I'm not sure what everyone else is using, I have a Reznor that heats from overhead with forced air and am very happy with it, as an added bonus it takes up no floor space so I've not lost much in the way of growing space. There are a few direct vented furnaces that do not require electricty to run (Southern Burner stoves come to mind, as do some of the newer model Orbis heaters), but most of them are insufficient for main sources of heat in larger greenhouses-I know that I would have had to install two Southern Burners for my set up. I also heat with propane as Rob says, you should not skimp on heating capacity.I'd err on the side of having a furnace rated for more BTUs than you will most likely use, if for no other reason than you will not have to have it running at maximum output to heat the space. People die from carbon monoxide poisoning every year, don't be a statistic. See if you can find a filter and change it if there is one.īut if you can't find an obvious reason that the furnace isn't working right, turn it off and don't turn it on again until it is serviced. Take the chimney apart and look through it with a flashlight. It is possible that yours is a vented unit and the ducts are plugged up, if you can find the ducts it is easy enough for you to check. I don't think you can retrofit the vent, you will need a new heater. If it is an unvented unit to begin with, I'd replace it with a vented one. I wouldn't bother with a humidifier unless it feels really dry in there. You can use an electric heater if you need to, no reason not to. That just isn't safe, for you or your plants. ![]() I'd certainly have the unit serviced if it is behaving like you indicate. Look outside, if the unit comes through the wall and there is a vent on the outside, there is your answer. If the unit is in the side of the greenhouse, it might vent outside. Well, if it is vented there will be a chimney that goes to the outside and a fan that turns on when the burners are lit. You could get a backup unvented unit (some of which don't require electricity), or invest in a battery backup system that will run your heater for a few days in the case of emergency. The downside to vented heaters is that they require electric power to operate. A difference of a hundred or even a few hundred dollars isn't worth the chance you will have a burner malfunction and kill yourself (carbon monoxide) or your orchids (ethylene). I'm pretty sure the vented heaters are more efficient as well, so that will save you money. So, even though the vented heaters are more expensive, you shouldn't even consider the unvented option. The last thing you want to skimp on is heat. I haven't had any problems so far, except for spikes in propane prices last year. I don't have the option for natural gas, and I'm not spending the money to heat 1500+ sq feet with electric. I think there are a fair number of people visiting this forum, actually. What are peoples experiences? I'm thinking about something like a Comfort Glo blue flame heater. I also understand the issue is ethylene gas but I've heard people used un-vented anyway. The water vapor of course, causes condensation issues on the walls and the co2, while good for the plants, is excessive at night (when the heater is most frequently run) while the plants should be resting. A manufacturer rep (who is familiar with greenhouses) claims the main issue is putting out excessive CO2 and water. I'm finding most un-vented heaters are less expensive than vented but I know you need to be careful using un-vented with orchids. ![]() It's a small 8 x 15 Sunglo and I'm guessing I need about 13,750 btu's. It's set up already with a 240v electric heater. As you may have read, I'm a new greenhouse owner and working on setting it up. Doesn't appear as though many people visit this forum but I'll ask anyway.
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