It is a fact that during the day, greenhouses can generate warmth. The panels have been designed to expertly bring in sunlight while ensuring that the plants aren’t harmed in the process. This provides that they’re suitable for places with unfavorable weather conditions.
However, can greenhouses hold heat during the night? The answer is yes – in fact, greenhouses can remain warm for quite some time after the sun has set. This is due to the thermal mass of the materials used in their construction.
Thermal mass is simply a material’s ability to store heat energy.
In the case of greenhouses, the thermal mass comes from the materials used in their construction. These materials absorb heat during the day and release it slowly at night.
In general, greenhouses tend to retain more heat than outdoor space, so they should be relatively warm at night. However, if the temperature outside is very low, then the greenhouse may not be as warm as you’d like it to be.
Nevertheless, greenhouses provide a much more favorable environment for plants than outdoor spaces, and they can be used to extend the growing season. This is especially the case if you live in a climate where the weather changes frequently.
So, even if the temperature outside is cool at night, your plants will still be in a better situation inside the greenhouse. And, if you’re using a heater to keep your plants warm, then the greenhouse will be even more comfortable for them.
How much warmer is a greenhouse at night?
The temperature in a greenhouse is always warmer than the outside air because solar radiation heats the inside of the building.
A greenhouse can be up to 10 degrees warmer at night than the outside temperature. This is because the sun’s heat captures in the glass panes during the day, but then re-emits this heat back out into your greenhouse at night.
Large objects like rocks and bricks can be used to maintain the temperature in the greenhouse at night. Placing objects like this in your greenhouse will absorb heat during the day from the sun and then release the energy into the surrounding environment at night.
This can help keep the temperature in the greenhouse to a minimum of 4˚F or -15.5°C according to some studies.
Generating Heat in your Greenhouse
To maintain the heat energy generated in your greenhouse during nighttime hours, there are two methods: electric heating and passive insulation.
The passive insulation method helps retain heat by using blown-in fiberglass insulation in walls and ceiling cavities as well as reflective surfaces on windows and doors.
It’s important to note that greenhouses need more ventilation than other buildings would require because they produce their humidity. Greenhouses can be fitted with exhaust fans or open windows to allow this built-up humidity to escape.
Electric heating can be a more expensive option for maintaining the heat in your greenhouse, but it can be more efficient. Electric heaters come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so you can find one that will fit comfortably into your greenhouse.
Some outdoor heaters also have thermostats, so you can set the desired temperature and the heater will automatically turn on and off to maintain that temperature.
Remember, greenhouses are designed to be warm during the day and can remain warm at night with the help of thermal mass from the materials used in their construction and by using electric or passive insulation to maintain the heat.
All you will have to do is to ensure that the greenhouse is set up in a way that will retain enough heat you’ll need for it to stay warm enough for the plants you have in there.
Controlling the Temperature of your Greenhouse at Night
It can become very cold at night especially during certain periods of the year as well as in some places around the globe. If you need your greenhouse to remain warm in places like this during the night, then there are a number of things you might be able to do to ensure that there’s enough heat inside.
One method that we’ve come across involves 55-gallon barrels. Ensure that they’re filled with water and stored inside your greenhouse. Within the day, these water barrels and the water inside will absorb heat emanating from the sun.
During the night, these water barrels will then release some heat. The most important thing for this method is to make sure that there are enough water barrels inside the greenhouse, strategically placed in positions where they can get enough sunlight during the day.
The greenhouse can also be insulated by using bubble wrap to line the walls. You can also use tape to seal up any crack in the walls. This will prevent air from getting into the greenhouse and will help to regulate the temperature to what you want.
However, what if you need your greenhouse to be cooler and not warmer? Then you need to have adequate ventilation in your greenhouse. Ventilation will be important in keeping your greenhouse cool during the night.
You will need to make sure that your greenhouse is equipped with several vents on the roof or the sides so that the built-up heat can be released.
You can even get a greenhouse with automatic vents. When the temperature levels build up too high, these vents will open themselves without you having to open them yourself.
Final Thoughts
During the day, greenhouses can absorb and trap enough heat to keep your greenhouse warm. But at night, things get a lot colder outside and that means that the temperature inside might drop too
However, there are ways in which you can ensure that the temperature gets to stay where it’s supposed to be despite the night-dropping temperatures outside your greenhouse.
This naturally means that some of the warmth will remain during the night. Granted, it won’t be as hot as the heat during the day. However, if you want to make it even warmer, then you can use various methods to insulate your greenhouse.
Doing that will also allow you to create a safe environment for any plants in the greenhouse.
Using insulation and/or rainwater barrels will provide you with enough residual heat long after the sun has set. That’s how you can ensure that your greenhouse can stay warm at night.
On the other hand, if you want a cooler greenhouse, then ventilation is the way to go. Either way, it should be enough to keep your greenhouse at the temperature you want it to be.
