Bubble Wrap the Greenhouse for Insulation

Hi, All

I Too have been surfing the web for an energy efficient way to heat my greenhouse during the winter.
I found this link on the web http://ecotechdaily.com/2009/07/01/free-heat-from-an-old-window-and-some-soda-cans/ I was wondering if someone could take a look at this guys ideas and see if this could be applied in heating a greenhouse. I seem simple enough but can’t grasp exactly how it would work if at all. That it would be worth a shot. I may have already been tried and failed.

Thanks
Lori

I just posted my comment about whether this might work for a greenhouse, but it won't show up till the moderator approves it as I posted as a guest.

Will post if there is any response. Not a bad idea.

Janet

I have too much heat in the GH during the day....I need to find a way to store it and release it at night.
My GH roof is clear so the sun heats the GH during the day.
I had three 55gal barrels in the GH last winter and they did help some.
This summer I set them up as rain barrels, maybe I should move them back into the GH.

That is very interesting, I think it would certainly help during the day. I'm using a similar idea to heat the water in my greenhouse so it is stored for evenings. As soon as I test it out enough, I'll post my set-up.

rentman

love the barrows, and I'm especially interested in how ya did that spout???? that is what I need to do, not mechanical here...LOL

love the paint job.

Janet

Janet, this may sound long but it's not hard, except the drilling maybe.
The barrels are connected at the bottom with 3/4" PVC pipe.
Each joint, on the outside is a 3/4" male threaded to slip connectors.
The male thread goes through a 1" hole, drilled through the barrel and screws into a female 3/4" thread to slip connector.
Now I needed some type of gasket to make the connections water tight, the hardware store had fiber washers with 1" hole for $1.25 each, but I remembered I had a large piece of rubber from a roof repair job so I cut the gaskets from that.
I cut 3" squares of rubber, clamped them between two pieces of wood and drilled through the lot.
The gaskets are on the inside and work great. The drill bit was the most costly item. (not counting the beer) ^_^
Each barrel is connected at the bottom so they all fill equally as it rains. But I do need a larger overflow, maybe 3" dia.
Well a picture is worth 1000 words so I clicked one, Another hard part about this job is holding the fitting on the inside of the barrel.

I don't know if it would help at all, but I did a spout with a hot water heater tap (they're like $3 at a big box) and sealed it with "Goop" glue (highly recommended by my HVAC buddy) and didn't have a leakage problem.

Those are the nicest looking rain barrels I've ever seen. Did the tops come off those barrels? If not, how did you get down inside them?

Didn't think about the 'Goop', Cat. That would work also, but I wasn't worried about a little leak outside.
I needed the spout to come out and beyond the stand they sat on. I get a little more pressure because they set up higher, above ground level. My garden slopes away from the house, (and is bare now, only Organic Weeds) ^_^
Yes Cathy, to metal top are removable but it's a long ways down to the bottom and trying to screw them together....ain't easy..

Perhaps the only advantage of the water heater tap is that you don't have to do anything on the inside. 'Cause they aren't all easy to open up - try it before you buy it!

Lol, rentman - when I used the goop, I was in Arizona. I would not let a single drop fall!

I moved 2 of my rain barrels into the GH. Had to remove a shelf.
Yes, I have some leaks at the fittings, No not bad leaks and I think they will seal them self with time, I hope.
The green 2x4s to the left is the ladder down into the cellar, where the Boogy Man lives. ^_^
I draw air up from the cellar to help cool the GH in the summer, helps a little.

Must go and watch 'Deal or No Deal'

would an aquarium adheasive work to "glue" the bubble wrap to the frame or walls??

I would think that it would not dry fast enough to hold the BW in place.
I had a 2" roll of clear packing tape, worked well for me, sides as well as overhead.
BTW I put up two layers of BW. To a man 'More is Better' ^_^

Sometimes it is for a woman, as well..... >grin< ....

Ooooh Cat, you are naughty!

Moi?

As my DH sez, simply mischievous.

That was a great one, Cat!!!! No dinky dinks for me!!!!

I used the big 1" Bubblewrap last year, and it worked great. This year, I put a layer of Reflectix (24" high) over the BW, around the base, and a second layer of cheaper BW around the rest of the sides. Mine is glass, so it doesn't hold the heat very well, EXPENSIVE elec bill the first year, no insulation. I am still trying to decide whether or not to double insulate the top as well.
My GH is attached to a metal potting shed, so a lot of cold air comes in from there. I will insulate in there, when I get a chance. I hung a sheet of the big BW in that doorway, and just roll it up and bungee cord it out of the way when I am working in there. I will probably do that to the entrance doorway to GH as well. I also bought a can of "Great Stuff" insulating foam and sealed the big huge gaps between the GH and shed. That made an immediate difference, no drafts.

My shelves are on cinder blocks, so I am thinking that they will help store heat, as well. They take up a lot of precious room, so I am undecided about keeping them in there or not. Any ideas? It is 8x12 , shed is 8x10 attached.

All of this wasn't cheap, but I figured it was still less than one month's power bill, and I can reuse it.

More is definitely better, in my book!!!

My first shelf were made of 1x4 and had plastic wire vent shelf that I picked up off trash piles.
I love to recycle.
I bought a ton of metal shelf at an auction for a song.
Now those cinder blocks....they would be used for a raised bed, tomatoes love that, You do grow tomatoes ?
The 'Great Stuff' is wonderful for filling those cracks and spaces, for sure. Shave it off when it's dry and you can paint it......mine are painted Green ^_^
I would sure insulate the wall of the metal potting shed that connects to your GH.
I used electric heat my first winter, I have run a gas line to the GH and using it now. Don't ask 'how much it cost'...I don't know and I don't want my wife to know.....I'm retired and it's a hobby for me.

