Preventive maintenance will keep your greenhouses in good operating condition. Now is a good time to review your maintenance schedule.

A good maintenance program anticipates problems and takes action to minimize their occurrence. Maintenance should include a thorough inspection and any corrective action needed to keep the structures and equipment in good operating condition. Cleaning and tidying up the greenhouse can save money and increase energy efficiency. The following checklist identifies the major areas:

Inspect diagonal frame bracing to see that it is in place and tight. This bracing is important to prevent racking of the frame and the loosening of the glazing.

Light is usually the limiting factor in plant growth during the winter. The glazing should be clean.

Roof and sidewall vents get considerable use and need to be adjusted so that they close even and tight. This involves lubricating bearings, rack and pinions, vent arm hinge points and checking fluid in gearbox drives. In houses with vents that don’t close tight, adding weather stripping may be the only way to stop excess infiltration.

Before the heating season begins, have all equipment serviced.

Assigning an employee to do routine maintenance will avoid many annoying problems and save on the heating bill this winter. Using the above checklist as a guide to track preventive maintenance can make this job easier. To save time, set up a file with the operating manuals and the procedures to follow.

John is an agricultural engineer, an emeritus extension professor at the University of Connecticut and a regular contributor to Greenhouse Management. He is an author, consultant and certified technical service provider doing greenhouse energy audits for USDA grant programs in New England. jbartok@rcn.com