Keezer won't stay warm enough for lager

[tntpilsner]

I wasn't sure if I should start a new thread, but since this is a different question I thought I should.
I've brewed plenty of Ales but this is my first lager.
I wanted to start it out around 50F to get the fermentation going, but the keezer is on my back porch and it apparently has been cold enough that the temp has dropped from Sunday to today in the keezer from approx. 50F to 34F this morning.
The upcoming temps in Virginia (High/Low) for the next few days appear to be: 36/23 today, 47/29 tomorrow, 38/31 Friday, 48/40 Saturday then it jumps to 69/43, 59/33, 55,32 and 50's highs, 40s lows after that (assuming weather.com knows what it's talking about).

So I'm wondering if I should wait it out? My other options would be to move the fermentor inside and lager at ale temps (mid-60's in my basement) or move the keezer inside, which would be a pain but I could manage. Or I guess I could get a small heater and put it in the keezer, maybe? Assuming a Johnson control would work with heat, I've never tried.

Unless there are any other solutions I'm missing? Thanks as always.

 

[BrewInspector]

Short term I might wait it out.

You could get a temp controller with a wrap around heating element to warm the fermenter. I shouldn't hurt the usual use of the keezer significantly as the thermal mass of the warmer fermenter would only raise the overall temperature a bit to a more normal range.

 

[SanPancho]

Temp controller and a ferm wrap. Or a heating pad (without auto shutoff). Not sure its enough heat but a high watt incandescent bulb in a coffee can will warm the chamber a bit.

 

[Home_alone1]

I use a large golden rod and an ink bird , i can get my keezer to 85 . Mine is in my garage though so it never gets too cold

 

[tntpilsner]

Thanks guys! I did some looking around and I think I'll start with a seedling mat hung in my keezer, and see how that does. Hopefully it will help, especially since temps here are overall fairly mild through the winter.

 

[Staticsouls]

For fermentation i like to have both cooling and heating options to fight temperature swings. Chest freezers, as i have found out recently, continue to drop in temp after they are shut off.

 

[tntpilsner]

For fermentation i like to have both cooling and heating options to fight temperature swings. Chest freezers, as i have found out recently, continue to drop in temp after they are shut off.

Good to know, thanks!