creative ways to raise my basement temp?

[bobeer]

I usually put a computer tower in the closet with the beer and close the door.

It might be interesting to see what other methods people use to raise the temp during the end of fermentation when you don't have any specialized equipment. The computer thing works decently enough but what other options are there?

 

[ericbw]

We have heating mats for seed starting. I've also used a space heater and a dehydrator.

 

[kh54s10]

I have fermentation chambers in my basement to keep the beers cool enough!!! When I want to warm them up to finish, I stop cooling them or take them out of the chamber. I have a half finished basement that is heated in the winter and cooled in the summer. The utility side -Oil Boiler but no other heat- stays around 68 degrees or so mid winter for the lowest, so even on that side I need to cool during the winter.

 

[bobeer]

I have fermentation chambers in my basement to keep the beers cool enough!!! When I want to warm them up to finish, I stop cooling them or take them out of the chamber. I have a half finished basement that is heated in the winter and cooled in the summer. The utility side -Oil Boiler but no other heat- stays around 68 degrees or so mid winter for the lowest, so even on that side I need to cool during the winter.

my basement stays 59-63 degrees all year. It's great for initial fermentation but it's a tad too cold to clean things up. 70 degrees would be great. I'd just bring the carboy upstairs but the wife doesn't want the kids to get into the beer and there's no closets to put it in. Life is rough, I know.

 

[Singletrack]

Throw a party and invite the blowhards.

 

[flars]

my basement stays 59-63 degrees all year. It's great for initial fermentation but it's a tad too cold to clean things up. 70 degrees would be great. I'd just bring the carboy upstairs but the wife doesn't want the kids to get into the beer and there's no closets to put it in. Life is rough, I know.

I have a 7" deep tray that is part of my swamp cooler set up. When I need warmth an aquarium heater takes care of providing heat.

 

[IkeKrizzule]

What's upstairs at? At that point even a little over 70 probably can't hurt it.

 

[treacheroustexan]

My cat sleeps on my carboy for at least 23 hours a day.

 

[jddevinn]

Failing the cat method (they are hard to control) use a reptile heating pad.

 

[Pkrd]

Cats are only good for about 15W per kitty when not moving, which is 99% of the time. You can quintuple the heat output by rigging up a moving laser pointer.

 

[Sadu]

Cooling is the much bigger challenge. If you have an environment that is slightly too cold for fermenting then that is an ideal situation - add a heat source ($15 heat belt or $10 aquarium heater in swamp cooler) + STC-1000 controller ($10) and you can keep the brew at the perfect temperature.

Unfortunately my fermenting room ranges from way too cold to way too hot - so my system is more complicated.

 

[bobeer]

Cooling is the much bigger challenge. If you have an environment that is slightly too cold for fermenting then that is an ideal situation - add a heat source ($15 heat belt or $10 aquarium heater in swamp cooler) + STC-1000 controller ($10) and you can keep the brew at the perfect temperature.

Unfortunately my fermenting room ranges from way too cold to way too hot - so my system is more complicated.

Now this is helpful

I do use a swamp cooler for lagering so maybe I can get a cheap aquarium heater. I was looking for a very, very, cheap solution since we just had kid #2 and I need my computer to be out of the closet. It's not good for the 'puter.

 

[BeardedBrews]

$16
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ORM0JK8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KKLPKY/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Optional $8:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002QB1AZA/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20