When these two eventually come into the basement, they will want it to be warm!
I get it, you'd like your finished basement to be warm, toasty and comfortable even on the coldest, darkest winter nights.
You didn't build that kick ass movie theater room just so you could freeze your butt off alone!
You need it to be warm so your lady will come down and snuggle with you. Get'cha snuggle on!
So what are your options for heating your basement?
I scoured the internet for weeks, collected pages of notes and asked hundreds if not thousands of my readers what they use.
Here are my top 5 ways to heat your basement:
1. Add registers to your existing or expanded HVAC duct work. (get $$ out and your tin snips ready)
2. Buy a vented stand alone "system" to heat your basement. (like a pellet stove)
3. Buy an electric (unvented) stand-alone unit. RECOMMENDED !!
4. Buy something that can heat a small room.
5. Suck it up you big baby - the cold is good for your lungs. (like tiny Siberian babies)
If you haven't read my article on HVAC for your basement - go read that first - you may not even need any extra heat.
Option 1: Add Registers to heat your basement
Here's a picture of one of my register extensions.
This is sort of what I did with my finished basement, at least in the beginning anyway. The builder had installed 1 register in my main trunk line, I added a second one about 15 feet away.
This helped but my basement was still "cold" on days where the outside temps dropped below freezing. By "cold" I mean between 63 and 66 degrees.
Now… some people's heads are going to pop off their necks reading this because they're going to claim that this will completely throw off the "balance" of my HVAC system. Relax… 3 registers ain't gonna do much. You can click here to read a whole discussion about this.
If you are still having a heart attack about adding registers or just want to add like 8 or something like that - then you might have to "beef up your HVAC". My advice then would be get your wallet out and call the professionals. (I'll try to write a separate article on the cost of a separate HVAC unit in the future)
If you're ready to cut a hole in your main duct line, and let's face it who doesn't want to do that, click here to see how I installed my register. If this idea scares the poop out of you, just remember that worst case, you buy a $5 piece of metal and cover it back up (but relax, you most likely won't have to do that).
Option 2: Buy a vented "stand alone system"
Note, you have to build a "stone or concrete hearth" below the stove. It cannot sit on vinyl or carpet.
What I mean by that is, don't tap into your HVAC, instead buy something like a Pellet Stove.
Here are some happy pellet stove facts.
- A medium size pellet stove can heat about 1750 sq. ft. That's more than enough to heat your basement.
- They have a auto-pellet feeder systems (so you can set it and forget it)
- Actually burning something to heat your house is kind of bad ass, even if it is a pellet.
- You can install it yourself (but it's not exactly an easy job)
Here are some not so happy facts about pellet stoves
- A new pellet stove costs around $1,500
- The pellets cost money - you should ballpark around $150 to heat your basement for 1 winter.
- You need to go down there and clean the ash out every few days. So it's not really set it and forget (this was the deal breaker for me)
- It takes up some significant space in your basement
- It must be vented outside, aka you have to cut a hole in your house
- It must sit on a hearth or stone/concrete floor.
For a entire article on pellet stoves, including a cost discussion, click here.
Another option for heating your basement would be to buy a wood burning stove - which I think is really cool - but I would not want to deal with "wood", loading wood into the stove or cleaning up wood ash all the time.
Don't get me wrong here guys and gals. I personally think having a pellet stove would be awesome, I just wouldn't want to deal with cleaning out the ash and having bags of wood pellets in my house - I'm just not that mountainy of a man.
Option 3: Buy a Large Room Infrared Heater
This is it! This is what I recommend you buy. This is what I bought for my basement.
This a 1500 watt infrared heater. It can heat my entire finished basement. When I plugged this dude in it was about 61 degrees in my basement and 10 below freezing outside with snow everywhere. Now it's 70 degrees and awesome.
Okay, time for some pluses and minuses.
What's Good about it:
- Can heat a really large area, like my whole basement (1000 square feet)
- Makes no noise at all. No fan noise, no crackling noise, nothing.
- Has a built in thermostat
- Crazy energy efficient.
- Great price! Check Amazon here for exact pricing.
What's Bad about it:
- Infrared heaters work the instant they turn on, but they also stop radiating heat the instant they are turned off. Since the air in the room is not actually warmed, the room will lose heat very quickly. In comparison, an oil-filled heater will continue to warm even after the unit is off because it takes time for the heated oil to cool down.
- Uses 1500 watts - that's just about a full circuit - so you can't have something else that pulls a lot of watts on that circuit. Like a treadmill or a bunch of electronics.
- It gets hot. If you have really young kids (4 or younger), you'll need to make sure they don't touch the top of it. My youngest is 6 and he totally gets it. They won't catch on fire if they touch it, but it can burn them.
