Heating options for Finished Basement
jenjen3574
14 years ago
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fnmroberts
14 years agoRelated Discussions
Finish Basement- Design Options
Comments (3)You have already put lots of thought into your basement space. For that you are to be complimented as too often homeowners begin without a plan and end up with a dysfunctional space. I can't see the dimensions and details in your postings to comment on specifics. As to storage, I believe you need to consider what will be stored - infrequently used items, large/small, immediate access when needed, surplus household items (e.g. paper towels), etc. You may need more than one location. In our case, we have a location below the steps where we keep boxes for electronics and items we may want to re-pack. There is a generous closet to store items we might want on short notice plus a kitchen in which we keep infrequently used electric appliances. Finally in an unfinished portion of the basement we have storage shelving for seasonal items that are mostly packed in plastic tubs. Our basement is primarily entertainment space and designed accordingly so storage is out of sight. Furnace and equipment need access for service and combustion air. Double-wall the furnace to contain the blower noise. Be certain to provide cold-air return. Think about dehumidification and a drain. Our basement was DIY and in doing so I gained a tremendous respect for architects because it was necessary that I extensively shop for dimensions of items to insure space was correct. I actually put masking tape on the floor to "live" the space prior to construction and used that to position lighting and other components. Having completed the build about 8 years ago there are very few things I would do differently. I've linked photos of ours and comments have been included with many of them. You've got a great beginning. Good luck. Here is a link that might be useful: Basement...See MoreHeating Finished Basement
Comments (2)1) First off, a heat load has to be performed to make sure that the furnace output is at least equal to the heating load of the main plus the basement. If not, you need a new furnace. 2) Second, even if it meets that fundamental criterion, a dual temperature controlled hot air system is either inefficient or fairly complex and costly or are too dependent on the installer expertise. However, if you aren't too particular about maintaining the basement temperature precisely, you could opt for balancing the flow with manual damper adjustments and keep your existing two zones intact. A separate furnace is a good option if 1) cannot be met or you want precise basement control and don't trust that a sophisticated damper controlled system will function properly according to the contractor claims. Or, you go the manual damper controlled way and if you aren't satisfied with its performance, then you could, at a later date, either go for a new furnace or controlled damping....See Moreprep for sale - basement finish options
Comments (4)Where do I start: This comes up quite often in my business. Do not spend a dime on the basement if the stairs are very steep and lack headroom, uneven floor, no headroom, dampness, small furnace that won't heat added space and an exit. These things cost money that you will not get your return on. Basements do not appraise as high as the rest of the house even with living space. Your value in basement remodels comes when what you have remodeled flows well with the rest of the house and does not feel like a basement. Just throwing some walls up will not accomplish anything. The bath scenario is a whole different ball game. Underslab work and expensive fixtures. Only if the requirements for the other rooms has been met do you consider a bath. There are more too numerous to mention questions that need to be answered before proceeding with a project like this....See Morefinished concrete basement floor options
Comments (15)LVT is "Luxury Vinyl Tile" or plank. These are the floors that look like wood, stone or tile but are vinyl through and through. They rarely allow underpad (the better one's do) or some will come with a cork underpad already attached like CoreTec Plus. These are higher end floors ($4.50/sf and up) and are often used as laminate or hardwood replacement options. There are literally THOUSANDS to choose from. They have been around for 10+ years and are en vogue right now as the "every floor for every person". They require flat subfloors. So they will need to have things ground down. Carpet hides wonky concrete (which is why it was used in the first place) so you will need to invest in subfloor prep. Once the subfloor is dealt with, you will never have to deal with it again....which is why it should be done at some point in it's life. There are people who swear by their higher end vinyls (8mm thick + cork underpad = $4.50/sf and up) and there are other people who have problems with their "thinner" vinyls (3mm without any underpad allowance). Thin vinyl directly over concrete slab is only slightly warmer than tile/concrete. I'm a firm believer that laminate (high end laminate) has it's place. A beautiful 15mm laminate ($3.50/sf) with a nice 1/4" cork underlay ($0.80/sf) can do everything you need it to do. In a basement, you want some form of thermal insulation. That's where many vinyl products "fall down". They really do NOT like underpad (most of them anyways). Just keep that in mind. Again, think about what you WANT your floor to do for you. This is a well used space (it is full-on living space by what you are saying) and comfort is a big plus....See Morefnmroberts
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