Secrets to Controlling Heat Indoors

[NebulaHaze]

On our page about controlling heat indoors, we list the following tactics:

1. Use Supplements That Protect Against Heat
2. Environment Hacks (keep roots cool, CO2, grow medium, fan placement, etc)
3. Optimize Your Grow Lights
4. Give Plants Less Light (in some cases)
5. Grow Heat Resistant Strains

What are your tactics for keeping your plants cool under your grow lights? Did we miss anything?

[Pankace]

Would growing in a naturally cool basement play a role in temps inside of a tent?

[SiriusFourside]

Yup! The ambient temperature of the spot your tent is in plays a big part in making up the temperature on the inside of your tent. As long as it's cool in the surrounding area, it'll be at least slightly cooler in your tent. Keep in mind that a cool basement won't negate a hot light, but it will definitely help!

[Pankace]

I hope so. I have a vented 600w hood in a 2x4x5 tent in a basement. I figure anything that will keep temps down will be a plus.

[The_Clone_Ranger]

Yeah I keep my bucket on a concrete basement floor but still have heat issues.

[Royal Nugs]

Air conditioning?

I think a basic understanding of VPD (Vapor Pressure Deficit) may be beneficial as well. Since the optimal humidity changes with the temperature, sometimes lowering the temperature could have effects on maintaining optimal ranges and the plant may not be transpiring correctly.

[Mañ'O'Green]

Move to a nicer place to live? I live in the San Joaquin Valley of California - it is a frikin desert Really hot and dry in the summer and cool and wet in the winter. We had over 40 days over 100F this summer. I run a swamp cooler most of the time because it saves me about $300.00 a month in electricity compared to running the AC. So the humidity in my house runs up to 60% & 80F Daytime, inside the tent it got to 80% & 96F. I ran my day/night upside down and added CO2, with Hydroguard in the reservoir My veg growth was phenomenal. it is finally cooling down now and the tent temp is 75F & 44% . It is a lot easier to control things from now on until next summer.

Something for next summer with a taller tent I will be growing Panama from Ace Seeds it is an all sativa mostly from really hot and humid origins so my temps and humidity should suit is genetics.

[Wrench&Weld]

Proper exhaust systems that exit out a window can influence cooler air (usually from climate controlled areas of the home ) to enter the growing area cooling down the ambient temperature as well as bringing in fresh supplies of CO2 and Oxygen. Keep in mind about keeping smells in check with a carbon scrubber to keep others outside from knowing what's inside. This may also influence your heating and cooling system in your home to work harder since you will be pulling in outside air into the home to replace what has been displaced by the blower.
Cheers!

[insomniaczzz]

Our basement is cooler, but also humid and musty.. Also, all our house mechanicals are down there so we decided to put the grow tent, 48"x96"x80" in the attached garage. Southeast PA here and wouldn't you know, we are having record breaking heat all summer. With house AC turned on, we open door from kitchen to garage, put a large fan in the doorway and pull in the cool air. My last electric bill was $40 more than normal. Even doing this, tent temps have been running about 84F. Almost 100F without the fans. Humidity stays in the 38 to 45 range. It is still unseasonably warm for this area. Hoping for a break soon, so we can keep the tent at least 10 degrees cooler without using the AC to do it.

[OzG]

I only grow when I need to use a heater to maintain temps. Spring and end of Summer grows for me usually.

[BenToken]

My tent in my closet gets the house AC plus a 445 cfm fan pulling air out of a 36x20x62" tent. So the air is replaced constantly. Well see how well it does when I throw a hps in it and some leds but so far with 400 watts of various cfls Temps stay cool