Go Away Light Leaks!!!

This is annoying the crap out of me... I am growing in an extra bedroom... 2600 watts. I have that black and white plastic shit covering my walls, and recently added a fan pushing air through a six inch hole to ventilate the room better.

Problem is.. the fucking plastic keeps coming a tad bit undone up top because the room is trying to pull air from outside the window... I'm sure there's a few parts of the window that aren't 100% air tight. Other than that, my fresh air is coming from the house... and alot of the time I leave one my closed circuit (for air cooling my hoods) open at the end (if temps are okay) so that cool air is also being circulated from outside.

These light leaks are seriously pissing me off though. I had some leaks last time as well, not a single seed... but I'm worried I won't be as lucky this time. I have a light meter and I can say with almost sure certainty that the light isnt even hitting the plants, if it is... barely. Cant imagine more than full moon or anything like that. But still, I'm a worry-wart and I want this problem gone.

Razza you can board up the window, then use some silicone that will be able to be removed easy to seal the board. You will end up with 4 small holes you can use toothpaste to fill later...lol.

Cool man, thanks for the idea. I just get the feeling the board is going to warp to high hell... the door to the room surely has. I will look into that idea though... thanks again

razza, i think if you use some 1/2" ply, and maybe even double it up if you are worried you will be fine. I wonder when my door will warp. :(

I was thinking the board over the window will work just fine.... but its definitely going to speed up the warping process for the door. Don't really give two shits about replacing a door when I move out tho

Them bedroom doors are made of cheap particle board and are hollow so theres not much strength, haven't you ever kicked one in...lol.

I think you can get one for like 20 at HD, you just gotta hang it...

All the doors are fucked in my house, so i guess my LL wont be able to tell anything anyhow...

Whats growing?

Razza - if you realy want to seal the window, you need to seal the plywood real well. The best way to do that would be to put a temporary wood frame inside your existing frame - in other words, just tack some 1"x2" or whatever just inside the window frame - then attach your plywood to that with screws/nails and caulking. (There's no such thing as caulking that comes off easily after a week or two. It'll rip off anything it is attached to - wallboard, trim, whatever it is attached to. With the temp frame, the only damage is a few nail holes that are easy to patch.

If your plastic wants to fall down at the top, put a screw/nail thru a small piece of wood then into the wall and thru to a stud. You need one block in each corner and however more often you feel necessary, but this will suport the weight of the fabric without tearing it.

Do you want the airflow from your door? If you do, take the door off and cut one inch off the bottom. This will give you the equivelant of a 6" round vent thru the wall.

I am going to try just putting the wood over the window, I really dont want to build the frame not to sound lazy. I figure putting wood over the window should help the problem big time.

Funny you ask about doors... I kicked two of em in last week in fact!

With reguards to taking one inch off the door... sounds like a reasonable idea... I do have cats and this would create a bit more curiousity but it could be dealt with. Also have tons of lady bugs in the room right now, this would surely make it alot easier for them to get out. Hmm, tricky situation I got here.

Growing The Purps. 10 days into flower. A bit suprised by the lack of flowers so far to be honest with you, it's supposed to take 56 days (as told by the guy who gave me the clones) My diesel (took 67 days) had more flowers than these bitches do at ten days.

Can anyone else comment if the extra frame is needed... have you guys just put the ply over the window? I would have to assume that would work well.

Also was just thinking... cutting the door down by one inch on the bottom might even solve the problem with the plastic coming off because the air will take the path of least resistence which will be even easier with an additional gap in between the floor and the ground.

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Originally Posted by razzapiggy

Can anyone else comment if the extra frame is needed... have you guys just put the ply over the window? I would have to assume that would work well.

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Razza - Just to be clear, the extra frame isn't necessary to seal the window. The frame simply gives you a disposable surface to apply the caulking to. Its primary function is to minimize damage to your apartment when you have to remove the plywood.

PC, thats a great idea.

Yeah, I'm just gonna nail the ply wood down over the window... I am going to be fixing plenty of holes either way when I move out (some as large as six inches) A little cillicon would fix the holes from the ply wood being put on in a matter of minutes. Kudos for the help bro.

