How to heat my basement
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Rochester
Posts: 51
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
How to heat my basement
I am currently in the process of finishing my basement and while I am still in the framing stage I am now thinking ahead to how I will heat the room. When the house was built the builder had a couple ducts already installed in the basement but the dampers have been closed since it had been an unfinished space. I have a whole house humidifier in place and my original plan was to simply use these existing ducts but the more I think about this the more concerned I am with introducing this humidified air into the basement. I'm looking for any opinions on the matter as if I don't use the existing ducts I will likely install electric heat for the space.
Thanks
Thanks
#2
How is the house currently heated ? Propane, natural gas, electric...... that has a lot to do with it.
If it's a hot air system then supplying humidified air to the basement in the winter should be fine.
Electric is an expensive way to heat. It's easily controlled but costly to run.
If it's a hot air system then supplying humidified air to the basement in the winter should be fine.
Electric is an expensive way to heat. It's easily controlled but costly to run.
#3
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Rochester
Posts: 51
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
The house has a hybrid (my term) heating system where if the outside air is 25 degrees+ it's heated off of a heat pump and below 25 degrees its a natural gas furnace. The electric heat expense doesn't worry me too much because I am fortunate to have a municipal electric company and only pay $.04 kw/hr but the moisture is my main concern.
#5
At .04 kwh I'd ditch the natural gas and I love natural gas.
You could easily install electric baseboard heat.
You could easily install electric baseboard heat.
#6
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Rochester
Posts: 51
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
The furnace was just installed 6 months ago and it is properly sized for the house including the basement. I went with the hybrid method because I wanted to hedge my bets with regard to the market conditions for both electric and gas so I won't be changing that out anytime soon but may lean in the direction of electric heat for the basement.
#7
Member
if $ is not an issue, install an electric warm floor,,, properly sized sys or not, the temp on the floor's colder & reflects ambient earth temp - about 65f give or take a f but more likely take
#8
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: usa
Posts: 15
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Seperate mini split system for the basement? Radiant floor heating utilizing a tankless water heater such as navien or samsung which would obviously also provide hot water for whole house? Utilize the ductwork in place and install a standalone individual dehumidifier for basement...? Many options which may be more cost effective than electric base board...
#10
Hook it up to the central HVAC. Make sure there is a cold air return in the basement. You are not going to have issues with moisture. Using the central system will distribute the humidity throughout the house. Humidity tends to be too low in the winter, and the a/c will remove it in the summer.