When choosing the right greenhouse window for your needs and desires, you will need to consider the proper ventilation to promote plant growth.  Greenhouse windows with sliding operable side vents are a nice option for proper airflow, and can work wonders for your indoor garden.  But if cost is a consideration, a simple window sill greenhouse can be a very economical way to grow a garden indoors.

To Vent or Not To Vent

The primary purpose of greenhouse window vents is to prevent an excessive rise in temperature and humidity.  This is achieved by replacing the hot and humid air with ambient cooler and dryer air.  Allowing natural air to flow through your greenhouse window is one of the essential elements that will allow you to grow plants and flowers that will thrive throughout the year.

You can avoid an expensive ventilation system if you plan your greenhouse window and vents right from the start.  Most add-on greenhouse windows won’t provide you with roof vents, so you will likely need to look into getting a heating and cooling system that will add to the natural ventilation.

Proper greenhouse window vents will remove the stale indoor air of the greenhouse window and circulate it back outside.  Likewise, fresh air will circulate back into the greenhouse window, where you’re plants will make efficient use of it to thrive.  Being able to control the ventilation with the seasons will allow you to keep your plants alive and thriving all year round.  Controlling high temperatures inside your greenhouse window is an issue you will likely have to address in the summer months.  And due to the fact that temperatures inside a greenhouse window can rise above the outside air temperatures, it is important to find a ventilation system that can properly sweep necessary air over the soil.

A greenhouse window vent will allow outdoor air to be circulated within a greenhouse window, eliminating the moisture from the warm indoor air.  This means that you can avoid plant damage produced by excess humidity including leaf mold, stem rot, infection, and fungus diseases.  Most importantly, keep in mind that bringing plants indoors creates a beautiful natural green space to your living space, and you can keep your indoor gardening quite simple.  Experimenting with a simple window sill greenhouse may be the best stepping stone towards installing the ultimate greenhouse window, and most herbs are easy to grow indoors on a sunny window sill.

Energy management is very important when it comes to greenhouse windows.  You will have to measure your window properly to get just the right fit; but keep in mind that some dealers say the greenhouse window can be slightly larger than your existing window, while others recommend an exact fit.  Installation assistance can be of great benefit, reducing any potential gaps between the frames, which would let heat out, as well as cold air in.  While the proper fit is required to optimize resources and maintain a comfortable environment for your plants, a greenhouse window opener may also be necessary for some window locations, particularly during the hot summer months.

It’s a Breeze with a Greenhouse Window Opener

When deciding which type of greenhouse window will work best for you, you should consider a model with side vents to control airflow.  Natural ventilation can be achieved via side greenhouse window vents that are built into the greenhouse window and can be efficient in reducing temperature and humidity for proper plant growth.  There are also some heavy duty vent openers available on the market, but they are typically too large for use with a greenhouse window.

Forced ventilation is accomplished through the use of fans that are typically installed on sidewalls and are capable of moving large quantities of air, both hot and cold when and where it is needed most.  Compact fans are designed to push warmer air down to the plant level where it is needed, reducing cold spots and stagnant air.   Circulation fans can also provide the necessary airflow for healthy plant growth, and work well to distribute even heat and fresh air throughout your greenhouse window.

If you prefer to take the guesswork out of proper airflow management, an automatic greenhouse window vent opener may be the way to go.  This type of solar-powered greenhouse window opener has a metal cylinder that contains a mineral which expands when heated and pushes a piston that opens the vent.  As the temperature cools, this mineral shrinks and a spring closes the vent and resets the piston.  Because the vent opens and closes gradually, airflow distribution is just the right amount for proper cooling.

With a solar-powered greenhouse window opener, you can be sure of an even temperature in your greenhouse window day and night, and no electricity is required. These automatic greenhouse window openers allow you to continuously control the temperature of your mini greenhouse, typically from 62 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit (or 17-23 degrees Celsius).