The Disadvantages of Polycarbonate Greenhouses

Polycarbonate greenhouses are plastic, flame resistant structures for growing plants including vegetables and flowers. The greenhouses contain an ultraviolet (UV) treatment that keeps out harmful sun rays but still allows sunlight to enter the plastic panels so your plants can grow. Polycarbonate is lightweight, inexpensive and durable but the greenhouses are not perfect. There are some disadvantages to purchasing and using a polycarbonate greenhouse.

Environmental Elements

Winds, storms, blizzards and other weather elements can easily damage polycarbonate greenhouses. Harsh weather can rip off panels from the structure and in certain cases completely uproot the greenhouse.

Dust and Dirt Attraction

A polycarbonate greenhouse is prone to dust and dirt attraction that can reduce the amount of light entering the structure. Dust and dirt particles can also scratch the structure’s plastic surface if you fail to clean the greenhouse on a regular basis.

Algae Development

Failure to clean your polycarbonate greenhouse can also lead to the development of algae on the inside and outside of the structure. Algae grows quickly and can permanently stain the greenhouse’s plastic panels.

Condensation Development

Condensation is another problem with polycarbonate greenhouses especially in between the structure’s plastic layers. Moisture becomes trapped between the layers and results in a reduction in light transmission and the development of algae.

Condensation also causes a change in polycarbonate greenhouse’s interior temperature, which can affect plant growth.

Disadvantages Of Polycarbonate

When carbon is bonded to three oxygen molecules by a condensation polymerization process, the resulting product is a polycarbonate material. Not until the mid 1950s, when General Electric reintroduced the material, did polycarbonate start gaining in popularity, according to The Plastics Web. Producing polycarbonate requires high processing temperatures, making it more costly to manufacture, according to The Plastics Web. Consequently the price of polycarbonate exceeds that of standard acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) general purpose plastic resin. Because of this lower resistance factor, polycarbonate deteriorates when exposed to many organic solvents.