Oh, it also has wheels on it, in case you need to move it, but frankly it's not really that heavy, you can just pick it up. I use this from December through March. I live in Northern Virginia where it can get as low as -10.
There are a few different models. The exact one I bought is the "Dr. Heater" and it gets 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon
Option 4 : Buy a Room Sized Electric Heater
This is a great option for heating a small room in your finished basement.
Let's say you have a small home office or maybe a "crafts" room or a guest bedroom.
(WAIT, do you actually have a crafts room? You big nerd, an entire room for crafts! Ok, I'll admit, it is kinda fun.)
What ever it's for you want this room to be warm in the winter but you'd rather not take up valuable space with an electric heater.
And, perhaps the heat from the rest of the basement just never quite makes it into this extra room; which is a strong possibility if it's walled off and has a door.
What you need is a small, single room heater, that takes up almost no space, costs almost nothing to run and presents almost not fire risk.
Presenting…. The Econo-Heat 400 watt Wall Panel Convection Heater.
In brief, it's an electric heater that's flat and sits on the wall. The key to it's goodness is that it draws cold air from the floor and heats it, causing a natural rotation without using an electric fan. There are no moving parts. This diagram clearly demonstrates this using a ton speeding of arrows.
Stuff that's Good About it:
- Only costs around a $100 bucks (free shipping from Amazon with Prime)
- Only uses 400 watts - so you can plug it into any circuit.
- You can paint it the same color as your wall (admit it, you know you're stylish)
- Safe for kids and pets - hot but not emergency room burn your skin hot.
- No wood or pellets to load - No ash to clean up! BOOM, major win!
- You can add a thermostat and basically leave it on all winter.
- Easy to install
- Flat design means it takes up very little space (leaving more room to get your grove on)
The BAD stuff:
- It only heats about a 144 square feet. If you have a big open basement floorplan this won't be enough heat.
- Takes awhile to heat up a cold room (like a full day awhile). But you are basically suppose to leave these on all winter. Buy one with a thermostat or add one to it and it will turn on and off as needed.
You can paint it beige. 'Cause beige is f*ing awesome. No one will think you're boring. (I can say that because half my house is beige)
Finally, this heat "feels" fantastic. Here's how one person described it (she's a women, so you know she knows what she's talking about)
"The heat feels different. Regular plug-in fan based heaters feel like a hair-dryer on my face. This heat is more subtle and more cozy. Feels more like being in a blanket of warm air in summer time." - A Lady from the Interwebs
A blanket of warm summer air! Who doesn't want that! Yes, please!
Well? Are you going to get warm or what?
For just over $100 you're rocking a warm and toasty basement. Get the Dr. Heater - it is perfect.
Cheers - Jason
ps. If you have some other great ways to heat your finished basement without spending a ton of money - let's hear it! Sharing is caring.
Great article, thanks! I'm having a house built (will be finishing basement myself) and this is something I know I'd had to figure out eventually. My "wrinkle" in deciding between these options is that we plan on building a bedroom in the basement for my oldest daughter (12). Would that change the type of heating you would do? And what about A/C?
Nice layout of options. I ended up putting in a gas fireplace with a blower. I recommend this over the pellet stove for several reasons.
I'll double what Jeff said about the gas fireplace with a blower. It will beat any pellet stove in the long run and it can be customized to suit the area.
Is it high on the gas bill.. I have a ventless gas fireplace
Hey Jason, great ideas! Working on finishing my basement. How does that large room electric heater affect your electric bill? And would a single unit work to heat my basement even with multiple bedrooms?
Hi Chad - I'll have to get back to you on the electric bill impact. My unit also has a built-in timer - so it clicks off at night and comes back on in the later morning (just before my fam might be using the basement)
Remember too that basements should hold the heat fairly well and any heat that does escape is going upstairs to where you're living anyway - so in a way it can be very efficient to keep you basement warm. - Jason
Liked the article, Jason. We lucked out, in that the furnace and A/C for the main floor is a bit oversized. A buddy of mine is in HVAC, so for a couple hundred bucks in time and materials, he rerouted some ducts (poor placement when the house was built) and added three registers. We will have about 850 square feet when it's finished. Now our oversized system is suddenly just the right size.
Nice! And a good reminder. Some systems ARE oversized; it can be worth the time to get an opinion and see if you can just spend a few hundred to take advantage of the HVAC and ducts you already have. Especially if you have a friend who can help! - Jason
Hey Jason- thanks for the article. The open portion of my basement is around 300 sq ft. Is it possible to use two (2) panel heaters in a situation like this, spaced appropriately, or do they not really overlap well? Seems like it is one of simple and most cost effective options since it's virtually "plug and play" but I wonder how they perform in larger spaces with multiple units. I appreciate all your help.
