One of the biggest costs of commercial cultivators is power. Almost all aspects of cultivation facilities and greenhouses require power, and usually a lot of it!
The aspects of a grow with the highest demand on power infrastructure are lighting, temperature control, and humidity control.
Integrating a Blumat Watering System with your grow will dramatically reduce the demands placed on both temperature and humidity control infrastructure, in addition to lowering overall water use (link) as well as nutrient inputs.
Impact on Humidity Control
Blumat Watering Systems reducer water use (link) as well as nutrient use (link) in the vast majority of gardens. Overall volumes of water going into the garden are lower compared to other irrigation systems, and there is zero water lost to over-watering practices (when Blumat sensors are properly calibrated). Because of the slow, gradual delivery of moisture in Blumat Watering Systems, very little water is lost to air through evaporation. Blumat sensors essentially minimize all the factors that drive high humidity in most other gardens.
Because plants are never over-watered, plants are never excessively transpiring when irrigated with Blumat systems. In typical gardens, plants become over-watered and transpire excess moisture into the air–this occurs even when there is no run-off in a garden, or standing water outside of containers. When there is run-off and/or water outside of containers, the problem is exacerbated.
In short, Blumat watering systems avoid all of the common garden occurrences which unnecessarily drive high humidity. Dehumidifiers and other infrastructure influencing humidity do not work as hard or as often in facilities and/or greenhouses where Blumat systems are in place.
Impact on Temperature Control
Blumat sensors and watering systems do not directly impact temperatures, but they do have an indirect effect on temperatures through their influence on humidity.
Because Blumat systems do not drive humidity nearly as highly as other irrigating systems, the dehumidifying infrastructure will not be working as often or as intensely as with other systems. These items of infrastructure produce high amounts of heat as a byproduct of their dehumidifying function, and therefore in turn place higher demands on air conditioning as well as air movement and exchange related infrastructure. Air conditioners, coolers, oscillating fans, and inline fans (for air exchange) are often used to combat the problems associated with high humidity, dehumidifiers, and high heat.
This is the classic “to-give-a-mouse-a-cookie” problem. With high humidity, a cultivator ends up needing dehumidifiers, air conditioners, fans, and air exchange infrastructure. The problem obviously is not just humidity! This cascading effect can be greatly reduced with Blumat watering systems.
When Blumat systems reduce the burden on humidity-control appliances, it also reduces the burden on air conditioning and exchange appliances as well.
Reduced Infrastructure Use = Reduced Power Use
It’s clear that Blumat Watering Systems reduce the burden on almost all aspects of cultivating. The biggest draws of power in indoor facilities and greenhouses are lighting, temperature control, and humidity control.
Blumat systems drastically reduce the need for dehumidifying, which in turn reduces the need for cooling and air exchange. By redcing the frequency and intensity of use on these aspects of a garden, Blumat systems dramatically reduce power use and costs for cultivators, ultimately improving the bottom line of a business.
Takeaways: Lower Expenses and a Higher Bottom Line
Blumat systems reduce wasteful watering, and avoid many (if not all) of the common garden occurrences which leads to either spiking humidity or chronically-high humidity. This in turn allows for less frequent and less intense of humidity-control infrastructure, also leading to lower intensity and less frequent use of air exchange and cooling appliances.
Blumat systems ultimately reduce the burden on all infrastructure in a garden other than the lighting. This will lead to lower costs while retaining (or even increasing) production. Blumat Watering Systems don’t only make healthy, thriving plants–they assist in helping businesses thrive too!
