The commercial greenhouse industry has seen significant innovation over the past few years. The greenhouse of today looks remarkably different to those that were considered to be at the cutting edge of design just a decade ago. The most significant innovations have been in greenhouse technologies—driven by increasing energy and labour costs. Growers have realized the advantages of investing in equipment and automated systems that will reduce their operating costs (including labour, maintenance and energy-related costs) and increase their bottom line.
As such, energy-efficient supplemental lighting systems are a logical investment for most greenhouse operators, but they often don’t realize that, just like any equipment, luminaires need to be regularly maintained in order to ensure optimal performance.
You may not realize it, but it’s estimated that light output can be reduced up to 10% due to dirt, dust and buildup on a reflector. If not properly cleaned and maintained, this can mean a loss of quality in your crop, longer crop cycles and reduced yield. To maintain the highest level of performance for your luminaires, we recommend that you check and clean your reflectors every year if possible. Ideally this should be part of your cyclical maintenance routine and is as easy as removing the reflectors and/or luminaires and washing them in a simple water and vinegar solution. For more information on maintaining your luminaires check out the P.L. Light Systems maintenance guide