Hey Tony - Well... maybe. You'd be cutting it close. They are designed to heat a max of 144 square feet. They do overlap well so that's not an issue - they just aren't crazy powerful. They work best in a single isolated room like an office or bedroom that isn't able to pull in heat from the main room. If you have a spot for it and aren't worried about kids burning something - I'd probably recommend the electrical oil filled radiator heater for a space that size. - Jason
How does the panel heater compare to a 220 volt baseboard heater?
Tom - A 220 volt baseboard heater will put out a lot more heat that those panel heaters. I can literally touch and hold my hand on the panel heater even when on full blast - I could not do that with the oil filled electric radiator heater or a 220v baseboard heater.
Now, I think a baseboard heater is a good option for a basement. it can heat up a large area and is generally out of the way. And, if you plan ahead with your electrical circuits - you can have it totally isolated (on a dedicated line) from other more sensitive equipment. I'll try to add a review of the baseboard heater to the page in the coming weeks. - Jason
Nice Options.... But what about someone who runs on a boiler system?
I had a 10' baseboard heater (hydronic radiator). I cut this out and put in what's called a Hydronic toe kick heater underneath some built in cabinets.
It heats the whole main room (25'x15') and keeps it toasty warm... best part the heat starts at the floor and rises.
The toe-kick runs on a thermostat and is tied into existing electrical (very low power usage). To properly install one of these into hydronic pluming, it is best to use whats called a "venturi" copper tee and run on it's own "zone" to avoid pressure build-up.
Thanks Jason for your website! it has given me great ideas for my basement reno!
Chris W.
Thanks Chris. Yes! If you have a similar setup - this is a great way to go. Very comfortable, inexpensive heat. - Jason
I have a Delonghi electric heater, but I am not sure the watt size on it. But my concern with a electric heater in a Minnesota full sub level basement is the electricity over time cost more than gas heat from the furnace. I believe my current furnace is large enough to handle it, its just a matter of adding some duct work off the main lines. Is there something I am not thinking of the would still make option 3 a better and cheaper option?
Hey Nathan - You're right! This heater is costing me quite a bit more than my gas furnace. I'm working on an update to this blog to show the costs. If your system can handle the additional volume (which it very well may be able to do) then yes, adding a few extra registers would be the best option for heating your basement. - Jason
It costs me about $1,500 a year to run one of these Delonghi heaters all year (my lower level is consistently 8 degrees colder than upstairs), even at the lowest level.
Hi Jason -- This is really informative and presents options I didn't know existing. I'm about to finish a 1,000 SF basement and not sure how to heat it. My HVAC guy said he thought tapping into the ducts that feed upstairs would tax the system and it would run nonstop. We are putting in a wood-burning stove at one end, but are afraid the other end of the room will be cold (especially in the enclosed bathroom). We were considering electric radiant but installation is a fortune. Don't want hideous baseboards or mini-splits. Maybe the stove is sufficient. It's a weekend house though so it will take a while to heat up the entire room which will be a problem. Maybe radiant in the bathroom, the stove and a couple wall-mounted electric heaters (option 4)? Thoughts?
What about floor heating? I have a floating wood floor and was thinking about a below carpet electric heater. How does that compare to the other options?
I was considering the same thing: Floating floor in basement of about 400-450 sq ft. Also a bathroom down there, no HVAC to area. Considering convection panel in bathroom and under-floor electric in the main area. Love to hear thoughts about costs of running electric floor heating.
Jael - I was looking into under-floor heating for an upstairs room that we had and it's really not to expensive for a reasonable sized room. I think it would be a great option and would really ad a nice cozy touch to the basement (which is typically considered a bit of a cold, secondary space in the house). If you end up going with it please take some pictures and check back in with us here. - Jason
Looking at house to buy....basement s not heated??? This article helped ! Thank you
this was very helpful - thinking about going with the DeLonghi TRD40615T Full Room Radiant Heater - I hope that it will heat the basement I have, its a large open living room space, full bathroom and 3 small rooms...thanks for the information!
No problem. It will definitely heat the open space. The 3 small rooms may be an issue but if you keep the doors open it may be fine. - Jason
What about radiant heat panels?
Hi Craig - Yup, I like radiant heating panels. They're just not great for large rooms. Anything more than 200 sq ft and you'll have a tough time generating enough heat.
