Heating Your Basement
Basements can be used for various purposes,from laundry and storage, to finished basements with family rooms and bedrooms. They can also be great places to cool off in the summer when the weather is hot. However, once the weather gets cooler, your basement may be less comfortable and less desirable place to be. This is due to the colder air being denser and heavier compared to hot air. As a result, the cold air sinks to the lowest point of the house while the warm air rises.
How Can I Heat My Basement?
One of the effective ways to add heat to your basement is to use a fireplace, if you have a full functional fireplace. For those people who do not have a functional fireplace in their home, several options are available to you to take the chill out of your basement. Basement heaters are common in homes in cold climates and are available in different types and models. Among the different options include a heavy duty electric heater, baseboard heaters, ceramic heaters, fan heaters and propane space heaters.
- Heavy duty electric heaters are used to heat larger areas and put out so much heat that it is capable of heating a room to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Economical and easy to handle, the heating element heats the oil, which in turn heats the air surrounding it. Heavy duty electric heaters have no exposed elements, so it is safe to touch.
- Baseboard heaters have an element that warms the air passing through it. While the warmer air rises up the heater, the colder air is pulled down. Ideal for room by room heating, baseboard heaters require little space and no ductwork and is a good choice for homes that are newly constructed or remodeled. These units are easy to install in just about any kind of space. They are quiet and draft free and each room can be temperature controlled.
- Ceramic heaters work by pushing the air over a hot ceramic heating element with the help of a fan. A huge grill that oscillates the twin heating elements give the heater the ability to heat up a larger area. Ceramic heaters also come with a foot switch, tip-over switch, built-in air filter, overheat sensor and an anti-freeze setting.
- Fan heaters use a fan to push air over a heating element. This function therefore reduces the thermal resistance between the heating element and the surroundings; thus heat can be transferred more quickly.
- Propane space heaters are ideal for smaller basement areas that are 300 square feet as they radiate heat using propane gas as its fuel. It does not require electricity and it is also vent free. It also warms objects and people before it warms the air.
A Few Safety Tips Regarding Space Heaters
- Use space heaters on the floor and NOT on the furniture, since they are prone to fall, dislodging or breaking parts in the heater, which could result in a fire or shock hazard.
- Do not use heaters in wet or moist places, such as bathrooms, unless is it certified for that purpose. Damage or corrosion to parts of the heater may result in a shock hazard or fire.
- Be sure that your heater plug fits snugly in the outlet you are using, because a loose plug can overheat, causing a fire.
- Do not hide the cords of the heaters under a rug or carpet, doing so can cause the cord to overheat resulting in a fire.
- If your heater breaks, take it to a qualified professional. Do not attempt to fix it yourself.
- Be sure that all your unvented gas-fired space heaters (manufactured after 1983) are equipped with an oxygen depletion sensor (ODS). This detects a reduced level of oxygen in the area where the heater is operating and shuts off the heater before it accumulates a hazardous level of carbon monoxide. Heed the warnings about the dangers of carbon monoxide that are labeled on the heater.
- Have your gas heater and venting system professionally installed and inspected according to local codes.
- Make sure that gas-fired heaters are vented properly.
- IF YOU SMELL GAS, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO LIGHT THE APPLIANCE. Turn off all controls, do not touch any electrical switches and open a window or door and leave the area immediately. Then call a gas service person or fire department to alert them of the leak.
- Equip your home with at least one smoke alarm per floor.
- Be sure you keep at least one dry-powder operative, ABC-type fire extinguisher in the home at all times.
- Keep areas around heat sources free of papers, trash and other materials which can catch fire.
