Any reason not to buy a Sunglo greenhouse?

Hi, I'm a first time visitor and I am looking for advice from all of you greenhouse experts on buying a greenhouse for a gift to my orchid-lover husband. We live north of San Diego about 5 miles from the ocean on 4 acres, I think it is zone 9a or 9b. I have looked at a 7.9x12.6 Sunglo at Costco (sale ends today), 8 x12 SolarGro and Rion, and I am thinking of buying the Sunglo at Costco. Since the only use for the greenhouse is orchids in hot and dry climate, am I correct in assuming I should steer clear of glass, eventhough I think they look better? The only potential drawback I can figure out on the Sunglo is the fact the ribbing on the acrylic panels runs horizontally, which might cause algae to grow inside with the condensation. Has anybody experienced that issue, or any other, with that brand?

Since I need to place the order today, I'd really appreciate any feedback ASAP. Thanks you guys!

The Sunglo has no roof vents, only an exhaust fan on the back end and an intake vent on the front end. Cooling the greenhouse during the summer will be "totally electric" (even with shade cloth covering). The Rion has roof vents and side vents but does not come with the fan and heater that the Sunglo has. You should also consider the electrical hook-up costs for the Sunglo which requires a 220 volt circuit for the heater and a 110 volt circuit for the fan and other electrical equipment.

Let me know what you decide on. I'm also looking at the Rion and Sunglo models.

Thanks Seiko, you're making some good points, especially the electric hook-up costs, which I had not really considered. From talking to both the Sunglo manufacturer and the folks at Charley's Greenhouse, I understand that in a dry and hot climate like SoCal, where we have little wind, you need the forced air system in order to create the change of air every few minutes that the orchids need. Just having the vents would not really be enough to move the air inside the greenhouse, since we have little breeze. They also explained to me that the ventilation does not really cool off the air, and that I needed a humidity control system to drop the temperature inside, so I am also ordering a humistat (sp?) system to create humidity and keep the temperature down.

In terms of comparison, I was mostly looking at the SolarGrow vs. Sunglo. The folks at Charley's pointed out that Sunglo's panels have horizontal ribbing, instead of vertical, which could create an opportunity for algae to grow. They also stated that because the Sunglo was riveted instead of pre-drilled with screws and bolt assembly, it could be harder to put together, but especially to pull apart. The Sunglo folks on the other hand pointed out that they are the manufacturer, so can offer better value since they are eliminating the middle-man. They said the horizontal design had not been a problem., and because their panels are acrylic instead of polycarbonate, they could be washed with bleach if algae became a problem. As far as the riveted design, they said that because they are rated for much higher wind resistance and snow loading, only riveted construction like what commercial greenhouses have can insure optimal wind resistance. They also said it could be taken apart relatively painlessly (3 hours to dismantle an 8x10).

I just placed the order online with Costco for the Sunglo. I will call Sunglo on Monday to add the humistat, and order a drop door (I am thinking of building a 2 ft knee wall in the local stone we have used extensively in the rest of the garden), for which they charge an extra $50. I'll let you know how it goes...

Simshona,

I'm anxious to hear how your GH is doing. Does it meet your expectations? Do you have any sugestions?

I am also considering purchasing a sunglo. Zone 6 here. Please post as soon as you can about your innitial experiece...any experiences you have. Thanks a bunch.

Hi - I am new to this forum, but thought I would share my Sunglo experience - I bought one in 1996 and by 2002 it was gone. I live in Flagstaff, AZ and we have lots of sun and some harsh winters. The sun literally destroyed the glazing, the horizontal ribbing collected dirt and blocked out lots of light, and some strong winds literally sucked out some roof panels. In order for me to heat it economically, I had to put that metal tape they use for ductwork over every panel and support in order to keep the wind out and heat in, and had to redo every winter. Sunglo was less than helpful. I tore it down and replaced it with a Texas greenhouse model that is unbreakable polycarbonate, triple layer, and have been really happy with it. If Sunglo has changed the strength level of their acrylic panels it would be in improvement, but for any area which gets wind and high altitude sun don' t get one, it won't last the warranty.

I wonder what Simshona has been through with her Sunglo?
Love, FreeBird...