Hi, I have a old house with a basement suite all finished and rent by renter but they said that it is cold during winter because my furnace is control by upstairs so I was wondering if adding another furnace for the basement to have their own heat will be a great an efficient option ? I don't think I read that anywhere in the blog but I wrote down all the option given thank you
Hi Nancy - Yes, they can get chilly in the winter. I would go with option 3 above. Adding an entire furnace for one room is very expensive and probably overkill. - Jason
One of these heaters and I am planning to put it in my bathroom but the box does he shouldn't use it in the bathroom is anyone ever used it
Jason - I am looking at something like Quartz Infrared Heaters such as Eden Pure. Do you know anything about these and have thoughts about them. I am looking to heat a 600sf room in almost finished basement. Thanks!
Hi Jamie - I haven't personally used one but I did do some research on them before I went with the heater that I bought, the reviews are not good. They are overpriced and not very efficient. 247 reviews on Amazon, 47% were 1 star. Not a good sign.
Hey Jason-
We have a 950 sq ft basement we are finishing, we don't have enough money to finish it exactly how i want-thanks to pinterest;) would you please give me your advice, we would like to have a HVAC installed but the price we were told to run ducts and put a new unit was 4 grand! so i figured maybe in the future since we are getting a drop ceiling anyways(i heard this was cheaper? lol) I was thinking of a gas log fireplace for down there, the wall panels you were talking about, can you put more then 1 on a wall? or it will add up in cost with electric bill and such? also, what do you suggest for A/C?
Hi Mia - The wall panels are only good for smaller rooms (140 sq ft or so). A gas log fireplace would be the most economical choose for that size area. As for AC, you would need a stand alone unit installed - not too cheap - but are you sure that's a must have? Does your basement get a lot of sun? Does it really heat up during the summer? - Jason (ps. Yes, any electrical heater, while very effective will add to your electric bill. But no matter how heat a space some additional cost will be incurred - we just don't have free energy yet)
We're renters and I'm turning 400 sq ft of our 1000 sq ft UNfinished basement into liveable space with foam flooring, curtains to cover cement walls, and some kind of space heater I can plug in. Debating between electric oil space heater and an electric fireplace for more ambiance plus heat. Which would be best for heating the area and staying energy efficient? I'd love for the fireplace idea to work, but am concerned it won't heat the area well or run costs will be too high. My reading tells me the infrared Quartz fireplaces heat 1000 sq ft while other reading on infrared says it only heats what's in front of it so I'm confused. Would an infrared fireplace heat the room? And how much more expensive are they to run then the oil heater? As for the oil heater, part of room will be play area for our toddler which leaves me somewhat concerned about it being hot to the touch (although I think my 2 yo would learn). Thoughts?
Hi Wendie - I'm not a fan of the Quartz heaters. The fireplace idea looks cool but really only puts out a small amount of heat. The reviews are mixed. For my money the oil filled electric radiator is the best option. Here's a highly rated one on Amazon. With 400 sq. feet you have a decent size room you want room and you'll want the whole room to get heat.
2 year old aye... I had a couple of those at one point. It's not terribly bad (like a kerosine heater) but it will be hot to the touch. That's a call only a Mom can make. - Jason
Thanks for the quick reply. So when the fireplace heaters say they heat 600 sq ft with 3412 BTUs it's more hype then truth? Really attached to the fireplace coziness but definitely don't want to be too cool, esp since it's an open basement of 1000 sq ft so worried heat will travel out beyond my 400 sq ft of liveable space since there are no walls. This is one of the fireplaces I was looking at: http://www.electricfireplacesdirect.com/products-accessories/free-standing-electric-stoves/comfort-smart-600-sq-ft-cranberry-infrared-fireplace-stove-CS-18IR-CRN
Yes, exactly. I think you'd need two of them to heat 600 sq ft. If they had a 1000 sq ft version that's probably a better bet. Here's the reviews page from Amazon, not terrible but the bad ones have issues with the amount of space it can heat.
Tony, Great site..we are finishing 1,000 sq ft of our 1800 sq. ft. basement...trying to do it all "right" for guest bedroom & en-suite as well as an office and open area for socializing. We put R-16 insulation on the exterior walls and towards the unfinished areas. Friends are recommending baseboard heating (we are adding 6 extra circuits dedicated to this area) however we are concerned about heat exposure and young grandchildren. Although we haven't had professional HVAC persons evaluate we do not believe our current heating system (gas forced air) would be sufficient to heat this lower level in addition to the 2,000 sq ft main level. After all of that...the question is...would it be reasonable to add several of the wall panel heating systems in each individual rooms and a few additional in the larger area or go with the baseboards?? Thanks!
