Setting up Veg in Garage looking for Ideas on keeping it warm in winter. Insulated Grow tent or build out?

J

jaked3800

Active Member
So im setting up a 15x15ish size veg room in Vermont in a garage so it gets prety cold in winter, stays above freezing all year but prob gets down to 35 degrees F. Anyone aware of insulated type grow tents or have any ideas of how to insulate one. Or am I better off just framing out a room with insulation and paneling? Also will I have to be more conserned with bugs, being that a garage isint as sealed of a unit as a typical room.

Any tips appreciated.
 
H

Homelessliving

Member
jaked3800 said:
So im setting up a 15x15ish size veg room in Vermont in a garage so it gets prety cold in winter, stays above freezing all year but prob gets down to 35 degrees F. Anyone aware of insulated type grow tents or have any ideas of how to insulate one. Or am I better off just framing out a room with insulation and paneling? Also will I have to be more conserned with bugs, being that a garage isint as sealed of a unit as a typical room.

Any tips appreciated.
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I say just fill the cracks of your garage with some kind of insulation just so you don't get huge temp swings. You would spend hundreds on tents if not thousands. I also will recommend some type of insulation board for the floors in the winter.
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
jaked3800 said:
So im setting up a 15x15ish size veg room in Vermont in a garage so it gets prety cold in winter, stays above freezing all year but prob gets down to 35 degrees F. Anyone aware of insulated type grow tents or have any ideas of how to insulate one. Or am I better off just framing out a room with insulation and paneling? Also will I have to be more conserned with bugs, being that a garage isint as sealed of a unit as a typical room.

Any tips appreciated.
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i've thought about moving mine out to the garage too. not sure how i'd heat it if it gets down to 0F or less though? that would be $$$$.
 
injinji

injinji

Well-Known Member
I'm guessing the garage door is going to be your biggest heat loss, so blocking it off from the grow would be prudent. If you don't want to frame it up, you can use two sheets of plastic with an air gap between them and get a pretty good barrier. I have a buddy in the tropical plant business, and they run double wall greenhouses with very little heating required. I am in NW Florida though.
 
injinji

injinji

Well-Known Member
As far as actual insolation, the spray in stuff is about as good as it gets going between studs. 1/2" thick sheets of Styrofoam is good too. You can go with 1/4" and get just as much protection, but you are more likely to break them during installation.
 
injinji

injinji

Well-Known Member
Or that shiny stuff that comes in rolls. I have used it before. (mostly for sleeping on the ground, but some growing in cold weather) Your framing can be a lot lighter.

Reflectix 16 in. W X 25 ft. L X 0.3125 in. R-3.7 to R 21 Reflective Radiant Barrier Insulation Roll Mfr# ST16025 - Ace Hardware

The Reflectix double reflective insulation is the most versatile, widely distributed and energy efficient product that we manufacture. The characteristics that make it so attractive include ease of handling and installation, more than 40 commercial.Find the INSULATE REFLECTX16X25' at Ace.
www.acehardware.com www.acehardware.com
 
xtsho

xtsho

Well-Known Member
I've been flowering in an unheated garage during the winter for years. I'm in Portland OR and don't get winters like you do but it does get below freezing occasionally for short stretches.

You definitely want to keep the pots elevated so they're not sitting right on the concrete. I run my lights at night when it's the coldest and use an HPS so that keeps the tent warm enough during that time. When the light goes out during the day I have an oil filled heater that kicks on and keeps the tent in the 60's. I only had to use it for about a month this year. Not much of a cold winter out here.

I have leaks around my garage door but it's a functional garage and the lady parks her car inside so no sealing that up. It's been working so far. I'm just growing in a 4x4 tent though and it's just another one of my hobbies. If you want to get serious about it then you might be better off building out a space that will be easier to control the climate.

Good luck
 
K

Kgrim

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't spend money on a tent. If you have already that space destined for a room, do a build out and insulate it well. As @xtsho has said, running a HPS light, and an oiled filled heater, you should be able to keep the room nicely regulated.
My room is in my basement, and the room actually sits "outside" of the footprint of the house, so it gets pretty cold in there here in Michigan. I've been using an oil filled heater, and it keeps the room nice and warm, and my plants are doing quite well. As far as bugs, it's not something I would concern myself with, it won't be any different than an indoor grow. You just have to keep an eye on them, and act accordingly if an "outbreak" happens.
 
