Heating and Cooling Considerations When Finishing Your Basement

Whether you want to transform your lower space into a bedroom, office, man cave or open concept living room, by finishing your basement you are adding more usable space and value to your home.

When finishing your basement, considerations around the heating and cooling strategies must be weighed. There are a few options that you should look at during the design. Each one has their own good and bad points.

If you are using your whole area, the best long term solution is to run ductwork from your furnace through the basement with registers. This is the best most effective way to ensure a nice, even distribution of airflow to your new space.

A second option is to install a vented stand alone unit for the basement only. Secondary units like pellet stoves and smaller furnaces will run separate from your other heating and cooling system and can be utilized only when you are using the space. It is also the biggest investment of all the options.

A more portable and short term option would be electrical space heaters and air conditioners. If your basement is small with segmented rooms, space heaters allow you to move your heat source from room to room on a as-needed basis. Portable air conditioning units can also work very well - allowing you to move the unit from place to place. These options would be the most cost effective solutions for your heating needs.

If your basement is designed as one large space, it would make the most sense to expand your ductwork and add it to your existing HVAC system. It is the best long term strategy that will guarantee a nice, even distribution of warm and cool air.

Finishing your basement is one of the best decisions you can do to add value to your investment. If you would like to talk to one of our sales reps or HVAC technicians regarding your plans, feel free to book an in-home, no-obligation consultation. We'd be glad to make some recommendations.