Bill - 1,000 sq ft probably will need some help even if you add in a couple of register off of your main trunk. A lot depends on your basement layout - how much is below ground and how much exposed above. For the larger rooms (anything over 130 sq ft) I don't think you'll be happy with the wall panels. Baseboard or oil filled stand alone heater are good options. Hope that helps. - Jason
Jason, Geez, no idea why I addressed my comments to "Tony" on the email...he's the buddy helping me with this basement redo...my apologies!!
Hay! No problem. Happens to me all the time. - Jason
I am pulling out an old steam boiler from my basement and installing a couple of direct vent Rinnai heaters on the main floor to heat the house. i live in Vermont and my concern with removing the furnace is that there will be no hear source in the basement. It is not a finished basement and does not need to be maintained at 70 degrees but I would like to maintain it at aroudn 50 degrees so that a) the space above is easier to heat and b) the pipes don't freeze. The basement is about 1200 sq feet. Do you think this is a good application for the DeLonghi Oil filled electric radiator?
Hi Nick. Yes, I think it would fill in perfectly actually. Depending on how "underground" your basement is you'll probably get close to 50 if not higher without any heat. The DeLonghi can really crank out some heat and has a thermostat so you should be good to go. - Jason
Any update on the cost of the freestanding heater? We're trying to decide between this recommendation and baseboards. Our basement is about 1,000 sq. ft. (We live in Northern VA.) Thanks!
Hi we had a new furnace installed in June 2016.
The furnace is adequate for the sq footage of the house. My basement is 1000 sq feet and cold. We removed walls in the bedroom found the installation only half way down. This action corrected the coldness in the bedroom the bedroom sits below ground. I am unsure if this would correct the problem in the bedroom?? My basement has three outside walls. A sliding glass door and one window. Our floor is cement with a wall to wall carpet. I have split level heating air conditioners in a another home which works great. They are very costly. I live in an area electric isn't very expensive 9 cents a kilowatt. What do you think would be the best route ??
I meant to say I am unsure if this action removing the walls putting installation would correct the problem in my family room??
Girl question alert: when adding vents to the basement should returns (or a return) be added as well?
Guy Answer : Maybe... I know one two vents are fine and don't require any extra returns. Beyond that you've reach the max of my HVAC knowledge. Ok, actually, that wasn't a guy answer - a guy answer would never be to admit that he doesn't know the answer. But... I'm a guy who's secure in myself. - Jason
Jason, finished 900 SqFt of my basement. Like you I did everything except drywall. Had everything permitted for insurance and liability reasons. I added 3 ceiling ducts and during rough inspection, was asked about my plans for a return air duct. He told me they like to see at least 1, which I had planned for. Thanks for all your info.
if you want your basement to be as warm as your upstairs without adding additional heat sources, you need air return(s) near the basement floor so that the furnace will suck the colder stagnant air that hangs out at the bottom of your basement with no where to go without air return(s) out of your basement and through the furnace. This will help the A/C in the summer too as the blower sucks colder air from the basement floor area through the blower and into the upstairs that is usually hotter otherwise. Not an HVAC person, but learning the hard way after finishing a basement without any return(s).
I love how you write and what you shared - makes me smile and gave me ideas over my ventless fireplace that is lovely - but the carbon monoxide, not so much! Anyway, thanks and God bless you. Thanks for the approach of humor and normalcy, with knowledge. :-) Your kindness is seen and appreciated and I will search out your leads.
thanks Jenny - it's comments like these that make it fun to write!
I am looking at supplementing my large basement (rectangular 39' x 12' x 9' (4212 Sq.Ft)) with an electric heater and most of the ones I have seen only heat up to 1000 Sq. Ft.! I live in Chicago suburbs and on cold days it can get down to about 60 degrees. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
that is a very large and rectangular basement indeed. Well, I still recommend the Delonghi heaters - they're great and 1 heater should be enough - they can really crank out heat. You may need a fan or something to get the air circulating. Otherwise you're talking about installing a new addition to your system which can get really expensive. - Jason
Jason, I'm looking for a way to raise the temp of my unfinished 1000sq/ft basement. From my research the Delonghi heater are only rated for heating 144sq/ft. How are you figuring the delta?
I'm in a basement right now with two small heaters that already conked out. One was my ex bf's and it was too loud (didn't want landlords hearing me using a heater when I'm home) and now this one just broke. I am frustrated and now I'm using the oven. At this point I have little regard for how much hydro I am using. As far as I'm concerned this is all-you-can-use hydro and I'm trying my best to use up less electricity but I don't care.. I'm freezing. At night I woke up shaking!
Hi Anna - Please stop using the oven for heat. It's extremely dangerous. Try the Deloghi oil heater, I think you'll like it. I'll repeat just for emphasis, DO NOT USE AN OVEN!! BTW your landlord is probably required by law to provide heat. - Jason
Great article! Thanks for spending all that time resaearching it and then putting it into a text format for others. :) Cheers!
