heating a 960 square foot reptile house

Discussion in 'Monitors & Tegus' started by Skullkeeper, May 1, 2013.

  1. Skullkeeper

    Skullkeeper Embryo

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    I have a 960 square foot all enclosed pole barn and want to turn it into a reptile house the problem is i dont know how to heat it will be divided into 4 rooms (two rooms 10ft x 20ft and two 10ft x 18ft) all with 8 ft ceilings each with its own small pond and water fall. Any ideas would be welcomed.
     
  2. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  3. Skullkeeper

    Skullkeeper Embryo

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    oh yeah also need lighting ideas there will be a pair of burmese python in one room and ball pythons in one and two asian water monitor in another not sure what i want next for the other room
     
  4. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  5. StikyPaws312

    StikyPaws312 Moderator

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    Oh wow, this will be one heck of an undertaking!!! To recommend some things I would need to know a bit more info....
    How warm are you thinking about keeping it in there?
    Where do you live? Not specific, just state... (need to know the general climate)
    What kind of heating system do you have in your house?
    How far away is the barn from your house?
    What size is your electrical panel? Do you have 220 coming in to your house? Is that an option?

    I'm assuming your barn is made out of wood and it doesn't have any insulation.... this is key. To keeping costs down and to have the right kind and the right amount of insulation, that's a HUGE factor... and a fairly expensive one. Once you know how much you have to spend on insulation then you can look into how much $ you have left over for a heating system.

    By me electric is pretty darn expensive but oil is SO much more expensive so you'll have to look in to what your house already has (elec, gas, oil, or other) and then see the cost of putting in a gas line to another burner in your barn, or having a separate oil tank and burner, or just running electric (that will probably be easiest). You can also look in to solar hot water heating depending on where you live and if the barn has a south facing roof/side... and where you live, lol. There's a lot of info online and if you need help just post :)
     
  6. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  7. Skullkeeper

    Skullkeeper Embryo

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    I want to keep it around 80 in there and we live in wyoming heat our house with wood/propane and the barn is 50ft away and i have made the walls 10 thick with blown in insulation and this is all new consruction soo yes we do have 220
     
  8. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  9. StikyPaws312

    StikyPaws312 Moderator

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    Oh that's awesome! I would say definitely electric heating, unless you know how to do propane piping and whatnot....
    This unit would be way more than enough if you want to do forced hot air and put in duct work... Or if you feel like going propane since you already have deliveries to your house you could go with something like this....
     

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