Finish Basement Remodel Basement Basement Do it yourselfer guide

One thing that many people overlook in their rush to finish or remodel their basement is how they plan on heating the basement after remodeling has ended. When winter comes around, it becomes apparent that the basement is often the coldest place in the house. You may have just finished your basement by making part of it into a cozy tv room. All of a sudden, your basement is not so cozy anymore because it is freezing down there. No one wants to spend time in cold rooms and you just spent $15,000 to make your basement a place where your family can spend time.

Why consider heating issues in advance of basement finish work? Because you can avoid costly demolition and additional remodeling necessary for adding more heat to your basement after the fact.

One consideration for heating your basement is to add more heating ducts and registers to the finished basement area. Let your furnace do the work of heating your basement. At the same time, you may also want to consider zoning your heating system so that you can heat separate areas of the house when people are in those areas. For example, you could heat up the basement only with a zoned heating system. Adding more ductwork could result in demolition to basement ceilings and walls. Create your basement heating plan prior to finishing your basement.

If you have a fireplace in the basement, another option would be using that in your heating plan. Vented or vent-free gas log sets are an option. No fireplace - you could still consider a vent-free gas heater for $200 or less.

Other basement heating options include wood/pellet stoves or your simple electric room heater. Whatever you choose, give it a try if possible prior to finishing your basement so you can rest assured that it will do the job come wintertime.