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Greenhouse condensation - school me!
- Thread starter Deezl
- Start date
Theres no such thing as anti condensation plastic 
There is anti drip which prevents droplets forming so its a film of water running down the plastic. The anti drip properties are short lived compared to the life of the plastic.
The easiest way to deal with the condensation is to run plenty of ventilation like 20 complete airchanges per hour., even then the best you can hope for is the greenhouse RH% will match the outside RH% which will always be higher at night due to the lower temperature.
There is anti drip which prevents droplets forming so its a film of water running down the plastic. The anti drip properties are short lived compared to the life of the plastic.The easiest way to deal with the condensation is to run plenty of ventilation like 20 complete airchanges per hour., even then the best you can hope for is the greenhouse RH% will match the outside RH% which will always be higher at night due to the lower temperature.
LOL Chimera - thats a super risky advise to give - i would newer do that-
I you want NO condensation u need to have a doubbel layer of plastic and then blow air inbetween the 2 layers.
Thats standart op in europa - u guys on the other side of the pond are way behind =P
Or use heating n ventilation in the early morning
I you want NO condensation u need to have a doubbel layer of plastic and then blow air inbetween the 2 layers.
Thats standart op in europa - u guys on the other side of the pond are way behind =P
Or use heating n ventilation in the early morning
If there are only 2 weeks left why is it super risky? He wasn't set up to run heat it seems or double plastic, which you will still get condensation depending on temperatures and inside rh. There is anti condensation plastic, i have used on multihectare greenhouses for years, you buy a product as well called anti condensate that you spray onto the plastic, it will burn any crops if it gets on them and is best put on with no crop. If you want little drips to stop at the peak, put a purlin on the top of the hoop with 1 inch spacer from the hoop to the purlin, this makes a nice peak that will force the water down the side rather than from the top.
Tynehead Tom - I tried to do light dep inside with 1/2 the greenhouse but quickly realized how mickey mouse my plan was and abandoned the idea.
I open the side ventilation flaps in mornings and close at sundown. each end of the top of the greenhouse has a triangle opening that stays open.
I get a lot of condensation overnight and it takes a couple hours in morning for the sun to evaporate. hasn't been an issue so far. it does rain a little on the plants but they don't seem to mind.
now, what happens when it starts to get cold here at night in September? easily gonna be close to zero at night by mid sept and below that into October. I'm rigging up a propane RV heater built into a box and will be exhausted outside the greenhouse. gonna put a small fan in the top of the greenhouse blowing air slowly out both top vents. Hopefully this does away with internal condensation as the evenings , then days, start to get colder. I gotta have a plan in place by months end.
anyone care to critique my plan, I'm no pro at this LOL
I'm going to be in the same boat as you and I've been wondering the same thing. I'm sure I'm being captain obvious here but when you say 0 degrees you're talking Celsius so us other guys are talking 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Just wanted everybody on the same page. I installed a 6" inline fan at the top of my greenhouse that I used when my light dep tarp was on but I would think that would defeat the purpose of even having a greenhouse when it gets cold at night and I need to close up all windows. This past light dep harvest was alright but there were spots of mold throughout the buds which I have to go through and pick out when trimming. I want to avoid that if at all possible this round as I know it will be even more of an issue. Will my only option be to purchase and run a dehumidifier during the night? My greenhouse dimensions are 6wx8d,7t. I know I'll also need to buy an oscillating fan to keep dead spots from happening in there too as I think that was the main part of the problem. Any feedback is appreciated.
Here is a pic of the fan and roof of greenhouse.
And the crop that just came down on 8/19
Newest round. They'll be flowering into the end of October at least.
My plan was to purchase one of those oscillating tower heaters and place it on one end blowing into interior of greenhouse and have an oscillating fan at the other end of the greenhouse to make sure there is plenty of air being stirred around. That will likely raise the humidity inside though even though it's dry heat right? Or would I be better off using dehumidifier instead of oscillating heater and go with dehumidfier and oscillating fan combo?
I open the side ventilation flaps in mornings and close at sundown. each end of the top of the greenhouse has a triangle opening that stays open.
I get a lot of condensation overnight and it takes a couple hours in morning for the sun to evaporate. hasn't been an issue so far. it does rain a little on the plants but they don't seem to mind.
now, what happens when it starts to get cold here at night in September? easily gonna be close to zero at night by mid sept and below that into October. I'm rigging up a propane RV heater built into a box and will be exhausted outside the greenhouse. gonna put a small fan in the top of the greenhouse blowing air slowly out both top vents. Hopefully this does away with internal condensation as the evenings , then days, start to get colder. I gotta have a plan in place by months end.
anyone care to critique my plan, I'm no pro at this LOL
I'm going to be in the same boat as you and I've been wondering the same thing. I'm sure I'm being captain obvious here but when you say 0 degrees you're talking Celsius so us other guys are talking 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Just wanted everybody on the same page. I installed a 6" inline fan at the top of my greenhouse that I used when my light dep tarp was on but I would think that would defeat the purpose of even having a greenhouse when it gets cold at night and I need to close up all windows. This past light dep harvest was alright but there were spots of mold throughout the buds which I have to go through and pick out when trimming. I want to avoid that if at all possible this round as I know it will be even more of an issue. Will my only option be to purchase and run a dehumidifier during the night? My greenhouse dimensions are 6wx8d,7t. I know I'll also need to buy an oscillating fan to keep dead spots from happening in there too as I think that was the main part of the problem. Any feedback is appreciated.
