HVAC/Heat options for basement

6 years ago

Need options for how to heat our basement in a new 2016 house.

Our house is about 2600 SF, and finishing the basement will add 1800sf. The house upstairs is very open plan, with an open loft connecting to 2 bedrooms and bath upstairs. We use a Quadrafire pellet stove to heat the house, and although the thermostat is set for the house, the central heat never kicks in. Which means basement heat will not kick in with the pellet stove on.

Our challenge is to find a solution to heat the basement and still use the pellet stove upstairs. The basement is also pretty open with a closed work-out room, bed/bath, closets, and open kitchenette, and open living space. Our HVAC contractor has recommended:

Extending some of the outlets /vents into the open basement space and adding a gas fireplace or pellet stove. I think we would then also need to add supplemental heat in the bedroom? He recommended baseboard.

*I want to make sure the basement bedroom is warm enough for grandparents
*We have a safe way to heat the basement through the night
*The basement is comfortable so the investment is not wasted - will mostly be for teen social time for now
*Our solution doesn’t look like a band-aid fix

Any other solutions / ideas?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

mike_home
6 years ago
Where is your location and is the basement mostly underground?

Is the furnace located in the basement?

Do you have a forced hot air system?

What fuel do you use for the furnace?

If the basement has few windows and is mostly underground then the heat loss is very low. Therefore creating a separate zone with the current furnace is probably a good solution. Providing more details will help determine how feasible it is to to add zoning to your current set up.
nontoxspot
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you!

House is in Virginia, near Blue Ridge Mountains Basement underground
Furnace is in the basement
Yes forced hot air
Fuel is propane
Few windows

I think one of the issues is that the furnace location is very tight to get an electronic damper in there and run a new main for the basement. As per my husband. I have no knowledge but I’m trying to solve the problem because he is short on time. I don’t think this picture will help but just in case... the furnace backs right up to the stairs.

Thank you!!
Related Professionals
Kankakee General Contractors · Greenfield General Contractors · Edison General Contractors · Yuma General Contractors · Bakersfield General Contractors · Pocatello General Contractors · Pierre Interior Designers & Decorators · Riverton Interior Designers & Decorators · Fairbanks Interior Designers & Decorators · New York City Cabinets & Cabinetry · Potsdam Cabinets & Cabinetry · Abilene General Contractors · Elizabethtown Bathroom Remodelers · Louisville Bathroom Remodelers · Baton Rouge Bathroom Remodelers
mike_home
6 years ago
You have a high efficiency furnace. The combustion air intake (short PVC pipe on the right) should have been run to outside of the house just like the exhaust PVC piping. Installers do this to save money, but it is not good practice in my opinion. Also there is a hole in the return vent. That should be sealed.

The fact that the furnace is in the basement and all the duct work is exposed makes the job a lot easier. You might have to give up some ceiling height near the furnace to cross over duct work. You should be able to make this work.

What is is the temperature in the basement on a typical cold day?
nontoxspot
Original Author
6 years ago
Unfortunately, it’s warmer than usual right now, so I’m not sure, but I would say it’s not usually terribly cold down there.
fnmroberts
6 years ago
unless your main furnace is zoned, your basement will never be of consistent temperature with the upper levels. Consider something electric, baseboard is probably easiest and least costly. Radiant least apparent. Both operate without a fan so are quiet.
mike_home
6 years ago
I am in New Jersey, and on the coldest day of the year my basement might go down to 64 degrees. It is typically 66-68 degrees throughout the winter. I would expect your basement to be about the same.
fnmroberts
6 years ago
Generally agree mike_home, IF the basement has sufficient return-air AND the house is calling for heat. Spring/Fall season is when our basement needs supplemental heat. Dehumidifier runs May-September.