FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

The growing season is starting to wind down here in Michigan and the first signs of fall are beginning to show. Although it may be a little early, I'm already looking into a new heater that will be more effective than my old one (a small portable heater). I'm going to get up a 12x10x10 greenhouse before the first freeze hits and I am defiantly going to need to heat it for the upcoming winter. The greenhouse is made up of 6mm twin wall polycarbonate and it should provide a decent amount of insulation (I may make some modifications for additional insulation). The average low in winter here is 15 degrees and it can sometimes drop into the negative digits on very cold nights. I was taking a look at this heater, what do you guys think? Too little? Too much? I'm trying to keep the temperature between 45 and 55 degrees and I was hoping that it would do the job. If anyone has a recommendation for another heater, feel free to share it!

in my experience, what ever you buy or build to do with plants , buy or build twice the size you need then one it heats up small places quicker costing less and maintaining the indicated heat easier , , 2 when you expand you all ready got what you need , I have expanded 5 times all ready would have been good to know that then my current G/H is 27 m long & 5 m wide still not big enough !! !!, heating is costly , so we are lucky in winter our plants can survive the cool temps ,and is why i dont grow any low land plants ,as cooling in summer is much cheaper than heating in winter . it may cost a bit more at the start but believe me it will be much cheaper in the long run lasting longer from not running so much !to maintain the temps

J

I see what you mean and your right, buying the bigger and better will pay off in the long run. I used some greenhouse calculators and most of them told me that I need a heater with around 10000 BTU to keep my greenhouse at a minimum temperature of 45 degrees when it is 10 degrees outside (which it usually is in January). This heater can pump out 20000 BTU which is twice as much as I need according to the calculators and that doesn't include the extra insulation I am going to add. I won't have to keep it constantly running as opposed to a bunch of small heaters that meet the bare minimum

I used to live in Traverse city so i understand your problem, if possible i would install a gas heater (the electric ones don't cut it for Michigan winters). generally the electric heaters put a heavy load on your breakers, not to mention the impact it will have on your electric bill.
good luck