Heating racks in basement

I just got a new ARS 7030 rack (partially because my wife wanted the snakes moved to the basement) but I haven't started the new reptile room down there yet, I have to finish the kids new bedroom first. So I put the rack in the rat room and plugged in a heater. I have a digital thermometer with a probe hanging in the middle of the room and the temp there is about 75 - 78 deg. The rack is against an exterior wall though which I think is the problem. I have the rack probe taped to the heat panel and set at 102 deg. My readings in the tub on the hot side on top of the bedding (about an inch and a half of Cyprus mulch) is only 79 - 80 deg. After running all night. I haven't gotten far enough to check temps on the cold side. Any suggestions? I'm thinking I might need to get some king of insulation on the exterior walls in there.

2 things:

1. AS racks really need a heated room since they are so open. many breeders who use them have their rooms heated between 83-85.

2. try thinning out the mulch, a 1/2" thick layer is more than enough and will make heating the tubs much easier.

Pulling the racks away from the wall will help some. Also, you can pick up some foam insulation board to cover the back. We have ours in the basement and use an electric heater to keep temps around 80

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

I'm using an oil radiator heater now that is maxed out any ideas on a better heater? I have an electric fan heater I could try. Also, are higher temps going to bother the rats?

Insulating the rack with foam board is probably going to be your best bet

I live in Iowa and my snakes are in a 12 x 12 foot room in the basement and I only have to heat the room during the winter. I have enough racks that the room stays 75-80 in the summer while the rest of the basement is 65. Are they in a little room or is the basement open?

I have my flexwatt set at 108 in the back heat tubs in order to get decent temps right now since its chilly. In the summer I turn them down to 102 or somewhere around there.

Sent from my ADR6325 using Tapatalk 2

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

AS racks really need a heated room since they are so open. many breeders who use them have their rooms heated between 83-85.

---

This is the reason why I won't use open racks. You save money on the rack and spend a lot trying to keep the room heated. Closed racks work in a 70+ degree room which is easier to maintain.

Try putting the racks near your furnace and hot water heater. Put up plastic sheets as a barrier to retain the heat in a smaller area. Stay away from exterior walls.

The room is 6' x 12'. Just sheetrock walls with two of them being exterior foundation walls unfinished. I'm planning on fully insulating the walls in the reptile room when I build it but that's a couple months out at least.

If you have open racks you can get blue backed foam panels from home depot and cut them to close the rack in. It will hold the heat. I have freedom breeders wich ate open racks but i keep my snake rooms heated at 85 degrees so it stabilizes the heat. Another thing to remember when setting up any rack with cypress its gonna take about 48 to 72 hrs for the tubs to stabilize sincebthe cypress is dense and damp.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LotsaBalls

The room is 6' x 12'. Just sheetrock walls with two of them being exterior foundation walls unfinished. I'm planning on fully insulating the walls in the reptile room when I build it but that's a couple months out at least.

---

Two of the walls are foundation, and two of them are just think wood panneling type of stuff. One of my racks is somewhat open, but it has belly heat. I'm not sure why you are having so much trouble.

Sent from my ADR6325 using Tapatalk 2

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by snake lab

If you have open racks you can get blue backed foam panels from home depot and cut them to close the rack in. It will hold the heat. I have freedom breeders wich ate open racks but i keep my snake rooms heated at 85 degrees so it stabilizes the heat. Another thing to remember when setting up any rack with cypress its gonna take about 48 to 72 hrs for the tubs to stabilize sincebthe cypress is dense and damp.

---

Maybe I just need to let everything run for a little longer. I just started heating the room yesterday morning ish. I've been slowly increasing temps and didn't think it would take this long. I guess with the cement and mulch having to come from 60 deg basement temps it might take longer than I thought. I'll check when I get home and see where they are at.

It takes a long time to heat that much mass. Concrete walls may take a few days to warm up. I don't know if you have snakes in the rack yet but if you do you may find a cheap forced air heater may be a good temporary solution it will heat the air but not the room but a few min of warm air ever hour might be enough to kick it up a tad, until the oil heater has stabilized the room.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kitedemon

It takes a long time to heat that much mass. Concrete walls may take a few days to warm up. I don't know if you have snakes in the rack yet but if you do you may find a cheap forced air heater may be a good temporary solution it will heat the air but not the room but a few min of warm air ever hour might be enough to kick it up a tad, until the oil heater has stabilized the room.

---

Everyone is still in the old rack upstairs. I'm not moving anyone until I get everything stabilized.

Hot side readings up to 84 deg. Room temps up to 80.6 deg.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LotsaBalls

Hot side readings up to 84 deg. Room temps up to 80.6 deg.

---

Looks like you are getting there!

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

Just checked this morning and everything had dropped a couple deg. I'm going to go to menards and look for a new heater.

Ok, I decided to buy some 1/2" foam insulation boards and cover the back sides and the back half of the top. I'll let that sit for a while and check again.

Well had to add another heater to bump the room temps up to 83. But everything is good now. I'm planning on having everyone moved in tonight.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LotsaBalls

Well had to add another heater to bump the room temps up to 83. But everything is good now. I'm planning on having everyone moved in tonight.

---

Glad you got it working!

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

Sounds good. Glad you got it solved. The only thing I have to add is that you really dont need 1.5" of mulch in the tubs. That seems like alot lol. 0.5-1" of it is fine.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mike41793

Sounds good. Glad you got it solved. The only thing I have to add is that you really dont need 1.5" of mulch in the tubs. That seems like alot lol. 0.5-1" of it is fine.

---

Yeah I went a little overboard. ;) just excited about the new rack.