I'm confident about the numbers, just from watching the behaviour of the small shed-plus-a-truckload-of-aluminum-slider-inserts greenhouse. Since I'm willing to abandon the solarium for the winter, the only difference numbers will make will be the length of the un-inhabitable season. In addition, the place where the sunroom will attach has a crawl space. In the longer run, moving heat from the peak of the greenhouse into the dirt under the crawl space during the day, and bring it back during the night should give a few more weeks of use as a conservatory at each end of the season.
The reason I've posted on this site is to get ideas on how to detail the roof to minimize air leaks, allow for relative movement between the glass and the support structure, and make maintenance as simple as possible.
Temperatures at the peak of the the greenhouse can be expected to reach 150 F in mid summer on a calm sunny day. In winter they can reach -40. Glass changes dimensions by about 3/32" per foot over this temperature range. So a 5 foot pane could change almost a half inch. (the original figures were 1/32 per foot for a 70 F change -- This will vary with the glass composition. Peak temp is an estimate, based on the degree of temperature stratification in my shed green house when the fan isn't running. Being a firm devotee of Murphy, I'm allowing slop to accumulate in the direction of greatest inconvenience)
Since I've got 2 foot windows too, I may use them for the roof. Easier to handle, and with half the size, I'd end up with half the expansion to deal with, as well has having smaller weights to deal with.
Or maybe I just have to bite the bullet and use twinwall polycarbonate for the roof.
The reason I've posted on this site is to get ideas on how to detail the roof to minimize air leaks, allow for relative movement between the glass and the support structure, and make maintenance as simple as possible.
Temperatures at the peak of the the greenhouse can be expected to reach 150 F in mid summer on a calm sunny day. In winter they can reach -40. Glass changes dimensions by about 3/32" per foot over this temperature range. So a 5 foot pane could change almost a half inch. (the original figures were 1/32 per foot for a 70 F change -- This will vary with the glass composition. Peak temp is an estimate, based on the degree of temperature stratification in my shed green house when the fan isn't running. Being a firm devotee of Murphy, I'm allowing slop to accumulate in the direction of greatest inconvenience)
Since I've got 2 foot windows too, I may use them for the roof. Easier to handle, and with half the size, I'd end up with half the expansion to deal with, as well has having smaller weights to deal with.
Or maybe I just have to bite the bullet and use twinwall polycarbonate for the roof.