In the absence of a garage or cellar near your home, storing vegetables becomes a real problem. It’s especially disappointing if in the fall, due to lack of space, you have to give away or throw away your own harvest, and later buy the same products at a high price. Some people completely abandon the idea of storing supplies for the winter, while others decide to build a balcony cellar for storing vegetables (a cabinet/box with thermal protection). The idea is simple at first glance, but how to implement it so that the cellar on the balcony is effective?
What is a household heating cabinet
The invention of a household thermal cabinet is a wall-mounted or floor-mounted thermal container for organizing the storage of agricultural products. This type of garden furniture was officially introduced into production and patented in 2001 by Nikolai Ivanovich Berezhny and Andrey Semenovich Novikov. The very idea of such an invention, thanks to which it would be possible to store various vegetables, fruits and preserves at home and without loss of food, appeared in 1998.
At that time, Russia was still going through quite difficult post-perestroika years. The population really needed such an additional closet in the form of a cellar, since people had to survive only thanks to agricultural products, and personal production. This was especially true in remote areas of the country. An additional convenience of this invention is that it saves space as much as possible, since its elongated hinged design involves unloading the floor.
Nowadays, the economic situation has stabilized somewhat, but with the growing interest in gardening, the heating cabinet has not lost its relevance and is an excellent solution for many owners of private farmland.
What types of boxes are there?
Heated
This type is suitable for a cold loggia (glazed with single glass). The box is equipped with electric heating. In order to save money, you can opt for a budget version and, instead of a flexible ribbon heating element, use products that are always at hand - a regular hair dryer or incandescent lamps. Two lamps are placed in a tin cylinder, having previously been painted with dark paint. Incandescent lamps do not consume much electricity, unlike a noisy hair dryer.
Without heating
On a warm balcony, heating the box is not needed. It is enough to cover its walls with insulation. The manufacturing process of such a design is simple and does not require large investments:
- Two rectangular containers are made from timber and slats so that one can fit into the other. The gap between the walls should be 8 cm. The bottom of the boxes is made of moisture-resistant plywood 8-10 mm thick.
- The surface of the products is coated with an antifungal composition for wood (“Snezh” or “Snezh Bio”).
- The space between the walls is filled with insulation - penoplex, sawdust, polystyrene foam or old batting. Experienced builders have recognized penoplex as the best insulation material. It does not absorb moisture at all and will reliably protect the potatoes from the cold.
In addition to the usual homemade box, there are alternative solutions that you can use.
Refrigerated storage chamber
An old, used refrigerator is suitable as a winter cabinet for potatoes. It is freed from the refrigeration equipment (compressor and heat exchanger) and placed in a horizontal position with the door up.
The manufacturer provides sealed and warm walls in the refrigerator compartment. In them, between the plastic casing and the metal body, the entire space is filled with thermal insulation. The only thing that remains is to tidy up the appearance: paint it, cover it with plastic panels or beautiful thick fabric. This storage chest can be unheated or heated.
Factory thermobox
The factory thermobox is a metal box in which heating elements are installed that can maintain a temperature of +2...+10°C. The heating cabinet remains operational when the temperature drops to -35…-40°C. Some models have a manual temperature control system.
Flexible containers
Made of two-layer dense fabric, between the layers of which flexible heating elements are mounted. The maximum capacity of the “miracle bag” is 300 liters. A soft thermal container is an economical solution for an unheated balcony.
How to choose a thermal cellar
A hanging container (thermal cabinet, thermal cellar or thermal box, which is equipped with a thermostat), created by our compatriots, can be used in unheated rooms for the purpose of seasonal storage of vegetables and fruits. Suitable for storage:
- root vegetables,
- greenery,
- canned vegetables,
- pickled vegetables,
- individual large fruit vegetables, etc.
An electric heater is used to maintain the required temperature. It is located around the entire structure of the box. The body is equipped with thermal insulation, which provides a gap to provide oxygen inside the hanging container.
