cooling

[moonbells]

Well, having got the potting shed up and running, as it were, and getting the auto-vent in place, I find it's still getting to silly temperatures. It was 38C yesterday with the vent wide open. (The glass section *does* face south!)

Given it's a wooden-floored shed and damping down will never be an option, what do folk recommend please for cooling it down if I'm to grow things successfully next year?

I've got one of these:
http://tinyurl.com/3y8n74

moonbells

[moonbells]

[Barnowl]

Could you fit a vent towards the bottom of the north facing / back wall to give a through draft from the cooler side?

[moonbells]

Sadly no, as it's going to have a mini-shed behind it for storing general clobber and toys when my bump gets to that stage! (The back area is going to be gated off so that it's secure from small adventurers).

We are planning on putting a catflap in the door, though, so that might help if it were locked open. But then vermin could get in as well as the cat!

Was thinking shading netting, suspended from the roof outside, might work? Only snag would be the window, so would have to cut the net to shape.
Failing that, the white shading paint??? Or is that just a pain to deal with?

moonbells

[tim]

You cannot expect a 'box' - whatever the cost - to stay cool. The only method is shading - I reckon. You do not have to cut things up.

In fact, I now lay the mesh over the vents.

Ventilation, even fans! (can be solar) -  YES!!

[moonbells]

That's a lot of mesh, Tim! But that's the sort of info I need, thankyou - shall attempt to acquire some before next season, in that case! With the emphasis on sooner rather than later so it actually gets done :) before I get distracted by small people!

moonbells

[tim]

Haven't tried it yet, but wonder if Debris Netting might work - if you can 'find' a piece??

[euronerd]

A through draught would help as much as anything moonbells, as Barnowl says. I bought one of those plastic mats that people lay on the floor by an entrance door and cut it into 2" strips for all but a few inches of its length, then screwed it to a bit of wood that wedges above the greenhouse door, which can then be left open. It works on the same principle as those doors in common use  in the retail sheds - those they drive fork lift trucks through. In three or four years I've never seen evidence of unwelcome livestock. In fact you can buy them ready made I believe, but they cost more than three quid which was the price of my mat.  8)

Geoff.

[tim]

Yes - ventilation, even a fan, as I said?

But, given that we have 24 vents, I still believe that shading is the priority.

[moonbells]

The only method I can see of getting a decent draft is via the door.
However: the downside of it being a potting shed rather than a greenhouse is that it's used for tool storage - and unless things are behind a locked door, they are not insured if someone breaks into the garden. So I can't go to work and leave the door open for a through draft unless Sir is working from home that day.

I am going with the shading. I've been following the debris netting thread, and that looks useful. Just need an 8' x 4' piece, so shall be keeping an eye on the construction work being done in my area, to see if scrounging works!

Reminds me, must go and get some more octopus/bungee cords. They're very useful with vine eyes to strap things to the walls eg ladders and lawnmower handles to stop them falling on you!

moonbells