Whether it’s a game room, a home theater, or simply a space for extra bedrooms, a finished basement can quickly become one of the most valuable rooms in your home. Of course, if your basement is comfortable during Jacksonville’s changing seasons, that makes it even better. To maintain exceptional comfort during Jacksonville winters while achieving low utility costs, it’s important to consider all of your options when it comes to heating your basement. At Reliable Ducts Heating & Cooling, we want you to know that there are a variety of options available.
Radiant Heating
If you have hard-surface floors in your basement, one of the most unique options for heating your basement is radiant heating. Radiant heaters consist of a series of tubes that are filled with warm water. These tubes are laid underneath the flooring surface of the concrete subfloor. When you turn the system on, the water circulates around the tubes, resulting in an even temperature for the entire floor.
This heat then rises or radiates up from the floor to heat the entire room. One advantage of a radiant heating system from Reliable Ducts Heating & Cooling is it keeps your basement at a consistent temperature because it’s meant to be left on longer than a typical HVAC system. Plus, a radiant heating system often uses less energy than a traditional HVAC system, allowing you to save money on utility costs.
Baseboard Heating
Baseboard heating is another option for heating your space. This type of heating is produced near your floor. Although older baseboard heaters were notoriously inefficient and sometimes even dangerous, today’s baseboard heaters are designed to provide maximum heat using minimal energy.
Baseboard heaters are convenient because they don’t require any ductwork to operate. In fact, other than an electrical connection, they don’t require any modifications to your home’s existing structure. Plus, thanks to their efficiency, you don’t need a large baseboard heater, even in a large room. Therefore, baseboard heaters are largely unobtrusive so that you can maintain your decor theme without interruption.
The one drawback of baseboard heaters from Reliable Ducts Heating & Cooling is that they take a while to reach the desired temperature. Once they’re hot, though, they can stay hot for a long time, meaning that you can continue heating your basement without any energy input.
Space Heater
If you have a small area in your basement that you need to heat quickly, it’s hard to beat a space heater. Although a space heater is inefficient because it’s powered by electricity, you typically won’t have to run a space heater for very long to get a room nice and toasty.
Therefore, if you have family members living in the basement who want their room to be a little warmer before they fall asleep, a space heater makes a great option. You can also use a space heater as a transitional heating method to determine the optimal comfort levels for various areas in your basement. This determination will allow you to understand the most efficient heating methods to use in each area.
Ductless System
For a system that can provide both heating and cooling capabilities, a ductless mini-split system is worth considering. The small size and easy installation of ductless systems are two characteristics that make them appealing. Another key feature of ductless systems is their simple operation. Rather than using a complicated thermostat, a ductless system can be controlled using a basic remote control.
The significant air-moving capabilities of a ductless system from Reliable Ducts Heating & Cooling make it ideal for large basements. From a single source, you can heat the entire basement, allowing you to save on the costs of installing multiple smaller systems.
Plus, the heat that’s created by a ductless system is typically more economical than a standard furnace because a ductless system uses a heat pump to generate most of its heat. Thus, you can experience all the benefits of point-source heating in your basement while still saving on utility costs versus a comparable system.
Second System
If you’re like many homeowners, your basement wasn’t finished when you moved into your home. Thus, keeping your basement warm probably wasn’t a major concern for you. Now that you’re using your basement, though, the challenge of heating it efficiently has taken center stage. For many people, this is an ideal time to install a second HVAC system to separately heat and cool this additional space within your home.
Adding a second HVAC system ensures that you can achieve optimal comfort in your basement without over-exerting the HVAC system that you use in the rest of your home. Plus, since the second system from Reliable Ducts Heating & Cooling is devoted exclusively to your basement, you can take the time to properly size this system to provide the correct volume of conditioned air to space. What’s more, modern control interfaces allow you to control this second system from anywhere within your house.
Zoning Controls
In many cases, your home’s existing HVAC system may already have enough capacity to properly heat and cool your basement. The problem, then, is finding a way to efficiently deliver the conditioned air to where it’s needed. Fortunately, zoning controls from Reliable Ducts Heating & Cooling provide a solution to this problem.
Zoning controls work similarly to the hot and cold levers on a sink, as they open and close to allow the right mix of hot and cold air into a certain space to achieve the desired temperature. A thermostat in that specific room can tell the central system when changes need to be made and when the system needs to turn off and on.
With zoning controls in place, you will always be assured of the perfect temperature. Plus, since it makes more efficient use of your existing HVAC system, you will likely find that your utility bills decrease over time.
Fireplace
If you can add a chimney to your home, a fireplace makes a great way to keep your basement warm and add a homey touch to your space. While nothing beats the rustic charm of a wood-burning fireplace, a gas fireplace requires much less work and provides instant on and off heat that is like other types of heating solutions.
For a good compromise between a wood-burning and a gas fireplace, wood-pellet stoves provide a great option. These units use a fan to push warm air throughout the room, making them highly efficient while requiring less work than a traditional wood-burning stove. For an ultra-modern look, you can also opt for an electric fireplace that creates instant heat while projecting simulated flames for added ambiance.
Helping Make Your Home More Inviting
At Reliable Ducts Heating & Cooling our goal is to help make your home more comfortable. If you’re having trouble deciding on a heat source for your finished basement, we can help. Other services we provide include duct cleaning and repairs, UV lighting, humidity control, ventilation, and HVAC installation, repair, and maintenance. We’re available 24/7 for when the unexpected happens. Please give us a call today to schedule an appointment.
