Moving to the Loft

[J.C]

So, I've been told that the "spare" room is now needed and I'm going to have to move into the loft. Setting up this thread so I can update it with information and ask some questions if needed. Might also end up being a useful resource for other users who are in a similar position.

 

Currently got a 2.4 x 1.2 tent with 2 x 600W HPS lights. Hand watering with Canna Coco nutes. Plants end up in 20L fabric pots. Got 2 5ft tube heaters and a small "not oil" radiator (700W) which is keeping temps up and humidity down. I've got this setup pretty much dialled in so I'm not massivly chuffed about having to move it all but hey-ho.

 

The Plan:

 

1. Loft is getting gutted, a new floor going down with decent insulation. The roof is getting 150mm of celotex in total, then plasterboarded, skimmed and painted white. This is all being done by a builder and is needed anyway as the house is pissing heat out through the loft.

2. Next door is a sparky so going to get him in around the same time to install 6 x double sockets and some LED strip lights for general light.

3. Once that is all done, I'm "allowed" a 3rd of the loft for growing. This is actually quite a large space as its a big loft. I'll probably make a room within a room, make a door and then fill it with all the latest kit!

 

Next post will have a sketch of the loft with dimensions so I know what I have to play with and the post after that will be going into the new tech I'm going to put in. As a teaser, this will be LED's, an AutoPot system, underfloor heating and anything else you lot can convince me I should have.

[smilertoo]

Unless you have a water source in the loft it might be a good time to switch to soil, carrying water bottles up a ladder is a pain in the arse every 2 days, nevermind how much coco would need.

[Marky1000]

Fit a bathroom up there so you can easily get water and tip it down the toilet if you need too 

[Herbal Kint]

Mate id do the same but i should change the roof before i go in there.

 

My bigest concern is snow melting,and as it melts it finds the way in loft then in room under it and gently starts pouring on your 600w reflector (That happened), someone might flag you  for no snow as well.

 

And id forget summer grows.

 

Good luck with the project

[RUFUS HOUND]

have a secret hidden door in that bathroom, leading to your vip grow room, plus you can lock the door and say your having a dump!

[J.C]

13 hours ago, smilertoo said:

Unless you have a water source in the loft it might be a good time to switch to soil, carrying water bottles up a ladder is a pain in the arse every 2 days, nevermind how much coco would need.

 

There is so much I forgot to put in my first post. The upstairs bathroom is also just about to be redone and I'm getting the plumber to run a hot and cold feed up there and cap it off.

 

Can't have a bathroom up there as it won't be classed as a habital room

[KC]

If you go to town on the insulation I can't see any problems. My best time to grow is in the summer as I don't have to pay to heat it. I've had 32c up there but as long as the girls are watered it's not a problem. I run my lights at night. 

My insulation isn't amazing but I still get snow on my roof. More than some of my neighbours in fact. The one has a boiler in the loft though. 

Asking for 6 double sockets might look a bit dodgey. You really don't want your neighbour knowing what you're upto. 

Edited December 2, 2021 by KC
Predictive

[J.C]

Just now, KC said:

If you go to town on the insulation I can't see any problems. My best time to grow is in the summer as I don't have to pay to heat it. I've had 32c up there but as long as the girls are watered it's not a problem. I run my lights at night. 

My insulation isn't amazing but I still get snow on my roof. More than some of my neighbours in fact. The one has a boiler in the loft though. 

Asking for 6 double sockets might look a bit dodgey. You really don't want your neighbour knowing what you're upto. 

 

Thanks, thats making me feel less nervous. The snow I'm honestly not too concerned about, I work in IT so if anyone ever said anything I'd just tell them I had my servers up there. I know most of my neighbours, the sparky next door I've told him that I will end up using it as an office, hence the sockets but I might just get him to put in a handful and extend myself when/if needed.

[RUFUS HOUND]

How are you venting the exhaust, velux ?

 

I would suggest you have an active inlet (fan) from inside the house into the grow room. it will help stabilise you temps in summer and winter as houses are approx 20'C into room 

150mm celotex is more than enough insulation, be it the whole roof or encasing your room.

 

One thing with leds is they generate much less heat but with an inlet from inside house - and your tube heaters you should be ok 

 

 

[J.C]

41 minutes ago, RUFUS HOUND said:

How are you venting the exhaust, velux ?

 

I would suggest you have an active inlet (fan) from inside the house into the grow room. it will help stabilise you temps in summer and winter as houses are approx 20'C into room 

150mm celotex is more than enough insulation, be it the whole roof or encasing your room.

 

One thing with leds is they generate much less heat but with an inlet from inside house - and your tube heaters you should be ok 

 

 

 

Current setup have a 150mm hole in the ceiling with it extracting into the loft. Plan is to keep this and have this pulling in warm air.

 

Extraction is a trickier one, there won't be any windows. I've got an existing roof vent for the bathroom which I could possibly T off but was considering adding a seperate one.

[Nugz11]

@J.C

Following along for this one.

Can’t wait to see your gear going in.

Will you be running an active intake through your current 6” hole? I take it this is directly below the new loft room?

If so, what fan would you be looking to use?

ATB

[J.C]

23 minutes ago, Nugz11 said:

@J.C

Following along for this one.

Can’t wait to see your gear going in.

Will you be running an active intake through your current 6” hole? I take it this is directly below the new loft room?

If so, what fan would you be looking to use?

ATB

 

Ah cheers, I'm quite excited although the missus has told me the bathroom has to be finished first and I have to clear out the loft as well so it's not all good news!

 

Yep will be using the existing hole as my intake, I've been tempted by the AC Infinity stuff. Currently got an oldish RVK something up there which is quiet enough.

 

It will all come down to money I reckon, the LED's are going to take the bulk of the cash, I've got an full AutoPot system that a friend gave me so I'm very tempted to move to that and ditch hand watering.

 

I'll post up the plans as soon as I can get a copy off the builder

[J.C]

I've got my first real question. Venting

 

My original plan has always been to install a new roof vent tile and extract through that. Intake is going to be handled by an existing hole into the spare room so it can draw in warmish air.

 

However, I've been looking and roof vent tiles don't seem to have big holes, looks like 3-4" max and I'm currently running a 6" extraction but was considering moving to 8".

 

What are my options? Install 2 tiles and split the flow? Or just adapt it from 8" to the vent size and hope for the best?

 

I could potentially run it into the chimney stack but this is quite a distance from the grow room and looks like it would be a messy job.