Thank you! We want to stay in our little (but awesomely located and almost paid off!!) house...but we would have to move some kids downstairs, and I just worried so much about them being cold at night. Not only was this informative but it was fun to read!
Thanks Martha - We love our DeLonghi heater, I just ordered a second one but I'm trying out the new slimmer, wall mountable version. I'll update here once we've tried it. - Jason
Hi Jason,
Did you really try out a convector heater? I thought you were only into the radiator ones. I'm trying this same convector right now for my walkout basement rental suite. I really hope it works out, it just gets too chilly. Thanks for the excellent article!
I am considering building a master bath and laundry room over my unheated garage. Live in Wisconsin so does get cold. Impossible to tie into home HVAC. Don't like looks of minisplits and ventless not possible with layout. I was thinking of either 220 perimeter electric or several if they make 220 small wall panels. I know electric is most expensive way to heat. Also is it dangerous to run baseboard under a shower door, also was thinking of having it near a stand alone soaking tub. I know water and electricity are not compatible but don't how thers units are built.
This is very helpful! Thank you for posting! My only question is what about the electric bill? Which is the most energy friendly?
Hi Amanda - I guess it depends on what you mean by energy friendly? The lowest cost? The lowest monthly cost or overall cost? The pellet stove is probably the cheapest monthly cost but the Delonghi electric oil filled heater is only $100 bucks or so and doesn't require a lot of installation costs. - Jason
Hi!
We have a finished basement that gets really cold when it gets warmer outside. There are 2 rooms that we use as bedrooms that are about 350 sq ft. What would be our best/safest option? One of the bedrooms is a toddlers room (we have egress windows installed for safety). So I love the concept of the panel heater but it doesnt cover enough area. The idea of having heaters going around the kids constantly has always made me nervous (fires, burning the kids, etc..) If you could give me your opinion on the best option, I would greatly appreciate it!!
Hi Tori - 350 sq ft is probably too much area for the panel heater but that would be the safest - you can literally touch it with your hand and be fine. The Delonghi heater would be my recommendation - while it does get hot it won't instantly burn your hand if you touch it - it would hurt if you held it there awhile but it's nothing like the heat of a kerosene or wood stove heater. - Jason
can you put two in the same room.....like one on each end
Hi - I took your advice and bought the Delonghi heater right from the link. I put a thermostat gage down there and my basement was 63 degrees, now after a full day its only 65 degrees. Our basement is about the same size as yours. Does your heater actually blow hot air? Ours is coming out of the top, but I can't imagine it ever heating that room. The portable thermostat is about 2 feet from it and not picking up the heat. Do you think I got a broken one or does it take a few days? Thanks!!
Hi Lauren - No way, that heater should be cranking out heat. You would definitely notice a change after about an hour or two. Make sure you don't have it set to eco mode or have it on the timer. Also, and this may sound obvious, make sure the heat is UP high. There's a setting for "no freeze" which basically just makes sure the room doesn't go below freezing, you don't want it set to that. If you check all this and it still isn't working then I would send it back. It does NOT blow hot air - but it DOES put out heat. Let me know what you find. - Jason
Thanks for the info. On the Oil Electric unit - I'm assuming that when you first purchase the unit - it could be turned on and run in an open porch for a day to dissipate the odor? TX
Yes, I'm sure you could do that. Not a bad idea. - Jason
Does anyone know if my 220 Baseboard heaters in my small studio 1bd 1bath living room kitchen area. It's the size of a studio or two hotel rooms. Would it be cheaper to use a 1500 watt heater as my eden pure heats my entire home leaving the doors open. Or would it be cheaper to use my existing electric 220 baseboards. They have thermostats in each room bathroom and bedroom as well as living room kitchen area. I only pay in the summer $60 for my electric bill and I'm the winter I am scared as to what it will be. I have always had LP heat and once Natural gas forced air. So I don't know how much this will cost. Last time I had electric heat was in TN and now in MI cold as hell. My bill in TN was $400 a month for a insulated trailer as before insulation was put in the bill would be $700+ so I hope to god this small house don't cost that much to heat I will end up losing my new home at that price
My furnace is rated for 35000 btu. According to the building code that is just enough to heat the upstairs. How can cutting vents in the basement be ok? Will the gas furnace heat exchanger overheat and crack due to the extra unrated load?
