Tent heating in cold winter basement

[BloominOnion]

For my first grow I am growing some autoflowers tangerine dream and critical purple in a tent in my basement. The ambient temp of my basement is in the 50s due to the cold New England weather. I am able to get my tent to the high 60s but would like to get my temps into the high 70s atleast since I’m growing with LEDs. I have a couple seedling mats running all day to help with temps but it’s not enough. What do you all recommend to safely heat the tent?

 

[mysticepipedon]

I recommend summer.

But really, you know what the answer is: You have to insulate and heat the area. Not knowing anything about your grow area, that could mean walling off a small part of the basement for the grow and just heating that. It could also mean heating the whole basement — can't tell from here.

 

[BloominOnion]

My tent is insulated from the cement foundation with 1 inch foam. I’m really looking for in tent heating recommendations. I’ve got room for a heater but not sure what to get for a heater.

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

I recommend summer.

But really, you know what the answer is: You have to insulate and heat the area. Not knowing anything about your grow area, that could mean walling off a small part of the basement for the grow and just heating that. It could also mean heating the whole basement — can't tell from here.

As @mysticepipedon says, it all depends. My grow area is in my basement mechanical room. My basement is 3/4's finished and heated. All I had to do is install a tee and close the vent into my family room. I went from average temps in the low 60's to near 70 during lights off. I have my house thermostat set at 70 degrees 24/7.

Take a look around. See what you can come up with. It may mean setting up a partition as previously suggested.

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

My tent is insulated from the cement foundation with 1 inch foam. I’m really looking for in tent heating recommendations. I’ve got room for a heater but not sure what to get for a heater.

It's very difficult to condition the air inside the tent. If you still feel you must, look at oil filled radiator style space heaters. Something like this:

Amazon.com

If you do that, you may also need something like this:

Amazon.com

You would run the heater through the heater outlet and your ventilation through the cooling outlet.

 

[mysticepipedon]

My tent is insulated from the cement foundation with 1 inch foam. I’m really looking for in tent heating recommendations. I’ve got room for a heater but not sure what to get for a heater.

If there is a space heater you trust not to burn the place down, go for it.

I don't know how flammable tent material is. I would rather have a space heater on a surface that I know will not melt or catch fire. Best of luck.

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

If there is a space heater you trust not to burn the place down, go for it.

I don't know how flammable tent material is. I would rather have a space heater on a surface that I know will not melt or catch fire. Best of luck.

I prefer not to use a space heater at all. Expensive to run and potentially dangerous as both a shock and fire hazard. Tent material is probably fire retardant but I'm sure it will still burn.

Plants will also respond better if the air being drawn in by the ventilation system is already warm instead of trying to warm cooler air inside the tent.

 

[BloominOnion]

thanks for the replies! That makes sense trying to heat the air before it enters the tent so the tent/heater doesn’t have to heat up that ventilated air. I’m going to look around some more for better solutions to my heating challenge with your information in mind.

 

[OldManGrower]

I had the exact same problem. I have my tent in my garage and currently the temp is in the low 50’s. I did try a DeLonghi oil heater since I felt it would be safest, but the temp would not get above 72 degrees. So I switched to a Lasko tower space heater model CT22360 that can rotate and send heat out through the top of the tower. I built a small stand so the the area where the heat comes out blows above the plants. Works great and can bring the temp up beyond 80 inside the tent when the garage is in the 50’s. It’s safe.

 

[BloominOnion]

Thanks oldmangrower, I’m going to have to check out that heater to see if it can work!

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

Thanks oldmangrower, I’m going to have to check out that heater to see if it can work!

I used a very similar oscillating heater for a season. It didn't last through the second. I usually don't purchase extended warranties but if this is the route you go, it might make sense to purchase one.

 

[oLd1]

If there is a space heater you trust not to burn the place down, go for it.

I don't know how flammable tent material is. I would rather have a space heater on a surface that I know will not melt or catch fire. Best of luck.

I think most Tents are ok with Heat I have mine next to Ventless Gas Fireplace and it has been fine.

oLd1