Here is a pic of the fan and roof of greenhouse.
And the crop that just came down on 8/19
Newest round. They'll be flowering into the end of October at least.
My plan was to purchase one of those oscillating tower heaters and place it on one end blowing into interior of greenhouse and have an oscillating fan at the other end of the greenhouse to make sure there is plenty of air being stirred around. That will likely raise the humidity inside though even though it's dry heat right? Or would I be better off using dehumidifier instead of oscillating heater and go with dehumidfier and oscillating fan combo?
Once you pull the tarp humidity will jump like crazy. Run the heater before you pull, like 30 mins or an hour etc. If you cannot expel the humidity check to make sure you de humidifier can do what you need and on time, no point of using it if it takes hours to bring down the humidity, you still have the high humidity which will lead to problems. Exhaust fans would be the way to go to pull the air out if you can swing it. If you can seal up your floor too, all those weeds in there transpire and when you pull the tarp and they are transpiring they are adding extra humidity as well and they also can harbor bugs and disease you don't want around. They wont cause a bunch of humidity but every little bit helps, I would personally put a layer of 6 mil plastic or 2 layers of 4 mil plastic over the ground then a weed barrier or ground cover tarp on the top of it. Do your pots drain at all? If you can direct the run off out of the greenhouse to keep the soil dry this will help keep humidity down too, when the ground is wet it will hold humidity and show up when you pull your tarp. An easy way would to make a trough with something like 2 x 4's (wood can hold excess moisture too though plastic or metal would be better) line it with a thick plastic and then filled in with stone with a small drainage tile socked (pantyhose work really well) on a gentle slope then put outside.
Heat and ventilation are the best ways to drive humidity out. Running them on humidity switches will be the best, run the fan first say set it to 40-50% humidity then heat 45-55% humidity on the heater. Moving the air around is great as well to eliminate the dead spots of the air and humidity.
Heat and ventilation are the best ways to drive humidity out. Running them on humidity switches will be the best, run the fan first say set it to 40-50% humidity then heat 45-55% humidity on the heater. Moving the air around is great as well to eliminate the dead spots of the air and humidity.
HillMizer
Member
Has temperature been mentioned? The temperature differential is what made the difference. The foggy day had less difference between daytime and might temps. Warm daytime air holds a lot of moisture and cool night temp makes the air give up it's moisture.
Having a heater can help. Vented heaters for sure as they exhaust h2o produced during combustion.
I get away with adjustment deps (pulling off blackout at night and adjusting for photoperiod) or active ventilation with inline fans. For colder wet weather you might want a dehuey.
If it's just dripping that bothers you try an anti-drip or anti-condensate greenhouse covering.
Having a heater can help. Vented heaters for sure as they exhaust h2o produced during combustion.
I get away with adjustment deps (pulling off blackout at night and adjusting for photoperiod) or active ventilation with inline fans. For colder wet weather you might want a dehuey.
If it's just dripping that bothers you try an anti-drip or anti-condensate greenhouse covering.
Tynehead Tom
Well-known member
weather is like a fricken roller coaster here LOL
all last week, +25celcius and +12 celcius at night
then starting Friday, +12 to +15 celcius daytime and down to 5celcius at night.
so far my plan is to set up the propane heater , run the exhaust outside (water and carbon monoxide/dioxide) via a chimney of sorts.
I never thought about sealing the floor.... it's just grass so gonna cover the floor to cut down on humidity.
I like the idea of maybe getting a dehumidifier and just running that for heat overnight. Daytime usually isn't the problem but the day night differential is gonna kill me if I don't get my greenhouse dialed to last till Oct 18, my target harvest.
oh, another thing, every morning now I go out with a big sponge and window squeegee and wipe the water off the inside of the greenhouse. It's not excessive but it does "rain" every morning in there now if I don't wipe the water down. I just do the roof portions as once it's squeegeed down it just rolls down the walls. pain in the ass but working quite well
all last week, +25celcius and +12 celcius at night
then starting Friday, +12 to +15 celcius daytime and down to 5celcius at night.
so far my plan is to set up the propane heater , run the exhaust outside (water and carbon monoxide/dioxide) via a chimney of sorts.
I never thought about sealing the floor.... it's just grass so gonna cover the floor to cut down on humidity.
I like the idea of maybe getting a dehumidifier and just running that for heat overnight. Daytime usually isn't the problem but the day night differential is gonna kill me if I don't get my greenhouse dialed to last till Oct 18, my target harvest.
oh, another thing, every morning now I go out with a big sponge and window squeegee and wipe the water off the inside of the greenhouse. It's not excessive but it does "rain" every morning in there now if I don't wipe the water down. I just do the roof portions as once it's squeegeed down it just rolls down the walls. pain in the ass but working quite well
