Hi Liz, I'm quite surprised that your quarantine buddy responded so negatively to a warmer environment! If you happened to have it covered loosely, it's possible it dried out a little more in the proofer. I would recommend covering the starter securely with plastic wrap or a lid. The reason we say to "cover loosely" isn't because the starter needs airflow in order to ferment properly (it doesn't). Most of the wild yeast in your starter actually comes from the flour you feed it, rather than the air. The warning to cover loosely actually has more to do with the chance that fermentation gases can build up in a tightly lidded container and cause the lid to pop off. However, if you have adequate headroom in your container for the gases to collect, and you open your jar now and then, this shouldn't be an issue. 

It's also true that significant changes to your starter feeding routine will cause a certain amount of lag time as the organisms in your starter work to adjust to the new conditions. I doubt you did any permanent harm to your starter, and a little warmer conditions (low to mid-70's) shouldn't be at all harmful, but I encourage you to do what works best for you and your starter. Look for your starter to rise predictably and to have a pleasant aroma. Our sourdough starter recipe is a little different in terms of ratio of ingredients and frequency of feedings, but there are lots of ways to create and maintain a starter, so if you've found a method that is working for you—by all means stick with it! 

Barb

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