First of all: the common prejudices that glass is just glass and that it is far superior to a “plastic house”, not least because of its aesthetics, are a bit premature. The best example is commercial horticulture, where Plexiglas has been the undisputed favorite among roofing materials for decades, especially when it comes to growing vegetables. We would like to bring our readers closer to some interesting facts about why this is so.
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Plants love greenhouses made of Plexiglas
The quality of light, which today can be analyzed very reliably with laboratory test equipment, is almost completely identical to that of natural light and Plexiglas is the only material with complete UV permeability . This alone causes the plants to develop their characteristic aromas and colors better, ensures optimum flowering and reduces the need for fertilizers in the form of nitrates, which is particularly advantageous for growing vegetables. And then there is the UG value:
Thermal transmittance - measure of all things in greenhouse construction
Do you remember our overview of the technical parameters of certain materials that are relevant in greenhouse construction? Otherwise, compare the UG value (of 2.5) when you build a greenhouse from Plexiglas yourself with our published material overview. Due to its high quality and proven resistance to aging, plastic glass is also very popular in the automotive and aircraft industries. Manufacturers of prefabricated greenhouses give their products a guarantee of up to 30 years, for example against yellowing.
Greenhouse with plexiglass, stable and thermally insulating
If you build a greenhouse out of Plexiglas yourself, you don't have to worry too much about hail resistance. Although hailstones the size of a table tennis ball will certainly not be without local damage, a glass house and its cultivated crops would be totally destroyed in such cases. The balance for the energy costs for heating Plexiglas greenhouses looks similarly positive . Calculations have shown that the energy balance of 16 mm thick double wall sheets is a whopping 40 percent lower than that of a single-glazed greenhouse. Not to mention the benefits for the environment in terms of the desired sustainability.
Thus, on the plus side of a plexiglass roof for greenhouses: (34.95 € at Amazon *)
- high light and UV transmission values;
- excellent aging resistance;
- break-resistant in the event of hail or falling rocks;
- good thermal insulation values with a positive energy balance;
Tips
If your greenhouse is built from Plexiglas yourself, it is best to choose those with a special coating when buying the panels, which counteract the formation of dripping water in the interior and significantly improve the climatic conditions for the plants.
