HEATING
Both hot water heating systems and forced hot air heating systems are available through X.S. Smith. Forced hot air unit heaters are the most economical heat sources for small spaces, and can be circulated using both fan-jet systems and horizontal airflow fans. Hot water heating systems can be installed under benches, directly in a slab floor, around the greenhouse's perimeter, under the gutter or as a combination of these options. A larger initial investment, hot water heat systems are extremely efficient save vast amounts of fuel saving you money for many years to come.
MECHANICAL VENTILATION EQUIPMENT
Your plants need fresh air and temperature control to thrive. Many classes and models of exhaust fans and aluminum inlet shutters are available to cool and ventilate all sizes of greenhouses. Air circulation products such as HAF fans and Fan Jet systems are also available. Evaporative cooling systems can be incorporated to provide additional temperature control.
NATURAL VENTILATION
As hot air rises naturally, a roof vent allows for that hot air to escape and create a current which pulls cooler air in through vents in the sides or ends. Roof vents for either gutter-connected or free-standing houses are available in both polycarbonate and polyethylene glazing.
X.S. Smith offers a variety of ventilation options. Sidewall and endwall intake vents allow fresh air into the greenhouse. They can be used in conjunction with exhaust fans and evaporative cooling systems for forced ventilation or with roof vents for passive ventilation. The vents can have an internal drive system or an external drive system.
Roll-up sidewalls and endwalls allow for passive ventilation and remove the need for exhaust fans. The roll-up walls can be operated manually or automatically on either gutter-connected or free-standing buildings.
Power Walls are ridged frame vents glazed in 8mm polycarbonate. The vent slides down a sidewall or endwall to open. All of the moving components are tucked in between the greenhouse columns so that the operation of the vent does not take up any growing space.
Choosing natural ventilation is one of the easiest ways to save on energy costs.
BENCHES
X.S. Smith's Xtra-Space benches help growers increase their profitability. Benches can be manufactured to be set in-ground or above-ground and to operate as either stationary or movable. Our movable-top benches help utilize wasted space to create greater growing areas without having to increase greenhouse size. Large arrays of movable-top benches can easily be rolled as a unit with one-hand operation. Ebb-and-Flo trays for bench tops are also available. Xtra-Space benches can be easily retrofitted into any existing greenhouse.
Types & Sizes
Stationary:3', 4', 5', 6'-4", 7' and 8' wide
Movable: 5', 6' and 6'-4" wide
Transportable: 5' and 6' wide
Lengths for all benches are in increments of 6'.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS
Environmental control systems are easily the most overlooked necessity of modern greenhouse growers. Every piece of equipment in your greenhouse can be wired into a computer control panel which selectively operates each individual component only when necessary and eliminates simultaneous operation of heating and cooling equipment. With more efficient equipment operation, temperature fluctuations are brought to a virtual halt, which makes for superior crop quality and consistency. By automating equipment operations, growers also save on labor as well!
Thermostatic Controls are the simplest form of environmental control. Thermostats turn equipment on and off based on temperature presets.
Staged Controls are single-zone controllers that operate all equipment from a single centralized temperature sensor. Staged controls can be preset with up to 7 stages, or preset equipment sequences, which maximize efficiency based on centralized conditions. Staged controllers can operate with up to 3 temperature set points – one for day, night, and DIF (the critical last two hours before sunrise) – to further maximize efficiency and mimic natural temperature fluctuations. If plants are accustomed to being cooler at night, why waste money keeping one temperature for 24 hours?
Integrated Controls represent the cutting edge of growing technology. A single integrated control panel can perform all the functions of staged controls in up to 8 separate climate zones. Equipment setpoints can be based not only on temperature, but on relative humidity and light levels as well. Advanced weather sensing equipment (optional) can save even more by sustaining the environment with anticipatory operation rather than reacting to changes. The amount growers can save by proactively reducing these conditional fluctuations is astounding. With optional PC software, integrated controllers can even be controlled through a remote terminal.
SCREENING SYSTEMS
X.S. Smith offers a variety of screening products from simple black shade cloth to automated energy curtain systems. Energy curtains provide extensive savings with two methods; reflective aluminized interwoven material reflects sunlight upward during the day to minimize the load on cooling equipment, and the same material has thermal reflective properties to save 30 – 40% on nighttime heating costs. Saving energy and fuel is among the chief concerns of all growers, and a controlled screen system is the fastest way to reduce your utility bills.
EVAPORATIVE COOLING
Your crop quality depends on vast number of factors, and chief among them is keeping a consistent, manageable temperature range in the greenhouse. Adding an evaporative cooling stage to your temperature control regimen is one of the most effective way to combat excessive heat. Once activated, a pump will force water from a storage tank to the top of the system and distribute it evenly throughout. As gravity pulls water down specially designed corrugated pads, the airflow generated by your ventilation system evaporates the water. The evaporation process removes heat from the outside air, making it several degrees cooler on the inside.
DOORS
X.S. Smith, Inc. produces both hinged and sliding doors for all greenhouse applications. Our doors are fabricated from galvanized steel tubing and glazed with 8mm twinwall polycarbonate material.
Standard Sizes:
Single Doors (Hinged or Sliding)
- 3’-0” x 6’-8”
- 3’-0” x 8’-0”
- 4’-0” x 6’-8”
- 4’-0” x 8’-0”
- 6’-0” x 6’-8”
- 6’-0” x 8’-0”
Double Doors (Hinged or Sliding)
- 6'-0" x 6'-8"
- 6’-0” x 8’-0”
- 8’-0” x 6’-8”
- 8’-0” x 8’-0”
- 12’-0” x 6’-8”
- 12’-0” x 8’-0”
FASTRAK
X.S. Smith brings years of greenhouse system design experience to the Fastrak monorail material handling system. Each Fastrak system is custom designed to meet the needs of the individual customer. We offer many unique cart designs which are adjustable for a variety of container sizes. Custom designed carts are always available. Our material handling system can be retrofitted into any free-standing or gutter-connected greenhouse. Let us analyze your specific needs to show you how a Fastrak system can reduce your labor costs and increase your profitability.
X.S. Smith can design material handling systems to transport more than just plant material. We have designed systems to support cranes for moving bulk volumes of soil from storage directly to pot filling machinery. We can also provide systems to pick up and transport entire benches within a greenhouse facility to the head house. Call X.S. Smith with your material handling problems and see how we can help make your facility run more efficiently.
COVERING OPTIONS
Deciding what covering to use for your greenhouse is a very important decision. Polyethylene Film is the most basic and rudimentary greenhouse covering. Poly film ranges from 1 year white film used for over-winter protection of perennial stock to four-year varieties for extended growing insulation and protection. Poly film can be treated to block transmission of ultraviolet and infrared waves, as well as to prevent buildup of condensation.
Polycarbonate covering is the next step up. Polycarbonate is available in single-layer corrugated sheets, or twin-wall and triple-wall structured sheets. Triple-wall sheets offer the best thermal insulation. Panels are available in a limited range of colors. The typical usable life of polycarbonate panels, depending on your location and elevation, ranges between 12 and 15 years.
Acrylic covering is the flagship plastic product for greenhouse covering. Fully resistant to scratching, hail damage and UV degradation, acrylic plastics may very well never need replacing under normal conditions. We don’t know the specific usable life of acrylic panels, because they have only been in existence for 25 years. Most of those that were installed during this period still look brand new.
Tempered Glass is available only on our specialty retail structures. If beauty and curb appeal is your main objective, this option may be for you.
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