Balcony household heating cabinets can be completely different in appearance in terms of functionality, color and shape. Also, many modern manufacturers offer thermal containers with various technical characteristics. Based on them in your choice, you can choose such a hanging mini-cellar to your taste and color, according to the size of the room and, if necessary, in tone and shape to other items to maintain the harmony of the room.
To regulate and monitor the temperature inside this thermal container there is a special sensor with a thermostat. Balcony wall-mounted heating cabinets for saving agricultural products are mainly produced in Russia. Such ovens make it possible to maintain the required storage climate inside even at extremely low air temperatures.
Adviсe
Only dry, sorted vegetables, without signs of rot, are placed in boxes. Supplies are checked periodically to remove spoiled products .
Otherwise, regardless of the storage temperature, the entire crop of root crops will be spoiled.
An old, non-working refrigerator is a good alternative to store-bought vegetable storage boxes. Before use, the refrigerator is well ventilated and then placed on the floor with the door facing up.
The sorted vegetables are placed in the refrigerator (the shelves are used as partitions), covered with a clean cloth, and then the door of the improvised storage is closed.
The most famous models
There are many models and their modifications. We will touch on the most common ones.
Winter heating cabinet, model TBPZ-140 . It has dimensions of 60×50×80 cm. It has the following characteristics:
- saves food with outdoor temperatures ranging from -35 to +5 C.
- temperature control inside the wall-mounted oven ranges from 2 C to 10 C.
- It is used seasonally, during the frosty season, since it works exclusively for heating.
- winter heating cabinet models come in different capacities: 105, 145, 185, 245, 300 and 365 liters.
Year-round heating cabinet model TBPK-240 . This model is characterized by:
- adjustable temperature inside the cabinet, which can vary from 2C to 10,
- independence from the season, since it has a heating mode and a freezing mode (refrigerator);
- work at -30 C and up to +35 C;
- dimensions 1000×500×850 mm.
The capacity of year-round heating cabinets can be 145 - 185 -305 and 245 liters.
The year-round vertical heating cabinet from (Novosibirsk) has dimensions of 12085×50 cm. This heating cabinet is characterized by the following properties:
- internally galvanized steel body;
- equipped with a thermostat;
- internal climate stabilizer up to +2C at outside air temperatures ranging from -40 to +40 degrees;
- has modifications equipped with a partition and an additional cooling mode;
- The capacity is 145 and 365 liters.
Thermal cabinet with forced ventilation, dismountable, from (Moscow). Differs in the following features:
- dimensions 79×75×41 cm;
- due to forced ventilation, it ensures uniform distribution of temperature and air inside the heating cabinet;
- automation stabilizes temperature readings at +2 - +9 degrees at atmospheric temperatures down to -39 C.
Thermal cabinets from this manufacturer produce models with a movable removable partition. Thermal cabinets are designed for a volume of 147, 150, 174 liters.
Balcony wall vegetable cabinet model Cellar-200 from (Moscow). The model has features:
- forced airflow;
- dimensions 82.5x78x40 cm;
- automation stabilizes internal indicators at a temperature level of +2 to +9 (with atmospheric data -39C).
The “Cellar-200” model from the specified manufacturer has modifications with a movable removable partition, which can be used to divide the space of the heating cabinet into sections.
The price range of flat-bed heating cabinets directly depends on the seasonality of their use and dimensions. So, there are year-round and winter models. Accordingly, such household thermal cellars will differ in design features.
Storage conditions
The optimal temperature for preserving the crop can be considered from +1 to +5 degrees. In addition, a loggia or a wired balcony must have a ventilation system.
Since potatoes, carrots and other vegetables release a large amount of moisture during storage, they need to be provided with certain conditions. Do not forget that potatoes are afraid of direct sunlight. Under their influence, the skin turns green, and the vegetables become dangerous to eat.
Carrots in cellar conditions are sprinkled with sand. Before planting, the tops are cut off and laid out so that individual roots do not touch. Radishes and beets tolerate being placed in bags or boxes well. Onions and garlic are placed in nets or braided and hung.
Cabbage can be stored for a long time on the shelves, with the stalks facing up.
Making a thermobox with your own hands
When making a heating cabinet with your own hands, you need to take into account some points. You will need good tools and quality materials. What to prepare:
- box body. It can be made of plywood, boards or chipboard.
