Very nice, you just helped me lead into what I was getting ready to post in response to the questions Chris was asking...



One of the biggest keys I've seen with our racks and racks in general is PLACEMENT. An inside wall is very important (IMHO). There are ways around it (for example, using a $6 piece of silver-backed insulation, you can bring the temps up on the hot side by 8 degrees or so) but just out-of-the-box, an inside wall is vital. I'm sure it would work out great in the summer but I know the outside walls in my house (nice 5-year old well-built home at that) are about 6 degrees lower than an inside wall (there is just 6" between the inside of the house and the 20 degree temperatures that await me outside). That's quite a blow when you're trying to retain 90-92 degree temps in your tubs.



Chris, as far as your question, I don't want to mislead people, the backs of my racks are 1/8" material. The rest of the construction is 1/2". I did move from EPVC for my backs to HDPE because I found the HDPE to hold the heat in a little better and is not nearly as frail as the EPVC material (the 1/8" EPVC cracks pretty easy in 20-degree weather). BUT, you have a point, different material and different thicknesses will hold and radiate heat different than other. I don't know the specifics so I can't say what will do better than any other.



In reality, you're absolutely right, moving that material to 1/4" or 1/2" would keep a TON of heat on the inside (therefore why the insulation idea I mentioned above works so well) but that would jump the cost of the racks by at least $25 (again, sheet of 1/2" EPVC runs me about $100) which makes something like the hatchling rack almost out of grasp. I have SERIOUSLY contemplated sucking up about $12/rack and going with the 1/4" material. I may yet, just have to make that 'jump' I've only run into a few customers that had problems and either moving the rack to an inside wall or using the insulation technique worked wonders.



Thanks for the followups,

Jason @ Jason's Jungle

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