Greetings...new-ish grower prepping first real grow..

[Kricka77]

Im planning to have a 3x3x60 tent in an attic space above a garage, using DWC setup for 2-3 plants. Concern is attic is 100% uninsulated, all studs and joists open, etc...any heat would escape via the soffit to outside.

I was thinking of building a room/box around the tent about 4 x 4 x 72, just enough to get it some protection from the cold over the upcoming winter. Id stuff insulation all around the gaps as well. Obviously making sure I can still get vents and other cables in as needed for lights, etc..

Does this sound reasonable? I'll have some heating pads and a small heating unit to keep heat coming, but not sure if that will be enough...Im aiming for the tent to be 70-80*, and the attic air could be as cold as 25*, possibly lower even....

Thoughts or comments?...

[RagWeedDWC]

Hydro is heavy so you want to make sure your rafter joist will support and not bend down. Buildig a "Box" around your grow using 2 inch foam board and spray foam to glue and hold the board together. It will not support anything but will insulate around your tent. You will need to figure a door out, but I did something similar using duct tape as hinges. Getting vents and wires thrue the foam is easy with hole saw, then seal with foam.

DWC takes a lot of mixing and water moving, having it in an attic may be an issue.
Your lights are going to generate some heat, so sure what heat source I would trust to be in an attic.
I use aquarium heaters in my DWC totes to keep temp stabile at the roots, that also adds some heat to the enclosed space I have.
Lot of power outlets are going to be needed or a heavy duty strip. Would Run my light on a different circuit since it is in the attic.

[Kricka77]

Thanks for the reply....should have mentioned it's not an attic like above a 2nd floor level. Its full size height, etc...24x24. Plan is to eventually convert to a bedroom suite, but thats a few years down the road...so i have time to play green thumb... So floor support is not an issue..already have a gym corner with treadmill, etc..

I also have two power circuits in the area, so that is covered. I think ill build out a foam box to fit the tent as you described, something like that...then do some testing with water to manage temps and see what I need to do...

[RagWeedDWC]

Ah, now that makes more sense. Good luck on your grow.

[bboyfromwayback]

If you can keep the tent temperature up during lights off then you should be fine to grow in a uninsulated attic in the winter but not during the summer. Attics get way too hot. You’d have to insulate it and put in a ac unit.

[Kricka77]

Thats why I want to do this within the next month or two, so I can hopefully have a good harvest before Summer...

[bboyfromwayback]

Your plan should be good to go then. Make sure to put a solid floor under your grow. I’d put down 3/4” plywood under the grow area and for a walking path to be safe. If your garage is close to the road, sidewalk or neighbors consider smells as well. Even if you’re in a legal state you don’t want someone with sticky fingers to smell what you have going on up there. I have my grow room exhaust going through a carbon filter straight to the outside and when the tents in full bloom it’s still pretty dank where the air comes out. It dissipates quickly but something to consider.

[Kricka77]

Floor is indeed 3/4" already, and plenty of walking room...its a big 24x24 room, 9' to where ceiling will be, etc.... So Im taking a relatively small area to do this. No concerns on neighbors for sight, windows have blackout curtains already, nor smell...I have two houses that have max allowed outdoor grows in their backyards, and my immediate neighbor grows as well..lol Very green friendly thankfully... Ill use a similar carbon filter, and it can dissipate more than enough..

[RagWeedDWC]

I have a small grow space inside a 16X20 uninsulated shop. A small Window AC keeps temps to a decent level. From your description of a ROG (Room Over Garage) and if you have window space and vent for hot air, you should be fine. I'm in the South, grow during the winters for that exact reason, the window unit does extend my growing season substantially

[Kricka77]

Yeah my concern is cold only...no way I could keep it cool enough in Summer to grow...room gets over 100 for a few weeks easy...