J

jaked3800

Active Member
Really appreciate everyone with all the feedback. I think im going to do a quick build out, 2x4 walls with some pink panther insulation. Not a fan of HPS as the room would be for moms and cloning. Ill have 3 or 4, T5 setups and can keep it on 24/7 in the winter to help with heat along with a heater. Will prob seal it and run CO2 to make things easier just not a huge fan of co2 tank but is prob the smart thing to do.
 
J

jaked3800

Active Member
xtsho said:
I've been flowering in an unheated garage during the winter for years. I'm in Portland OR and don't get winters like you do but it does get below freezing occasionally for short stretches.

You definitely want to keep the pots elevated so they're not sitting right on the concrete. I run my lights at night when it's the coldest and use an HPS so that keeps the tent warm enough during that time. When the light goes out during the day I have an oil filled heater that kicks on and keeps the tent in the 60's. I only had to use it for about a month this year. Not much of a cold winter out here.

I have leaks around my garage door but it's a functional garage and the lady parks her car inside so no sealing that up. It's been working so far. I'm just growing in a 4x4 tent though and it's just another one of my hobbies. If you want to get serious about it then you might be better off building out a space that will be easier to control the climate.

Good luck
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Do you think the oil heaters are better than the heating element/fan.
Were you refering to these?---Ace Hardware Oil Heater
 
J

jaked3800

Active Member
rkymtnman said:
take some pics of what you do if you don't mind. i was thinking about a 4x4 area with 2x6s for more insulation? and off the floor too by 6 or 8inches too.
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I will try to do a before and after pic if i remember. It will prob be 10x10 and I should do the 2x6, will see. Ill probably just put some high density foam on the concrete because I dont realy want to build a floor.
And I guess I will get a an exterior door from lowes but I wish there was a better option there too.
 
Blue brother

Blue brother

Well-Known Member
Wedge 2x4s between floor and ceiling to create studs to silicone kingspan type insulation to. Then use expanding foam on all cracks nooks and crannys. Use same insulation on the floor too if need be
 
J

jaked3800

Active Member
Heres a few pics of the day 1 progress on veg room. Got a chunk of the framing complete. It will be 10ft x10ft. Ended up going with 2x4 walls. Going to insulate with fiberglass between studs and 2" high density foam on the floor and walls. Then will run a 120v circuit to the room for lights and heat.
As for now I plan on buying a prehung insulated steel exterior door for the entry. Kind of wish there was a better option but cant think of anything.
Was also debating if I should just hang drywall on the outside of the wall or go with some type of poly wall.
 

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thumper60

thumper60

Well-Known Member
Is the roll up door in the cold part of garage? Asking because if not its going to condense an drip a lot of water. I got the same setup as you iam in maine i keep a fan on mine so it doesnt drip. Going sealed is the way to go the air gets so cold here its becomes a problem when drawn into a warm moist space. Same with the block walls you got, Better get good vaper barrier or they will be dripping people dont realize how frickin cold it gets here.
 
J

jaked3800

Active Member
thumper60 said:
Is the roll up door in the cold part of garage? Asking because if not its going to condense an drip a lot of water. I got the same setup as you iam in maine i keep a fan on mine so it doesnt drip. Going sealed is the way to go the air gets so cold here its becomes a problem when drawn into a warm moist space. Same with the block walls you got, Better get good vaper barrier or they will be dripping people dont realize how frickin cold it gets here.
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The roll up doors are in the same room but 12 feet away from the closest veg room wall. You can see the one in the last picture behind the lawn mower. I was planning on doing a sealed room mostly to keep unwanted bugs out. Will have to get a dehumidifier and CO2. My main wory is how hard its going to be to keep the temp in the mid to high 70s mid winter. This year it was brutally cold and the garage stayed above 35-40 all year as its kind of undeground basement type of garage. So I hope 1 1500 watt heater plus the T5s will do the job.
 
thumper60

thumper60

Well-Known Member
jaked3800 said:
The roll up doors are in the same room but 12 feet away from the closest veg room wall. You can see the one in the last picture behind the lawn mower. I was planning on doing a sealed room mostly to keep unwanted bugs out. Will have to get a dehumidifier and CO2. My main wory is how hard its going to be to keep the temp in the mid to high 70s mid winter. This year it was brutally cold and the garage stayed above 35-40 all year as its kind of undeground basement type of garage. So I hope 1 1500 watt heater plus the T5s will do the job.
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Go with a small unvented propane heater with a thermostat just the pilots on them put out 1000 btu, So those block walls are underground?
 
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