subject: Heating the Basement [print this page] Heating the Basement Heating the Basement
Heating the basement is a bigger challenge than you might think. Beneath the basement floor is earth which remains cooler than other parts of the house. That may be nice during the hot summer months but during the winter it makes heating the basement more difficult. Here are several heat the basement tips to consider.
Extend the existing heating system
Any reliable heating contractor can evaluate your existing heating system to determine if it can adequately heat your basement's space. Evaluating the heating system requires a calculation that is based upon square footage and heat lost of the additional space and BTU capacity of the existing system. The home's insulation value and window size are significant factors in determining the heat loss.
If you're heating system is capable to heat more space, your contractor likely will extend the main heating trunk and install vents and a return in the walls and/or ceiling to do the job. Insure the new ducts have dampers so they don't steal all the heat from the rest of the house.
Add a new heating system
If your existing heating system can't handle the additional load, you will have to add a secondary heating system that is dedicated to your finished basement, or replace your entire existing system with larger capacity system.
Installing dedicated heating systems and equipment is expensive, approximately $7,000 to $15,000. It will take up additional space inside the basement, and requires adding additional circuits to your electrical system. Although this installing a dedicated heating system can be expensive upgrading the entire system is expensive too, approximately $12,000.
Install a different heat system such as a fireplace, wood burning stove, or electric baseboard heat. If you are not required to heat the finished basement the same way you heat the rest of your house do something different and save a lot of money by not extending your existing system or installing a dedicated system just for the basement space. Here are some ideas:
Gas fireplace:
Place a gas fireplace on an outside wall for easy venting. They are great as heaters and adds charm to any room.
Wood burning stove:
Inexpensive and make some toasty heat when you need it. However, a woodstove needs a chimney. It can use an existing chimney or you can add an outside chimney for a reasonable price. Usually additional chimneys are metal chimneys and are a lot less expensive to install than a masonry chimney.
Electric baseboard heating system:
Requires no additional heat ducts and is easy to install. Although electrical baseboard heat is easy to install it is expensive to operate.
Although you may have created a great basement room heating can be a challenge. Review all your options and talk to a heating professional for ideas for heating the basement. In most case a reasonable compromise can be worked out that is far less expensive than expanding on your existing system or adding a dedicated system.
