great difference in my low temps. I can go a few days with cloudy below zero outside and it stays around 44 degrees in the greenhouse.
How often do you change the water?
As long as its sealed I don't think its a problem. But I'll let you know in a few years.
I'm using black plastic garbage cans filled with water in my greenhouse. They have lids that slide round and lock into place. I had no problem with mosquitoes last year. The water still looks clear, and does not smell, so I'm hoping it will be OK for another year!
You could easily just dump them and reload. Or add a couple cups of bleach to disinfect them. Sure don't want them mosquitoes around!
This may sound stupid but, if overheating is a problem in the summer, do you remove the cans of water until it gets cold?
No, they will help cool the greenhouse in the summer.
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