Heating the greenhouse with kerosene

Heating the greenhouse can turn out to be an expensive thing. If it’s a small greenhouse you are thinking of heating, then the more economic solution is kerosene heating. If you plan on heating the greenhouse the greenhouse, there are several issues you should think about, and this article will explain them to you, ass well as showing you how you can use kerosene heaters to do the job.

1. Careful when choosing the kerosene

Like any other fuel, the kerosene has some things added to it that will eventually change the its properties. This doesn’t mean that they make it less effective. The issue here is what these additives can harm your plants, so it’s important to choose the right kerosene. The ingredient that is the subject of your concern is sulfur. The company is obligated by law to list all the additives, so look out for the one with the least sulfur.

2. Picking the heater

When it comes to kerosene heated greenhouses, the heater is as important as the kerosene itself. There are a lot of haters on the market, you just have to choose the one that can heat up the entire greenhouse. This solution on heating the greenhouse is best suited for hobby greenhouses or greenhouses that are no larger than 12 feet squared. You can choose between radiant heaters and convection heaters. The first one heats up the area around them, so the plants that are closest to it may burn. The second one dissipates the heat around a certain area, which makes it ideal. Also, look for a heater with a build-in thermostat, so that you won’t have to regulate the temperature inside by opening and closing windows.

3. Placement of the heater

When it comes to this, there is no right or wrong answer. You can place the heater anywhere you like, as long as the plants receive the heat. Although, if your greenhouse has an exhaust fan, the place with the fan becomes the ideal spot for the heater, as it will help to remove the after burn gases. If there’s no fan, then it’s advisable to put the heater in the center of the greenhouse and keep the plants at a minimum 2 feet distance from it. If your greenhouse is larger than 12-by-12, you’ll need two heaters and act like this: split the greenhouse in half and place a heater in the center of each half and run them at half the power. The 2 feet radius rule is still valid.