photo #5337748

11-17-'23, WBR Live, “Daily Constitution”, ('Hillbilly Friday', pic on wimkin) I got some plastic from E-bay for a 'cooler walk through' door. Some of it will be used to cover a side of the greenhouse (outside, to keep the glas/ flats in place in wind, through venting). The pic shows the placement of the strips inside the patio glass door entrance. The strips were hung about 1' in from the door, changing the R-2 over 35 (+,-) sq. ft. to about a R-15 insulation airspace. The pic also shows the sun angle in the late morning with the cargo container door secured in place to reduce wind buffering around the door, and the added reflection from a light painted cargo door for added sun inside. The tile inside is not only easy to maintain but is a great conductor for heat from said sunshine. So far this year, I can heat the interior with only a small heat pump (small industrial refrigerator size) and a base board heater set about ½ the control from 7-7 at night. Thermal read on interior surfaces run about 74 F +, with a warm sun on clear mornings in the primary rest area to temperatures in the upper 80's, without any added heat. With the wind suppression of the building and appliances (greenhouse) I expect the total utility bill this winter (total electric) to be less than $100/month. That will be using a lot of wood, overnight, in the outside 'pizza oven', to bring the greenhouse interior temp above freezing (32F). Unlike the buried heat sources for a lot of home heat pumps, this one requires -NO- drilling / trenching into the ground and reclaims the heat lost from the building itself, with -direct- solar assist (no energy conversion loss). I still need to connect the heating elements on the (exterior) water heater/storage, (that the heat pump heats), but it may not be required (unless to heat the water for sanitation purposes above 140F). I will probably drill two holes into the covers to adjust the temp triggers from the outside. The hung plastic is a bit clumsy, but it can be removed / set aside for normal temp operation. The plastic is available in various sizes, and probably pay for itself in one season.