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Friday 24th 8C/47F. Windy. Very dark indoors from a very heavy overcast with early rain. Promised to clear later. A repeat of yesterday's weather. The sunshine had warmed the greenhouse to 25C by lunch time. So I didn't relight the stove at all after an early burn. I opened all the internal hall doors to share the warmth with the bathroom. It reached 18C/65F. While it rose to 23C/74F in the lounge without the stove.
For years I was hoping to warm the house with the greenhouse. This was why I put it up in the first place. It was never possible due to the shade from hedges and trees. The conditions still have to be right for free heat. Sunshine being the main ingredient. South facing is essential. A lack of external shading when the sun is low is equally vital. Expectations of free warmth depend entirely on clear, sunny days in the colder half year. Unfortunately a rarity in Denmark. The best greenhouse solar heating systems exist in cool, but sunny, desert conditions.
In the summer I now have external shade curtains. Two layers of professional shade netting were required. With both, gable end doors open to help move the warm air through and away. The door to the house can be opened only in exceptional circumstances. Warmer in the greenhouse than indoors. Kept closed when the house has no need of the extra heat.
The uniqueness of a lean-to greenhouse is its multiple uses. Plant growing and a well lit bicycle workshop are obvious. While the pleasant "outdoor" space cannot be matched by insulation and heat pumps. "Pleasant" requires controlled shading and ventilation. I have found the roof windows/ventilators to be completely worthless. They also get in the way when the shade netting is in place. Fortunately they lie flat enough to ignore.
The cost of the greenhouse is obviously important. I built our 7m/22' long greenhouse from two lean-to greenhouses. The manufacturer's [Halls, now Juliana] used to sell a double flanged joining profile. This allowed two, or more greenhouses, to be joined invisibly but without loss of strength. Usually by discarding the two unwanted, inner, end gables.
I bought a neighbour's Silverline, lean-to greenhouse. He was having a posh, double glazed garden room built. I then had a discount from the sales and outdoor display office in the city for a matching greenhouse. As usual, I put the whole thing up myself. The 8' wide Silverline "conservatories" have very strong aluminium profiles for the uprights and roof trusses. They need proper foundations. I used 4x4 green oak but it rotted after a few years in the wet ground. In retrospect, concrete would have been more sensible.
Mine has survived over two decades of storms so far. With very deep snow on its gently sloping roof at times. I usually remove the snow. Using a long, aluminium pole and a squeegee head. To benefit from any chance of the sun reaching the glass. The added warmth from rare, winter sunshine helps to accelerate snow removal.
8.40. Only 15C/60F in the lounge. So I lit the stove. The radar suggests the rain has moved away. I need a walk. There are/were two birds of prey in the garden trees. Crows soon saw them off.
13.30 10C/50F. Lunch over. Cloudy and windy with very little sunshine. I just wasted the entire morning. I need a goal for this afternoon.
Despite the crosswind gales I rode in search of organic bananas. At times I was leaning on the wind. I returned empty handed after visiting four supermarkets. All the bananas on display were as green as a Granny Smith apple. 25km. Bosch E-bike Connect app actually showed my route for the first time in days. I used Sport mode as much as possible to reduced my exposure time to the wind. The app suggested 50:50% between Tour and Sport modes.
Dinner was supposed to be toast again. Then became fish fingers and chips. 25 minutes and still the chips aren't crisp.
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