Marijuana PlantsIf you’re in the medical cannabis or recreational marijuana industry, grow rooms are essential components of your business. To maintain proper temperatures and humidity levels in these rooms, HVAC systems are necessary.
Conventional HVAC systems are often not the best fit for cannabis grow rooms due to their high energy consumption and inability to create dry environments that are unfriendly to plants, as well as lack the capability of properly controlling airflow.
Humidity Control
Temperature and humidity control are paramount to the successful growth of your Cannabis Plants. They need to remain at a consistent, healthy level so they can develop as efficiently and safely as possible.
Your plants’ ideal temperature ranges will depend on their stage, but generally speaking, they should stay between 65-80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 55-70 degrees F at night. A cannabis grow room air conditioner is essential to achieve these ideal conditions.
Humidity, or the amount of water vapor present in the air, is a measure of indoor humidity. When too high, it can lead to issues like bud rot and powdery mildew.
Fortunately, dehumidifiers are one of the most reliable solutions for controlling humidity in cannabis grow rooms. They work by sucking moisture from the air, reducing RH to a desired level, and then re-heating it to prevent thermal shock.
For optimal humidity control, opt for a commercial-sized dehumidifier that can scale with your grow room’s size and outside humidity levels. This makes space and energy use more efficient.
Temperature Control
Temperature control is an integral component of indoor Cannabis Cultivation, as it affects the health and quality of buds. Generally, cannabis plants prefer temperatures between 65-80degF (18-26degC) for optimal growth and development.
During the vegetative stage (when cannabis plants are growing and creating their first buds), temperatures should range from 68-86degF (20-30degC) when lights are on and 64-72degF (18-22degC) when they’re off. To optimize flowering results, keep day and night temperatures slightly cooler – around 10degF (8degC).
Temperature and humidity are also key ingredients for growing healthy, high-quality crops. Moldy buds are a major issue for any grower as they spoil the flavor and can negatively impact a business’s reputation.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is a paramount concern for cannabis growers. In many states, energy consumption in cultivation accounts for an extensive portion of a cultivator’s expenses.
To maintain optimal conditions in a grow room, the HVAC system must address all parameters that affect plant health, growth rate, and crop yield – such as light, temperature, humidity, airflow, water, and vapor pressure deficit (VPD). These ranges change hour by hour so the HVAC system must be able to adapt and adjust according to these ever-changing conditions for maximum product output.
HVAC designers face a difficult challenge in sizing equipment that can maintain room temperatures during both light-on and light-off periods, maintain desired relative humidity levels, and deliver continuous airflow to the grow room for general ventilation. This task may prove particularly difficult with standard chilled water air handlers and chillers that reheat their discharge air in order to dehumidify the space.
Maintenance
A cannabis grow room air conditioner is essential for maintaining the ideal temperature in your room for optimal plant growth and quality of harvest. Maintaining this consistent temperature throughout your grow space ensures optimal conditions for healthy, productive plants.
For Marijuana Plants, the ideal temperature during illumination hours should be between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Utilizing an expensive HVAC system isn’t recommended since it will quickly increase your electricity bill and may even malfunction during a crop cycle, leading to thousands of dollars worth of damage to your growth.
Central chillers are a commonly used solution for large facilities, but they don’t fit well into cannabis grow rooms which require specialized conditions and infrastructure. With their scalable, redundant infrastructure, grow rooms present HVAC challenges that the traditional chiller simply cannot meet.
