Glass was a traditional option for building greenhouses. However, because of its drawbacks like being heavy-weight, expensive and easily damageable, it is being replaced by other materials, the most popular one being polycarbonate. If you are considering building a greenhouse, you would also be worried about the material to be used. To help you understand why you must consider using polycarbonate, you must first understand its benefits.
Durability
Polycarbonate has the characteristics of withstanding all kinds of temperature and environment. It is much durable and 200 times stronger than glass, which means that it can withstand almost any kind of damage. Because it is strong enough, there is no need for extra precaution or care to be taken as in the case of glass; thus it is easier to handle polycarbonate. Moreover, in case of a glass replacement, you will need to hire a contractor but, in the case of polycarbonate, it can be easily replaced by you.
Shatter-resistant
Because polycarbonate is durable, it can easily withstand impacts from stones, balls, hail and snow, without breaking or showing any signs of damage. Thus, if you have any kids playing in the area where your greenhouse stands, or if you are in an area that is prone to hail and snow, polycarbonate is the best option.
Light diffusion and UV protection
Polycarbonate provides better light diffusion, which means that light will be coming in and spreading evenly throughout the greenhouse which is advantageous to the growing plants within. This means there will be no need to move plants about to help them receive sunlight. Neither will there be a need for any artificial lighting to illuminate the greenhouse. Moreover, the light that comes in will be UV-protected because polycarbonate is a natural UV filter, thus protecting the plants from the harmful radiations of the sun.
Insulation
Polycarbonate has greater insulation properties as compared to traditional glass. Having better heat retention properties than glass, lesser amount of heat is lost through the roof of a polycarbonate greenhouse than a glass one. This means that polycarbonate greenhouses have a higher average temperature than glass ones. This improved heat retention aids in the better performance and effectiveness of a polycarbonate greenhouse.
Longer growing season
The overall environment within a polycarbonate greenhouse allows for harvesting of more plants, vegetables and fruits within. If you are into the commercial business and you sell your produce, the extended growing season will help you get great returns on your investment.
Contemporary designing
Unlike glass, polycarbonate can be easily bent because it cannot be easily broken and it is easily flexible too. Polycarbonate also comes in various shapes and sizes. Thus, you can have a polycarbonate greenhouse shaped and sized differently. You can have a greenhouse that can meet your every specific need.