4' X 4' X 4' Cool Storage Room Under The Basement Stairs.

[ntillemans]

I built a room under my basement stairs to use for storing beer and carboys in the summer heat. I insulated all sides of the room (w/ 2" pink foam board), except for the floor and the back wall (all below ground). The space was between 60 and 65 degrees (even uninsulated) up until 2 weeks ago. Now, (since I've insulated it) I can't seem to get it under 70 degrees. While I was working on the room, the space heated up to 78 degrees (slightly higher than the ambient 77 degree basement temp). I've been changing out 2 2-liter ice bottles and several blue ice packs each day...but (in nearly a week now) I haven't been able to get the temperature under 71.4 degrees. I could add an air conditioner...but I'd prefer to cool the 64 cubic foot space with ice (if possible, of course). Any ideas how I could drop the temp into the mid to lower 60s without running an air conditioner? I couldn't find any practical advice online regarding the coooling power of ice per cubic foot (for an ice box or just a space w/ 2-inch foam insulation). Should I bite the bullet and pick up a small AC unit for these dog days of summer. Or is there some appropriate quantity of ice I could use , given the space? I would greatly appreciate any advice or helpful links.

Thanks.

[seanhagerty]

I think your issue is the uninsulated wall and floor. Plus, your cooling method doesnt have much cooling capacity. If you truely want to cool it, I would insulate the floor and wall, and if you are unable to get the temp down you are gonna have to get the ac hooked up.

Sean

[Hammer]

+1 your insulation job is almost completed. You will always be subject to the outside temperature to some degree. In my basement which has three sides underground, it very seldom gets cooler that 72 durring the summer months. I found that a chest freezer not even plugged in was able to stay in the 60's with a little help from some cold beers. I beleive this was from the insulation and lack of air flow. If you seal it well and it's insulated you should be fine. Lastly, if at all possible open it from the top. Cool air is heavy and will roll out if you open a door that is verticle.

[DannyW]

What is your ground water temperature? If it is cold (50F or so) water from a deep well, then maybe you could plumb in a zigzag of pipe in your room so that water going into the house for regular use flows through there first. That would work sort of like a reverse radiator.

[ntillemans]

Thanks for the advice. I was really hoping to use the basement floor (the floor is very cool) and the back wall (entirely underground) to cool the space.

I was hoping that the room would cool down a bit more with a little push from some ice. I'm using the space to store beer and possibly to keep carboys below 70 degrees in the middle of summer. The more I think about it, the room I built could serve those purposes as is (the carboys I set on the floor in there sat between 66 and 68 degrees). But I was hoping for just a little more flexibility without adding A/C.

Of course, I look at the walk-in coolers I see people building here; and I'm jealous. But, when I think about it, I could get by the way I have it set up.

I like the idea of running water pipes through the space; but I'm not handy enough to take on a project like that.

Thanks again.

[zee]

it sounds to me like you have an area which basically has very little air flow. this is good for keeping temperature constant. i have a feeling that it will eventually get down to the 60f - 65f range again, but it may take a long time. leaving the floor uninsulated i think will be beneficial in the long run. the wall will depend on how much the temperature of that wall fluctuates.

what i am getting to is that your room may just need a boost to get it down in temperature again. once it is there it could very likely stay there. if you have or can borrow a window air conditioner to blow some cold air in there just to get it jump started you may not need it after that, or possibly very infrequently for those days when you are heating it up by moving all the merchandise around.