Insulating Solar Shed

[Nyboy]

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Handy-Ho...t-Solar-Shed-with-Floor-Kit-18160-3/100350467 I wanted a greenhouse but after 2 winters of heavy snow I thought this would be a better choice. I would like to over winter some fig trees in it, will not be heating yet ( maybe sometime ). I want to insulate it, but a friend said that might make it too hot if I ever wanted to use for seed starting in spring. Does anyone in zone 5 or lower have a insulated shed? Does it get to hot in spring. before spending money I want to make sure its right thing to do.

 

[so lucky]

Maybe you could get a greenhouse with a steeply pitched roof. So the snow wouldn't pile up.

 

[Smart Red]

Perhaps we could put our heads together and invent something like a. . . . . WINDOW . . . . or an automatic vent to prevent overheating.

Okay, just saw the building. It does have vents. It also looks to have a window on the side opposite the door. Nope, not to worry overmuch. There are already ways to prevent overheating of greenhouses, even ones like the one you show. Even after you add insulation to the building shown.

I don't see much difference between a greenhouse and what you show there, other than it is geared to be used mainly in the fall-to-winter period when the sun is lowest in the southern sky. Faced due South, well insulated, and with a few passive solar additions, it should work as well as any unheated building to raise your growing zone 1-2 zones.

I have two insulated sheds -- 6 inch walls of insulation in one. The larger shed has a concrete floor. That's our problem with heat loss there. A corn heater just can't overcome the winter cold of concrete flooring. We are discussing adding a floor covering to negate the concrete in hopes of being able to heat it easier.

The second shed in my chicken coop. It is insulated floor, walls, and ceiling. Need to keep windows open year round to prevent high humidity from building up. Without living beings inside, the shed would be nearly the same temperature (eventually) inside as outside since there isn't a lot of window space for solar heat. It would, however, take the addition of very little heat to keep the building a lot more "comfortable".

Start with insulating the ground around (about 4 ft each way) the building and you will do a lot to keep the inside warmer in the winter. Setting automatic vents to open when the temperatures get to a specific level will keep it from overheating. Even a 'normal' greenhouse can get too hot for seedlings on a sunny spring day unless it is vented.

 

[Nyboy]

Lucky last winter roofs collapsed from snow. year before my mechanic roof did every car totaled but my Christine the processed car . Glass or plastic against weight of 3 feet of snow, not going to hold up. pass year used shed to store outdoor cushions.

 

[Smart Red]

A shed that small could be attacked with a roof rake should another whopper of a snow storm strike. Sounds like another task for the gardener?

 

[digitS']

My highly serviceable greenhouse (sunshed) on an early spring morning. I still have not replaced the door but have a wider deck in front of it. Will I ever paint the north wall? After 20+ years, I doubt it .

Here I was explaining what it was capable of (link) without turning on the heater.

Somewhere else on TEG, I talk about monitoring the temperature on sunny but cold spring days. If you go for automatic vents, let me know make, model and how well they work for you. Hourly attention is required some days by somebody with mine.

Steve

 

[valley ranch]

Here in the mountain we built a greenhouse with a 12/12pitch. I don't think anyone gets more snow than up here at 6800ft.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

My newest small seed starter shed. I have two 4x4 posts that I add in November and remove in April - just in case of heavy snow. The translucent acrylic roof panels are very strong. I built this for my dad just before he got sick. I didn't want to pitch the roof more because tall people run in our bloodline This shed now has a gutter, downspout and rain barrel added.

 

[thistlebloom]

That's really nice Smiles. Does it have an entry from the building it's attached to?

 

[Smiles Jr.]

That's really nice Smiles. Does it have an entry from the building it's attached to?

No it does not. There is a door on the right and on the left ends. The flow-through ventilation works well on very hot/sunny days. The bldg. it's attached to is our tool shed.