Making the greenhouse safe from the elements

We offer many solid and sturdy greenhouses with a high wind and snow load. However, not all greenhouses are made to withstand very rough weather. Our polytunnel greenhouses are intended as a seasonal coverage and not a permanent structure instead of our greenhouses with a frame made of aluminium or steel. When you consider a greenhouse and place it in the garden and more, make sure you put it somewhere sheltered. On the other hand, do not place the greenhouse too close to large trees, at the bottom of a hill, or somewhere with too much shadow. If the weather forecast comes with a warning about a storm, you can secure the greenhouse beforehand. Be sure to close doors and windows, make sure that loose objects are removed from the garden or, as a minimum secure – like garden furniture, parasols, trampolines, and other toys. If your greenhouse is not secured to the ground with a base, you can fasten the greenhouse using a Dancover Safety Pack with storm straps and ground plugs.

More bad weather on the way

We are all aware that the weather has been changing and we have to expect some bad weather in the future. That is why we recommend that you order a sturdy and robust greenhouse or at least secure your greenhouse if you know that a storm is coming. You should make sure that your greenhouse is secured like you would secure the children’s trampoline and close doors and windows in the house. Our snow-proof greenhouses are built to withstand snow, rain, and wind, so that is an option you can consider. Do you prefer another look and design? We offer a wide range of sturdy and robust greenhouses and orangeries not made, especially for snowy areas. Please note that our polytunnel greenhouse may have to be disassembled if a storm is coming – just like our various marquees and gazebos.

In general, we recommend that you use silicone when assembling your greenhouse with either glass or polycarbonate window panes. Even though many greenhouses today have innovative clips to fasten the windows, you will be more secure using silicone to seal the windows. Sealing is in case of bad weather as well as for moisture and heat in general.  

Enhance the structure of your greenhouse

If you decide to order a lightweight greenhouse with a light frame, you must remember that a greenhouse is only as robust as its weakest component! The frame sometimes is the weak point as it may bend or break in a storm. The reason for this is a little technical as the structure does not have sufficient torsional rigidity. In short, it is not strong enough to withstand the force coming from the storm. Here we have a few ways to prevent accidents during a storm:

1. You can reinforce your greenhouse with adjusted aluminium profiles or similar.
2. Create extra support for the upright struts of the frame. Add support posts fastened from the inside in front of the existing side wall struts and corner struts. Remember to enhance the cross braces as well.
3. Diagonal struts also provide extra stability when you place a cross between the frame's existing vertical mounts. As an alternative to the additional diagonal braces, you can use steel ropes, which you tension crosswise between and fasten to eyelets.
4. Securing the greenhouse with anchors. In many greenhouses, the bottom frame and side frame is made in one piece and most often fastened to the foundation. We recommend that you also fix the greenhouse walls with storm anchors with retaining pins. Preferably at the corners of the greenhouse. Another solution is using strong steel cables, just like tent cords, together with ground plugs or pegs. If you are securing the structure for an upcoming storm, we recommend using our Safety Packs.