Also really liking your idea about taking an inch off my door frame at the bottom, unfortunately... unless someone knows a way to install some sort of screen or what not (and not have it look obvious there's a grow room inside) I'm afraid the pests would jump off the cats and end up in the room. Already having a mite problem, so naturally I'm constantly trying to figure out ways to prevent those fuckers... one of which is not touching the cats as much and washing my hands.

Tarp Zip-Up Peel and Stick Zipper - Plantlighting Hydroponics

??? maybe an option

Quote:

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Originally Posted by razzapiggy

Yeah, I'm just gonna nail the ply wood down over the window... I am going to be fixing plenty of holes either way when I move out (some as large as six inches) A little cillicon would fix the holes from the ply wood being put on in a matter of minutes. Kudos for the help bro.

Also really liking your idea about taking an inch off my door frame at the bottom, unfortunately... unless someone knows a way to install some sort of screen or what not (and not have it look obvious there's a grow room inside) I'm afraid the pests would jump off the cats and end up in the room. Already having a mite problem, so naturally I'm constantly trying to figure out ways to prevent those fuckers... one of which is not touching the cats as much and washing my hands.

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The photo below is a vent I installed in my laundry room. It is the fresh-air intake to my grow cabinet.

The grill/vent cover doesn't draw a second glance because it looks like it belongs there. You can do the same thing with your door. Cut a hole and put a vent cover over it. Make sure the cover matches the door and no one will notice it. Under the grill you can have screen that will will keep the bigger bugs in/out.

...and then just put dry wall in the hole when ya move out or whatever? I am really trying to have a minimum of holes for my grow room but this sounds like a pretty good idea as well. This would also stop the door from warping any further, however would be pretty difficult to cover up if the land lord decided to come by to look at the house. She hasnt done so thus far living here, but ya never know.

I own my home so I don't answer to anyone but me. When I sell the house I'll just leave the vent cover there.

In your case, replace the door, they're cheap. It sounds like you've already warped it and need to replace it anyway.

LOL - if your landlord comes by and wants to look around, I'm guessing you'd have a lot more to worry about than a hole in the door.

Well, sort of..but actually my whole operation can be taken down in 12 hours or less and made to look like a relatively normal room (a bit empty but everything is able to be moved out and put away within 12 hours)

The hole in the door...guess if she was coming here I could just go buy one at home depot and hang it in there for a few hours... do they come already painted and shit?

hey try using two pieces of half inch ply but do not caulk them it wont do much good in the end take liquid nails apply to one board clamp togather for the posted time limit make sure you cut the boards out the shape of the window sill and then make sure it fits tight and take a roll of ducttape and tape around the board on the seam between the two it will minimise damage and cost less then a hole setup and frame and watever...ive don it plenty of times in my house...

Well, you'd probably be better off buying a nice big poster and having it ready to tape to the door.

...or calling the room a darkroom and just not allowing access.

Look, if you pay someone to replace that door it's going to cost $50 - $100. If the landlord raises hell and evicts you for a hole in the door, then there's at least $1,000 to rehab the apartment and two month's rent lost, so that's another, what, $2,000? So it would cost the owner around $3,000 to evict your ass because of a $100 door - I don't think so! As a rule, landlords aren't that stupid.

You're worrying a whole lot about nothing, Razza.

Probably a valid point there mister. The only reason I give two shits is because she specifically made me sign an adendem saying I would manufacture, sell, produce illegal drugs in the house (however I am a medical patient, so technically I am doing nothing wrong, the law is on my side, not hers!)

I think I'm gonna do it... and just hang a tapistry on the door or some shit if she ever came here. Thanks!

"Illegal" being the key word there. Ya know, with federal forfeiture laws being what they are, you can't blame a landlord from being overly cautious. I have rental property and I have my tenants sign the same thing. It's not because I'm a zealous soldier in the war on drugs; it's because some court somewhere decided that this silly addendum would offer some protection from the Feds if a tenant was busted growing.

Tenants who pay their rent on time and don't bother their neighbors are a blessing. If you fit in that catagory, management ain't going to want to fuck with you.

Enjoy your grow! I hope you get all your problems fixed.

Thank you for the kind words. I don't bother anyone, and I always pay rent on time. Perhaps you are right, she was trying to protect herself not be a harp to me. Very good point (seems most of yours are)

Anyhow, yes, I will get my problems fixed. It's funny my first run through went absolutely perfect, not a single problem... knew I wouldn't be so lucky this time lol.

see ya
b