This message was edited Oct 22, 2009 4:36 PM

We're not saying a word, lol!

rentman,

you crack me up, I'm a thinking the next time DH and I are back home to Danville, KY we might have to make a trip by when its best for you as I would love to see yours GH in person. I love the whole design.


(and up here we think more is better also......teeee heeee)


Janet

Janet, You and yours are always welcome, anytime. I'm on the S/W side of Frankfort, just off US 127.
I'll give you a grand tour of my GH and our 1/3 acre estate. ^_^
As they now say in South Florida (where I'm from) 'Mi Casa tus Casa' (lot of Spanish live there now).
'My Home is your Home'
I'll even give you a Baby Bunny, (don't have any cats or dogs). ^_^
This is a Sweet Potato bloom

Anyone know how many years you can use the same bubblewrap? Mine is 3 years old I think. Its looking really ratty and some of the bubbles look deflated. Its the 1 inch size.

As long as most of the bubbles are still good, I would think it's still effective. Me, I'd duct tape the ratty edges and put it up one more year!

I'm going on the 2nd year, looks OK, it also is 1 inch.
One problem is that bugs get between it and the glass.

I used clear packing/shipping tape and bungy cords. I also removed the bubble wrap in late May for the summer.

This message was edited Jan 31, 2010 9:51 PM

Rentman right back at ya, I'm from Florida, Miami - then move around a lot and married a guy from Danville, now were up in what I call the north pole, just south of Cleveland. We are trying to decide if we should go back to KY or go on down to Florida, dad is in Bradenton and I've really come to love the west coast... so after the first of the year we will see for sure which place wins out of if we stay put a little longer in the frozen tundra...... LOL

Janet

Hay Janet, I was born in West Palm and lived most of my life there.
But while you're waiting to go back, just wrap some Bubble Wrap around you............^_^
Need a photo of that..........
My wife wraps up in a heating blanket, long socks, cap over her ears and gloves with finger holes, so she can read her books...........................and the heat is set at 72......
She ask me to rub her neck and then yells at me for having cold hands.
Yes I know women feel the cold more than men. The best to you.
It's been raining all day so I'm making tomato sauce from tomatoes I canned last year , in a crock pot.
Myst get those sweet potatoes in the jars and 6 rabbits in the freezer.......must go.

Dwight...(my real name)

Oh Dwight, I so miss my Florida, just can't beat living next to the water and the clouds that are there.....but Kentucky was truly a beautiful stop along the way in my life. Funny thing about up here is that in the summer it is just about the best place to be.... but not in the winter, at least that is what my old bones are starting to say. I totally get why there are snow birds in Florida now...rofl.

Janet

ps bubble wrapping self, just might have to give that a try....

We definatly have alot of snow birds down here! *S*

Hate to bring up a old topic but is there any reason to by the five times the price bubble wrap from charlies or is the packing material equivilent at a fifth the price?

People have stated charlies is UV treated but I cannot verify that on charlies product description.

I can find 1/2" thick and 1" diameter bubble all over the place.

Use the cheap stuff. I use 1" and have had it up for two years, no problem.
This pic you can see it over head on 3/4" wood frames and I taped it to the side windows with 2" clear tape. I used Two layers
I ordered mine, tow 24" rolls, shipping was free.
But Office Depot or where ever.

Dwight

I found mine (48" wide, which made for super easy & faster installation) on ebay for a fairly good deal.

I got some free last week, from a local frame shop. I bought some 2 winters ago, that I am still using in the GH.

My favorite price!

I just bought mine off amazon. By far the cheapest. 24"x125' of 1/2" bubble caost 19.99 with only $7.95 shipping. I bought two rolls.

I just ordered this from Amazon.com I hope this what I needed. Its a good price. Is half inch ok?


1/2" x 125ft x 24" BUBBLE WRAP ROLL (Large Bubbles)
4 new from $19.99
(3)› Show only Packitright Bubble items


I am hoping to use the back half to start my seedling with an electic heater next month.
Do you tape the rows together?
Not sure how to put it up. I really don't want left over sticky stuff on the plastic frame. How do you do yours?

I just got up the gh so this whole thing will be trial and error.

That is the bubble wrap that I used. As for as putting it up, I tested some a while back using water tension. It works fabulous. Hot or cold days, sunny or cloud, and heated or not heated the bubble wrap stay up without any hint of falling. I have used it on the ceiling and wall without issue. I just spray the polycarbonate well with water and stick the bubble wrap in place. Perfect.

One trick I found to help keep the bubble wrap in place in certain awkward areas where tape wasn't functional was binder clips. You can get a pack of 20 or so from any office supply store in various sizes for only a couple bucks, and they helped tremendously! I used them along the roof to secure the bubble wrap from the high pitch point of my GH, and not a single piece has fallen.

Boxcar,

how big is your gh?

Sorry to be so dumb but what is water tension, I am lost :)

Thanks for everyones help

Amos

Amos, I also would like to understand the water tension...
I know my B.W. wont stay put with a water tension film. ??
I cut 3/4" wood frames for my over heads sections and wrapped twice with BW, then stapled.
Have wood clips to hold the frames up. Here is a pic of them.
Another to follow.