Hey Sean - If your unit has no spare capacity then it probably would be a risk to cut additional vents. My was a bit oversized for the size of our home. Also, I just took a risk, realizing that I might damage the unit, so far so good. The inspectors I had didn't not seem to mind or thing it would be an issue. Each house and area is slightly different, this is just my situation. - Jason
What about Dr Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater, 1500-Watt as it has 3,164 customer reviews with only
What about Dr Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater, 1500-Watt as it has 3,164 customer reviews or Duraflame DFI-5010-01 Infrared Quartz Fireplace Stove with 3D Flame Effect with 271 customer reviews ? I have 600 square feet in the basement.
Does DeLonghi heater distribute heat much better, especially reaching out to the other end of the room than the quartz infrared heaters? Which DeLonghi heater model do you recommend as there are several. I'd like to hear your review on convector heater, the new slimmer, wall mountable version.
Paul, Could you let me know what heater you picked and how it is working? I am thinking of getting one for my basement. Thanks.
We leave in eastern PA in an 80 year old stone house. So coke winters. Family room is the issue and is renovated in the former garage, so built over a concrete slab, with a hardwood floor. Room is 250 sq feet with two open doorways (no doors) from kitchen, and 5 windows, 2 of which on either side of a slider. Slider is new. Windows 15 years old, just ok not terrible for drafts but not new. Have old baseboard radiators as part of a full house water/boiler system but because FR is on other side of house from boiler and pipes must run thru slab, they do not put out much heat. Already explored many ways to fix them and all require tearing finished parts of house apart to find and fix pipes which I am not inclined to do as there is no guarantee. Room is COLD! Have a little space heater today but would prefer not to just get a larger one. Best or should I say primary recommendation we have received is to install a Mitsubishi mini split single
one hyper heat model with 12k BTU (at a cost of $5900 all in). I may be able to save a bit of money with someone else but not much in this area. I'm about to take the plunge. Before I do, any reaction to that recommendation or any other suggestions of what to try first at a lower cost before sinking $6k? Thanks!
Jason, thanks for the article. I have a finished basement in the northeast (about 500-600 square feet), and I was thinking of going with your recommendation and purchasing an electric heater to heat it. Unfortunately, I am not getting any heat down there now because it is tied into my first floor zone (a heat pump). Once I realized the heat pump was extraordinarily costly to run, I switched to a pellet stove which is great; however, since the heat pump rarely goes on now, we don't get any heat in our basement at all. Do you think the Delonghi TRD40615T will do the trick? Should I look for another alternative? Our kids are down there probably 5 days a week for 2-3 hours at a time watching TV or playing video games. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Hey Tim - Yes, I think it would work great. Mine raises the temps about 5 degrees from 62 to 67 - 1 heater for about 1,000 sq. feet. Makes it comfortable. - Jason
Great ideas. Decent options.
I am going to be remodeling my large walk out basement which is only extensively used a few times each year. The wall panels sound like the most efficient option. Plus replacing all the windows and exterior doors with energy efficient windows and doors. Plus added insulation.
I am contemplating individual room zoned heated floors under the new carpeting.
Thoughts?
Can I put baseboard heaters next to knotty pine paneling in my basement
I have a 3/4 finished basement it has 3 heater ducks but still cold will my gas bill go up if I have more heater vents cut into the duck work and will it really make a difference in the temperature if that's all I do?
Hi Laurie - Yes, your bill will go up if you use more heat. You have to be careful about cutting too many new registers in your trunk lines - your heating system is designed for the size of your finished house - it may or may not be able to handle additional space. I would recommend getting a few professional firms to take a look and give a recommendation.
Sorry I can't give you more help on this topic. The electric heaters (recommended above) will solve your heating issues in the basement - with no additional registers - but yes, you electric bill will go up. There's no way around that - since you're using more energy to heat more home. - Jason
Hello. We have a new construction 2 story home, single zone, basement home office where I work 6-8 hours/day, usually it's about 10 degrees less than main level, with upstairs vents closed, and ceiling heat sources fully opened up. I have a nursery room space heater I'm using, but my extremities are always still cold, even with the heater set to 75 and shutting off. What is the best option for fastest to heat a room? Do you recommend the "leave it on all the time approach"? Do you know if any of those options work with Nest or Ecobee and could be put on a schedule, so they warm the room up during business hours, and otherwise shut off? We wouldn't have a need to heat the room full-time, but the ideal option doesn't require hours to heat it up to a comfortable (~70) temp either. Thanks for the great article!
I have a reverse problem. for my 2-story townhome with a full basement. In the summer with the A/C on my second story rooms are too warm while my basement is freezing. Any suggestions?
Hey Joe - Are you able to divert the air from your basement vents by covering up or restricting some of the vents which feed the basement?
