Harvesting Cannabis – The HVAC Connection

08/22/2022

What is the Role of HVACDs in the Cannabis Markets:

One of the most profitable crops in the US is marijuana. For harvesting cannabis the legal cannabis market offers potential for firms other than the primary cannabis farmers and sellers, just like all other high-growth industries. Grow rooms must continue to prosper to benefit the industry and businesses outside it. As a result, grow rooms need specialized cannabis HVAC systems to maintain this cash crop’s health, freshness, and sustainability.

States that have legalized the use of Marijuana for Recreational purposes:

  • Colorado
  • Washington
  • Alaska
  • Oregon
  • Washington, D.C.
  • California
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • Nevada
  • Michigan
  • Vermont
  • Guam
  • Illinois
  • Arizona
  • Montana
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Virginia
  • New Mexico
  • Connecticut
  • Rhode Island

With Cannabis being legalized in many states and the demand for the cash crop ever rising, grow rooms have become instrumental in maintaining high quality and quantity of output. These grow rooms are carefully designed and controlled with special lighting and specialized HVAC units to regulate and maintain the optimal temperature for cannabis growth. 

What are growing rooms?

Grow rooms are where most of the legal cannabis products are produced. They are made specifically to meet the requirements of particular strains of marijuana and are intended to produce big yields of those varieties. Some are greenhouses that are sealed. Others don’t have many windows and rely solely on high-tech artificial lighting to promote plant growth. Thus grow rooms becomes the primary choice for harvesting cannabis.

Why utilize a grow room? In a specially constructed grow chamber rather than an open field, it is simpler to regulate the potency and strain of the marijuana. Insects, disease, rogue crop dusters, and theft are less of a threat to the product.

Importance of HVACs in grow rooms.

When creating the appropriate HVAC system for grow rooms, there are a few factors to consider. This is why:

Temperature and Humidity – Specific temperature and humidity ranges must be set in grow rooms. Depending on the crop, these ranges could change. But either a lack of humidity or excess will ruin the crop.

Consumption of Energy – Grow rooms also use a lot of energy. They require tremendous energy for specialized lighting and sophisticated HVAC systems to maintain temperature and humidity within range. Frequently, the lights are on around-the-clock.

Odor control – Grow rooms are infamous for producing an overwhelming odor in a limited area due to the high density of marijuana plants.

The perfect HVAC system should assist in

Reasons Traditional HVAC Systems Fail

For grow rooms, conventional HVAC systems are frequently not the best option. These HVAC systems’ high energy consumption is one of their problems. They greatly raise the operation’s overall energy expenditures.

These conventional HVAC systems cannot appropriately adjust airflow and provide dry environments that are not ideal for cannabis plants. Modern HVAC systems can distribute the proper cooling when necessary and balance humidity levels.

Challenges faced by traditional HVAC systems for Harvesting Cannabis indoor.

Controlling heat from lighting
Heat-producing lights are necessary for marijuana development. A high-efficiency cooling system is necessary for temperatures to stay between 70 and 75 degrees during illumination hours. Some commercial farmers think constructing a massive HVAC system is a simple solution. However, doing so may quickly result in extremely high utility costs, not to mention a breakdown that could cost you your entire crop. For dependable climate management, HVAC equipment needs to be the right size.

Preserving the right levels of humidity

The ideal humidity range for marijuana plants is between 50% and 60%. After watering, humidity levels can rise to as high as 75%, so the HVAC system needs to work fast to bring them back down.

Making an indoor natural breeze

Consistent indoor temperatures are maintained, and greater plant development is encouraged by proper airflow. Special vents and ducts are required for this. Prevent leaks in ducts to maintain balanced airflow and lower utility bills. Mechanical ventilation is crucial for better indoor air quality.

Systems for Evaporative and Hybrid Cooling in Grow Rooms

Indirect-Direct Evaporative Cooling (IDEC) and hybrid systems are the greatest alternatives to conventional HVAC units for grow rooms. These systems use up to 80% less energy. Additionally, they provide farmers a lot more freedom to regulate airflow and humidity levels.

Due to the absence of GWP, CFCs, and HFCs, these systems are less maintenance-intensive and do not harm the environment as much as conventional units do. Both the environment and businesses benefit from these units.

AirLogix:

The indoor harvesting game is all about temperature control and relevancy. This requires a proper flow of HVAC system inside the grow rooms along with proper monitoring of the process.

Our commercial heating and cooling systems make your job easier with an analytics dashboard and remote monitoring. We help you qualify for energy efficiency incentives and ensure every system is running its best with real-time and historical data you can access at any time.

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