- insulation - this is represented by foil polyethylene foam or polystyrene foam, which are laid in several layers;
- additional insulation, which provides an air gap between the inner box and the insulation;
- drawer with ventilation holes for vegetables;
- insulated safety heater between the bottom of the case and the inner drawer.
This self-made cellar on the balcony is intended mainly for potatoes or other root vegetables. The best temperature for storing them is from +3 to +7 degrees, which is impossible to achieve on an unheated balcony in Russian winters without auxiliary heating of the storage. That is why a heater with moderate power is installed.
There is nothing complicated about installing such a cellar, and if you have the materials for its manufacture and tools at home, then it can be installed literally in one day. The technology is simple and easy to find on the Internet.
Winter and summer are the same freshness
You can buy a compact and inexpensive balcony cellar right now. To do this, just leave an order in a special form on the website. The manager will contact you to clarify delivery parameters and payment method. And he will congratulate you on no longer having to make regular raids into the cellar or garage. All the necessary supplies are already at home.
Onions, cabbage, beets and garlic are placed in a special all-season cabinet with a thermostat. They will not deteriorate from the heat and will not freeze in winter. The dimensions of the rigid stationary model of the year-round balcony cellar heating cabinet are as follows: 71x40x80 centimeters. The useful volume is 160 liters. The design has an insulated metal body. Loading is done from the top or through the side door.
To make jars and other crops feel comfortable, you don’t need to constantly check their safety. Plug in the cellar online – and only look into it when it’s time to set the table. Like an ordinary refrigerator, inside the thermal cabinet the balcony cellar maintains a temperature of 4-7 degrees with a “plus” sign.
Assembling a vegetable thermal container
Having prepared all the necessary components, you can begin assembly. It is performed in several stages. The algorithm is like this:
- If the product is supposed to be “mobile”, then the frame of the box is assembled from bars. They can be attached to each other using metal corners.
- The bottom needs to be raised above the floor of the balcony, so two bars are attached to it, closer to the middle, which will not only provide an air cushion, but also impart rigidity to the structure.
- Insulation is being installed. It is cut to sizes that correspond to the perimeter of the planes between the beams. The insulation should be as thick as the size of the block. To ensure that there are no gaps for cold between the bars and the insulation, the resulting gaps are filled with polyurethane foam.
- Thin plywood is fixed at the bottom to cover the insulation.
- One of the pre-prepared heating devices is placed on top of it. Due to its small thickness and safety in operation, infrared film is optimal for the box.
- They also form a “warm pillow” with the help of light bulbs, but in this case the volume of the box is reduced, since an additional lattice bottom must be installed on top of them.
- After this, it would be good to line all internal planes with polyethylene foam, preferably foil-coated.
- If a light bulb is used for heating, the lattice bottom is not covered with polyethylene.
- The gap between the box frame and the lid, on the side where the hinges are supposed to be installed, should also be covered with elastic foil polyethylene foam. After installing the cover, the strip of insulation material is secured with staples to both the cover and the box.
Cellar under the balcony
Owners of apartments located on the first floors of multi-storey buildings have an advantage over the higher floors. They can make a cellar under the balcony. As a rule, permission to carry out such changes is given by the relevant organizations (housing office) without obstacles, except in cases where the balcony faces the main street, and its transformation will affect the appearance of the facade.
How to make a cellar under the balcony:
- A hole is cut in the balcony slab to allow an adult to pass freely. First, the contours of the hole are cut out with a grinder, and then a layer of concrete is knocked out. The reinforcement bars are also cut with a grinder;
- A pit is dug under the balcony, the width and length of which corresponds to the dimensions of the balcony slab. Its depth should be such that you can stand in the hole without resting your head on the slab. The higher the ground part of the base of the house, the shallower the depth the hole is dug;
- The floor and walls are covered with inexpensive waterproofing, preferably roofing felt. The strips are overlapped and soldered using a gas torch;
- The bottom is covered with a layer of sand and crushed stone, reinforced with steel mesh or rod, and filled with cement screed;
- The walls are laid half a brick thick, from the floor to the balcony slab. A ventilation pipe is installed at the ground level, or a hole is left in the wall, which is subsequently closed with a grate;
- The walls are lined from the inside with one of the insulating materials: mineral wool, polyurethane foam and others. On an unheated balcony, you also need to insulate the floor slab. The type of insulation and layer thickness depend on the climatic conditions of the area;
- A staircase with wide steps and a hatch are installed. It is better to make the lid and stairs wooden, since wood has low thermal conductivity. The inside of the hatch is also insulated.
