IV Greenhouse Environmental Controls:
Each greenhouse has 3 primary controls (heater, shutters, and fan) that help maintain the correct environmental temperatures for baby and growing plants. Each greenhouse also has a secondary control for air circulation to ensure a consistent temperature throughout the building.
A) Newer Buildings:
In our more recently constructed greenhouses the primary controls are all bundled on a computer for each greenhouse. You set your desired core temperature for both day and night and then set the heater temperature for a few degrees less than the core temperature (usually –1, -2). The shutter temperature is usually set +4-6 from core temperature and the fan temperature is usually set 10 degrees higher than the shutters. So, for example, if you set your desired temperature at 64 the heater would start running when temperatures dropped below 62-64; the shutters would open at 68-70 degrees and the fan would begin to run when the thermostat reads 78-80. The long plastic tubes that run lengthwise in the greenhouse (over your heads) are the air-circulation tubes that keep the air flowing evenly throughout the house, thereby maintaining a consistent air temperature.
B) Older model greenhouses: In our older, smaller greenhouses the shutters, fan and heater each have a separate dial but are all connected to the same thermostat. Instead of large plastic tubes overhead for circulation there is a small fan on the end of the middle third of each side of the greenhouse facing opposite directions that performs the same function of air circulation.
