DIY: Greenhouse Window

Significance

• Once you decide to install a window into your greenhouse, the construction of a greenhouse window is an important factor in keeping your plants at the right temperature and creating less work for you in the long run. Windows that aren't properly sealed can let out too much heat, as well as letting in cold air that can destroy tender plants. And while some gardeners elect to simply slash holes into the plastic sheeting of their walls to create a window, these gardeners have to compensate for the lack of insulation by artificially heating the greenhouse.

Kit Windows

• Some greenhouse kits come with windows and the support features for these windows. Some of these windows even have a sensor built onto a motorized mechanism that automatically opens the window whenever the temperature becomes too hot in the greenhouse. However, if you built your greenhouse yourself, this type of kit is not an option. Instead, some greenhouse supply companies offer add-on window kits. Many of these kits come with the structural supports, tools and instructions to help you install, support and maintain your greenhouse window. A few of them even come with the same sensing mechanism to automatically open and close.

Other Options

• If the higher cost of a kit window puts a greenhouse-designed window out of your range, there are still many options to consider for a greenhouse window. One such option is to install a house window and place a set of oscillating fans in the greenhouse to circulate air throughout your greenhouse. If you choose to install a house window in a greenhouse, you will need to frame the window in, and provide adequate support for the window's weight. Otherwise, the plastic membrane that is used in many greenhouses is not strong enough to support the weight of the window. The plastic may be stapled to the wooden supports of the window to hold in the heat and prevent cold air from entering the greenhouse. Other options that you may wish to investigate include placing multiple bathroom air vents in your greenhouse. The air vents pull hot air out of the greenhouse and vent it to the outside. While these air vents are in operation, you can open the door, loosen the plastic on the walls or install a smaller window to pull cooler air into your greenhouse.