Cool side too cool

Yesturday I finally got my flexwatt taped down. So i had to test it and see how things worked out. My hot side is sitting at 93 degrees, but my cool side is at a meesly 74 degrees. This isnt a major problem because i dont have any snakes yet, and wont until late august. But what makes this a problem, other than the temperature being almost 10 degrees too cold, is that i am moving out in a couple weeks and my room will be in a basement. The basement isnt that cold, but it doesnt sit at 72 degrees like the room in my house does.

I'd really rather not heat the whole room to 80 degrees, because i have to live down there too, and well im not cold blooded lol. I could try insulating the tubs, but i built the rack so that there is less than a quarter inch above the tub, so there isnt much room in there.

My other thought is to drape a sheet over the top of the rack to help insulate the whole rack. The only problem is the temperature swings i will get when i open the sheet.

I could really use some advice, and i appreciate any help i can get

A small space heater can help keep the area around the rack warm without heating up the entire room. (Unless it's a really small room. ;) )


Another option is a strip of 3" flexwatt on the cool side, controlled by its own t-stat. That's probably the best option for making sure both side temps stay steady in a room that fluctuates.

I talked with Rich of reptile basics and he suggested that i try insulating the rack first. Home depot has these 1/2"x4'x8' sheets of insulation that i can cover the back side of the rack. I also saw these 1/8"x6" rolls of insulation that i am going to put inside of each shelf to see if that will help. I figured i should try the cheapest route and then go ahead with the more expensive.

I also just throught i could seal the outside corners where the wood meets with silicon or something to help keep the heat inside.

just remember, if you insulate it more, the hot side will get even hotter as the heat gets trapped in. Expensive as it may be, I'd recommend the separate flex watt and t-stat.

Insulation is a great idea, too. Just make sure you leave some airflow in/around the tubs within the rack. If you seal off too much, you'll get stagnant air in all your tubs.

Im going to build a room in my basement and insulate the small room and then put a heater in there to get it to 85. I posted up awhile back asking a similar question and was told that flexwat on both sides wouldent be the same as the ambient temp being 85. I have 11 inch flexwat on the hot side now. Nothing on the cool.

Btw my basement is about 65 in the dead of winter to 75 in the summer heat.

yeah im sure those temps will be similar to my basement where the snakes will be. i bought some insulation already and i am testing it out now, ill let you guys know how it goes.

so far so good with the insulating, it has steadily been rising from 73 and now it is at 79.7, hopefully it will climb a couple more degrees