Replacement panels for HFGH
grigzbee
17 years ago
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Comments (10)
alia
17 years agosavannah_haven
17 years agoRelated Discussions
Replacement parts for HFGH
Comments (25)Good point about the warranties! Hmmm, my GH roof is almost always covered with an endless supply of desert dust. I can hose it off, but it will be covered again in no time (in spring, anyway.) I have had a lurking concern that IF there is a panel deterioration problem, it may be heat related. I read a post on another forum last year from a Tucson GH owner who'd purchased two 6x8 kits to use the poly panels in his own homebuilt wood-framed GH. He posted that after a few years the roof panels were brittle and breaking. I know he doesn't use his GH in the summer at all, and I figured his roof panels must have been subjected to extreme temps (if it's 110° outside, imagine what it may be inside an uncooled GH in Tucson, especially the air right under the roof panels...140°? 150°?) I hoped my plan to use the GH year round might help me to escape the same fate (I'm hoping I can keep the temps in mine under 100°, although most of my plants will tolerate that.) Still, I note that the three mentions of this problem so far (the Tucson person, yours, and Jamesy40's) have all happened in southern states. If heat is a problem, mine will likely fail sooner than some...so I'm keeping an eye on this trend! I guess it could be an opportunity to upgrade the roof to 6mm at least, eh? :-) Sheri...See MoreHFGH Panels
Comments (9)In his blog about building his new 6x8 HFGH, dewey1945 shows how he applied 6 mil UV resistant plastic to the outside of his panels. I havenâÂÂt seen this idea discussed anywhere before, so IâÂÂm interested in following his blog: Apply the UV Resistant Skin When I replaced my roof panels in October of 2011, I applied a clear marine coating product to the outside of my new panels, before installing them. I also applied the same product to half of a scrap of HF polycarbonate (left over from installing my exhaust fan.) IâÂÂve left it exposed to the sun since October 2011. So far the treated side still looks shiny and clear, while the untreated side has started to look a bit dull and cloudy. Might be a good sign, but I think itâÂÂs still too early to tell if this product really does help. My cost to purchase a gallon of the product was around $100. The company (Top Secret Coatings) seems to have changed their product line since my purchase, so IâÂÂve emailed them to ask which product is the current equivalent of what I used. IâÂÂll post back here as with that info as soon as they reply. ItâÂÂs too bad we have to wait at least a few years to see if ideas like this truly will help extend the life of the HFGH polycarbonate panels. From my reading, folks in southern states with intense sun seem to report more panel failure. The topic hasnâÂÂt come up here at GardenWeb for a while, so IâÂÂm hoping that means folks in other climates arenâÂÂt having nearly as much of a problem. If you donâÂÂt do anything to protect your panels, and notice some problems in years to come, you can order replacement panels from Harbor Freight. The HF panels wonâÂÂt last as long as higher quality twinwall polycarbonate from other supply companies, (with real UV protection,) but they do cost a lot less. FYI, hereâÂÂs a summary of my pricing research from October 2011, for just enough material to replace the roof on my 10x12 HFGH, including shipping to my state: Farmtek 4mm twinwall polycarbonate, approx 10 yr warranty, about $410 Solexx 3.5 mm, (a flexible translucent white greenhouse covering material) about $350 Harbor Freight 4mm panels, $135 IâÂÂll be sure to post back with the Top Secret clear coating product number, so itâÂÂs recorded here for the thread....See MoreHFGH Panels are deteriorating
Comments (7)Joe, in case you didn't see it, Laserfan posted this information recently about a 4mm polycarbonate product now available from Tek Supply: "I notice today that teksupply is carrying 4mm in the (much higher quality with UV protection) PALRAM polycarb. Expensive as all get-out, but here you go. If you look at this page, be sure to download both of the pdf files there as they contain excellent information about both the product and it's application/handling/installation etc. that you will find valuable I'm sure. Link to Teksuppy 4mm page: laserfan" If we eventually do have to replace our panels, I'll at least give a more expensive option like this some careful thought, since I figure it will be a major ordeal to replace the panels in mine (I'll have to empty out the greenhouse, which remains stuffed year round.) I don't want to spend big bucks...but I'd rather not replace the panels very often, either, and I now know the HF panels may well have a limited life span in my climate. Sheri...See MoreAluminet shade cloth screen panels for HFGH
Comments (19)Update on January 1 (Happy New Year folks!) in response to a question by Baileybear in another thread... I wanted to add a photo of how we added a drape of Aluminet shade cloth to the interior roof. I think the Aluminet is probably more effective on the outside of the greenhouse, but I knew the wind would be a constant battle here, so we're trying it inside first. First we attached a 10' steel tube to the inside of the roof peak. (We had a piece of stainless tubing sitting around, but EMT would work fine.) My husband formed three hook shapes by doubling a length of plumbers strap (that flat metal strapping with holes) and bending it into a hook shape. Then he removed the nut from one of the bolts at the peak, slipped the hook in place, and replaced the nut. You can see the hook in the center of this photo, holding the bare rod. I laid the Aluminet cloth out flat in the yard, then folded it in half, and slid the rod into the fold. I secured the Aluminet to the central rod with wire twisty ties about every foot. (Classy, huh.) Then we carried the whole thing into the GH and hung it on the three roof hooks. (You have to make little holes in the Aluminet to poke the hooks through.) After securing the sides, it looks like this: On each side, we wrapped the Aluminet around another 10' piece of EMT tubing. If I decide to keep this set up, I'll put a hem in the shadecloth to slip the tubes in. Since this was a "temporary" experiment, we just rolled the edge of the Aluminet around the rod until it was taut, and secured it with more twisty ties and baling wire. The rod was then anchored to the top of the greenhouse wall with baling wire, looped around the bolts on our three central EMT ceiling braces, because they were handy. (The EMT ceiling braces are the three horizontals you see in the lower part of the above photo.) I just cut a small slit in the Aluminet so I could stick my hand through to operate the roof vents. The Aluminet does not unravel when you do this (it's cool stuff.) So far I like it. If I want less shade, I can unfasten the rod on the south side and slide it all the way across the greenhouse to the north side, riding along the tops of our three central EMT braces. That way the south side of the roof is fully exposed to sun, and the north side of the roof has two thicknesses of shadecloth in place. Although, I haven't done it very often...I'm learning that sunny days even in December can heat up the GH so fast that I just leave the roof shadecloth in place...but that may be a quirk of our desert climate, and I'm still experimenting. One more update...because of the cold nights, I have all of my poly panels back in place on the south side. But, I figured out I can put the screens back in place OVER the poly panels by holding them in with clips installed backwards. Looks silly, but it provides just enough snugness to keep my screens in place. I've also made a triangular piece of Aluminet to go over the inside west gable, over my doors. I just cut it to size, hemmed it by hand, and it's attached with velcro to the aluminum frame. Our west sun is brutal even in late afternoon, especially in summer. I can take a photo if it would help anyone. If any of this is unclear, let me know. That's where I am so far in my learning curve! Sheri...See Morekudzu9
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