built in forced air heating for rack

[Kaduhn1]

So I'm having trouble keeping my snake room warm enough. Our house is cold since it's expensive to heat. I trying to figure out a way to just heat the rack itself. Something like taking a forced air heater and plumbing it into the rack in the bottom open rack and venting the top so it works it way up and out. My rack has gaps on the sides of the shelves. There's some pictures of the rack on my profile. I would have to put a door on it. Probably clear plexiglass or something similar.
So my question is has anyone of you tried something like this to heat just the air in the rack system. If using a forced air heater that should push enough air to keep it ventilated since there would be a door on the front.

[3skulls]

I think the movement of the air, vibrations could stress them out. I also think it would dry them out like crazy.

Can you just heat that room?
Place them in a smaller room you can heat?

[dragonboy4578]

I would want to check the temp of the heat coming out of the register. I would bet that it is over your desired temps. A furnace is designed to heat a whole house. The temps coming out of the register are the same if you have your house set at 65 or at 80. You would probably be better off with a space heater for the room.

[Kaduhn1]

I guess I should have said they are in my smallest room and there is a radiant heater that never turns off. Good point with the forced air killing the humidity. I think I could get around vibration with the connection of the heater to the rack being a floating joint of some sort. I was looking this http://www.lowes.com/pd_121116-1509-...t_avg_rating|1
and using some duct work to plumb it. But it would still kill the humidity most likely. But if it's only keeping it up to 80 it wont be running much if its only heating the rack i wouldn't think.

[kitedemon]

All heaters that heat air (ambient temp) will change humidity it is just the way that works. If you have a t-stat spare you might try a 'golden rod' and see if that helps. The rack likely would need changes to accommodate it.

http://www.goldenroddehumidifiers.com

[Kaduhn1]

The Golden rods are dehumidifiers- I would assume that with a hot air heater pushing air thru I would lose humidity right? I would guess i would need to add humidity by maybe adding a water tray in between the heater and the rack. The more I think about this with the humidity problems I would probably have the more work it seems like :/

[OsirisRa32]

yes you would need a humidifier instead of a dehumidifier....decent ones can be bought from walmart or target for 30-60 $$

I would look at just getting a better room heater honestly.

[PitOnTheProwl]

are you running back or belly heat?
I would try running both on two stats.

[3skulls]

Enclose the rack. Should help bump the temps up a bit.

Plastic over the windows, draft stops on the doors.

My heating bill is going to suck over the next couple of months

[hypnotixdmp]

Same here lol


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