Heating for outside spider house

[Phil]

Hi everyone,I intend to start using an insulated summer house as my main home for my growing collection of Ts. I have narrowed the heating options to the following:
Air con heater
Panel heaters
Infra red heaters

Will also likely have tube heaters and oil filled radiotor as back ups.
I am seriously considering the infra red heaters and wonder if anyone has any experience views. The advantages of this method is that it heats the objects rather then the air and seems to reduce the potential cold spots at floor level and hotter spots at ceiling level. Or at least thats what all the sales bumf suggests.

Any thoughts welcome my friends ☺
BTW, I live in the UK so not blessed the natural ambient temps that some of you have....lol

 

[Johnnyp1987]

I just have an oil radiator with built in thermostat in my T room that has 3 settings, low medium high. It seems to keep the temp at approx 25°c on low. The infared heaters can get quite hot and may cause your enclosures that are in the direct path of it too overheat.

 

[Phil]

I just have an oil radiator with built in thermostat in my T room that has 3 settings, low medium high. It seems to keep the temp at approx 25°c on low. The infared heaters can get quite hot and may cause your enclosures that are in the direct path of it too overheat.

That was my only concern with infra red....thanks for reply. When used in a house, oil radiators should be ok but as this will be outside (even though insukated) I reckon air temps will be so much lower to begin with. Unless I am unseresri ating the insulation. I will be trailing over autumn to see best set up before any of the T's move in. Cheers pal ☺

 

[kormath]

the insulation is the key. I'm guessing you'll be using batts or rolls? Not sure how they measure it there but here in the states i'd go with R-19 for the walls and floor (assuming your putting in a floor) and double that for the ceiling where you'll lose most of your heat. I'm guessing your weather is similar to our, so i'd go with at least a foot of insulation in the ceiling if you're using blow in, or R-38 if you're using rolls or batts.

Once it's insulated i'd use an oil radiator heater myself.

 

[Phil]

the insulation is the key. I'm guessing you'll be using batts or rolls? Not sure how they measure it there but here in the states i'd go with R-19 for the walls and floor (assuming your putting in a floor) and double that for the ceiling where you'll lose most of your heat. I'm guessing your weather is similar to our, so i'd go with at least a foot of insulation in the ceiling if you're using blow in, or R-38 if you're using rolls or batts.

Once it's insulated i'd use an oil radiator heater myself.

Thanks for the reply. Not sure what batts are. Likely to use a product called Kings pan which is the main insulation used on houses and/or roof insulation rolls.

 

[Enn49]

I used split air conditioning for my old reptile room. The beauty of it was that it kept the temps constant summer and winter plus the added bonus of constant fresh air so no smells, that is not so important for Ts but was very necessary for snakes.

 

[Phil]

I used split air conditioning for my old reptile room. The beauty of it was that it kept the temps constant summer and winter plus the added bonus of constant fresh air so no smells, that is not so important for Ts but was very necessary for snakes.

Yes they can get a bit smelly those snakes can. When you say "split" I assume you mean one that heats/cools and also controls humidity. I am worried about the noise with AC as will be in the back garden and I have a really arsed neighbour who even complained when I had some bamboo wind chimes ffs!

 

[Enn49]

Yes they can get a bit smelly those snakes can. When you say "split" I assume you mean one that heats/cools and also controls humidity. I am worried about the noise with AC as will be in the back garden and I have a really arsed neighbour who even complained when I had some bamboo wind chimes ffs!

That's right it drew fresh air in from outside but I never heard mine either inside or out other than a small click when it turned on and off so it wouldn't disturb your neighbours.

 

[kormath]

Thanks for the reply. Not sure what batts are. Likely to use a product called Kings pan which is the main insulation used on houses and/or roof insulation rolls.

batts are precut sections of insulation rolls. makes it nice if you have say 2 sections of your wall short after a full roll is used you don't have to waste that small part of another roll, you can get 2 batts to cover it.

You can get the internal AC units with the window hose for exhaust, that should work to keep the room temps in the summer.

 

[Phil]

batts are precut sections of insulation rolls. makes it nice if you have say 2 sections of your wall short after a full roll is used you don't have to waste that small part of another roll, you can get 2 batts to cover it.

You can get the internal AC units with the window hose for exhaust, that should work to keep the room temps in the summer.

That makes sense. Cheers buddy ☺

 

[Phil]

That's right it drew fresh air in from outside but I never heard mine either inside or out other than a small click when it turned on and off so it wouldn't disturb your neighbours.

Thank yu, do you still have or can remember the make/model by any chance?

 

[Phil]

http://www.tarantulaforum.com/threads/spider-house-project.12936/
The above is the start of the building project.

 

[Enn49]

Thank yu, do you still have or can remember the make/model by any chance?

I'm sorry, I can't remember. All I remember is that I bought it off eBay.

 

[Phil]

I'm sorry, I can't remember. All I remember is that I bought it off eBay.

Ok no worries ☺