-Jason
I purchased a home with a full finished basement 1100 sq ft all open except a small office type room with french doors. There is a bar in the middle with the home theater being the largest part of the basement and a smaller game room on the other end of the basement. i have a large portable heater, but takes a lot of time to heat up. it is around 65 all year round with hvac available. is there a product i can add a wall thermostat to a heater for the home theater, bar and game room? Thank you
Hey Donna - There are a lot of options to add a wall thermostat for a heater, but will probably require some electrical wiring. Another option would be to plug your portable heater into a thermostat plug.
Thermostat Plug
First, thanks.
Heat house with oil and hot water also with oil. Way to expensive. If I put pellet stove in basement how how do ur ceilings have to be. My house is old. Ceilings are not quite 6 1/2 feet. Is it possible. Basement is freezing in winter if furnace not running constantly. Can’t afford oil. Costs me 360$ a month for oil. Ridiculous. Need suggestions on what I can put in basement that is safe to run while we are at work
Hey Brenda - Are you just looking for heating options, or are you asking about ceiling heights for finishing the basement? I would say you could install a pellet stove down or you could check out a quartz heater like this one:
Heater
I'm in northern VA as well. Hopefully this winter is CRAZY! Its been awhile since we had 6-7 ft of good snow.
Amen brother!
We are looking to heat 3 large rooms in our basement.. About 200 to 300 Sq ft each with no doors between. 2 have heat vents and there is 1 return in the largest room. The previous owners had it finished but didn't put insullatiin in behind the walls. They had foundation work done but we don't know why otherwise. ? We also have just a few windows and they are older. Don't seem very drafty but we are considering replacing. Any thoughts on how much impact those things are having to the heat issue? Do basements even when insulated etc still need extra heating units? We have 2 active boys and prefer radiant heat as the electric is drying... But worry about how to keep it safe. Any thoughts are appreciated. Tia We live in Ohio.
Thanks for then info... gonna try the DeLonghi TRD40615T oil filled heater. Thanks for the info on circuits and amps / circuit / outlet... Somebody "finished " my
basement in 1979 central NJ condo with basement early in 1980's, I think, But now I know they really should-a updated and beefed up the electric panel / circuits first...!
This is a great article. I learned so much in one article. I am trying to heat my lower level walk out basement (lots of windows). I was looking at infrared heaters but cannot find out what determines the amount of heat they cover. Is it the watts and/or the BTU's. It seems what I come up with is 1500 Watt and 5100 BTU infrared heaters that say they will heat a large room. Please help me.
Hey Barbara - Watts is how much electric the heater uses, so the lower the watt and higher the BTU the better.
-Jason
We are having our 1800 sq foot basement finished off as 2 rooms ( 1000 sq feet and 800 sq feet). Initially contractor had advised baseboard ( convection heat) but now is giving the option of electric wall heater installed into the wall ( model Fahrenheat FSS HO 4004). I am confused which option to choose. While the wall heater will be more aesthetic will it blast out hot dry air and will it cost a ton of money ? Plan is to be in basement for 2-3 hours per day . The basement is currently being insulated with fibre glass insulation and it has small tightly sealed windows.
Hey Neel - Both are viable options, I'd say it'd come down to noise for me. The convection will be quieter and slower to heat.
Best of luck,
Jason
Nice Read. Thanks for the help. Just the right amount of snark to make a bland subject a bit interesting.
Good Morning,
We live in new England (northern Hemisphere). In the process of digging basement floor and plan to pour cement .(space to be used for storage/utility room, work shop and small finished space. Was wondering if basement ceiling should be insulated? Feel like the constant ground temperature keeps the house cool in the summer ( do not want to loose this aspect), but is cold on the feet in the winter. Boiler and piping all starts in basement, some heat is generated and I don't want to isolate. Maybe be it would be best to only insulate the basement walls?
Enjoy the day
thank you
If you have hot water heat, you can add some baseboard strips or column-mounted hot water fan coil units. If you don’t know how to size them yourself, call a plumber to at least install tees and valves for a new circuit.
your wife didn't mention the stink? The ceramic unit you like doesn't smell ???!!!
what are your thoughts on underfloor heating to supplement in a basement? not concerned about price and basement is unfinished at this time.
I am in Northeast Massachusetts, I have a basement which is fieldstone. My house is heated by Natural Gas. Was wondering... would a seperate Gas Heater, dedicated for the basement help keep it warm, reduce the chance of frozen pipes and keep the 1st level floor warm. Just a thought.
Thank You
Have unfinish basement wall is insulated but not floor, have oil furnace floor is cold , is it good idea for small heat pump
Thank you! Do the radiant heaters need their own circuit? I have available circuits in the box. Does an electrician need to designate a circuit? Otherwise this will trip them?