On the outside of the cellar, a blind area is built around the brick wall. First, a cushion of sand and crushed stone is created, after which a cement screed is poured. The blind area should have a slight slope from the wall to prevent water accumulation. The screed will last longer if it is covered with ceramic tiles for outdoor use.
The internal filling of such a cellar is carried out in accordance with the needs of the apartment owners. You can make a bin for potatoes, hang shelves for cans of preserves and boxes of vegetables.
Reviews of the balcony cellar
We have such a thermal container, like a thermal bag. Flexible model of Cellar TGB-200. Capacity - 180 l. There is only one fan. I think this is bad, we need two. One cannot cope with such a volume. Or it should be more powerful. When you look into a thermal cellar, over time the smell of vegetables going out of order begins to emanate from there.
Victor
We're going out of town for a few months. In the fall, the population there sells high-quality products from their own production: potatoes, good carrots, zucchini, cabbage... But you can’t take away much, but you want to! We decided that we needed a box for vegetables on the balcony. Our neighbors advised us to buy a heating cabinet, which is what we did.
I really liked our cellar! Happy as a cat! Ours is seasonal. For the summer, it effortlessly folds into a bag-cover and waits in the wings. When packaged it does not take up much space. Stores vegetables a lot and for a long time. You can live with it just fine, it saves space in the kitchen. But in fairness, it should be noted that there is only one minus, and this is its cost. Sometimes they even ask for 33,000 rubles. This is sad, for that kind of money you can buy fresh vegetables for several winters in a row and every day.
Sofia
To store vegetables, my husband and I bought a thermal storage unit “Pogrebok-3”. In it, food does not freeze due to the fact that a certain temperature is constantly maintained. It turns out to be a kind of “reverse refrigerator” on the balcony.
They put it on the loggia, very conveniently, we had an outlet installed there a long time ago.
The cabinet measures 83×79×41 in total, which means it doesn’t take up much space. But the short cord turned out to be very short, so I had to tinker with extension. Up to 23 kg of vegetables can be placed inside the “cellar”. There is no partition, so you have to pick neighbors. We don't add onions. Overall, it’s a useful and necessary thing, we like it. There is electricity, but no more than any other household appliance. Olga
Easy to store, easy to install
This is a truly unique household appliance, especially for the Russian climate and climates close to it. Air constantly circulates inside the refrigerator cabinet. This prevents the formation of condensation drops. This means that turnips and squash will not rot. Another good thing about a thermal cabinet for a balcony cellar all year round is its cooling mode.
Power consumption – 220 W. It won't hurt the owners' wallets. Purchased from a reliable supplier, the mini-fridge:
- has all certification documents;
- complies with sanitary standards;
- meets fire standards.
For convenience, you can choose not a rigid device, but a flexible container. It will not take up much space when not in use. It is convenient to transport. To install this miracle technology, you don’t need to call a specialist. Those who have already bought a cellar have the most positive reviews, including about its installation.
Preparing potatoes for winter storage
If the tubers are grown independently, then they need to be dug up in sunny, dry weather. This will help dry the peel before laying it on the loggia. If the weather does not allow it, then you need to continue the drying process in a ventilated area. A few weeks are enough. Thanks to drying, the tubers will be stored longer and rot less.
The next step is sorting the crop. For long-term storage on the loggia, medium-sized fruits are suitable. There should be no damage to the surface. Damaged fruits are stored separately and used first. It is better not to store large tubers, as they lose their taste faster. Early ripening varieties are also not suitable for planting for the winter; they do not last long.
