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Transplanted
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Joined: Mon May 25, 2015 4:54 pm
Location: Naperville, IL zone 5A

Moving a free, heated greenhouse

YESSSSS.... a FREE, HEATED greenhouse. I suspect this sounds like a better deal than it's going to turn out to be! The current owners moved to the property in Feb. 2014 and it was left behind by an avid orchid grower who piped a gas line for heat and electricity to the greenhouse. But most of what is inside shows some rust and disrepair. I will be spending lots of time in this forum researching how and what to do for it. :)

It's 12'x14' and the exterior is some kind of polycarbon-something-or-other that I'm not sure of exactly. It has roof vents that I don't yet know how to work, a peak fan that I don't know how to activate and two lower level vents flanking the door that I'm not sure how to activate yet.

Wheeeee....!

Any tips for dismantling are very welcome!

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Oboegirl
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Joined: Wed May 27, 2015 9:10 pm

no advice but it's cute and free! congrats!

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Wow a lucky find indeed! :clap:

I think first thing I would do is see if there is any kind of manufacturer's mark on the green house (or if the owner knows), then search on line for assembly directions. This should help you with the disassembly process. I'm pretty sure this type of greenhouse can't be transported in the assembled state like a shed unless you practically build a shed around it to keep everything stabilized from warping and breaking.

Same for the (probably) after market louvers/vents and other accessories.

imafan26
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Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

If you have vents and they do not open manually, they are probably controlled by the thermostat. The heater could also be controlled by the thermostat as well. When they exceed the set temperature inside the green house the vents should open and the fan turn on. The heater turns on when it drops below the low temp setting. That assumes that the electricity and gas are turned on and the thermostat works. Roof vents are often manually operated.
The heater probably came from here. I could not find the plan for that particular greenhouse, but this site had a drawing of it that looks pretty darn close.
https://southernburner.com/

meshmouse
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Posts: 132
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2014 10:14 am
Location: Long Island NY USA zone7a

OMG - get it. If you're lucky and able you might have it up and running to some degree this fall.

My first suggestion would be - document, document and then - document. Pictures and even some short videos to yourself explaining the particular process your undergoing, step by step as you disassemble.

Get a good magic marker and label every piece (at each end, two sides each). That will save alot of steps by not having to walk back and forth or flipping things to know the exact piece in your hand. Keep a notebook of labels, descriptions and locations of parts. This will save a lot of heartache along the way. Also, re-assemble right away, while the dis-assembly process is still fresh. Avoid waiting until next year if at all possible.

Re-establishing the foundation is critical too, but do-able. I can give you a few hints there also, if you get to that point.

Some questions. Is the frame aluminum? Am I also seeing some galvanized pipe overhead? Is the outer skin twin-wall polycarbonate (hard plastic version of corregated cardboard)? These are all good things if true.

You say there are signs of 'rust and disrepair'. That is not particularly evident in the photos, so please describe. If rust is an issue, I can offer some expertise. I busted rust on large ships for many years.

Oh, and what applestar and imafan said, yes and yes.

Great find. - meshmouse



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