BASEMENT HEATING IDEAS

Our basement is freezing most of the year and even in the summer, it feels like the air conditioning is on down there. So, my wife called someone to come out to see what they could do and find out how much it would cost.

There where two basement heating ideas we were given and the first is something called a King Pic-A-Watt heater that would be installed on the wall. You can see more information on it here and I am sure you can get something like it in your neck of the woods. We were quoted a price of $574 for a complete installation in the wall and that included running a cable from the unit into the garage all the way to the fuse box. The guy said that his company had installed hundreds of them and they were the most popular.

The second option we were told cost about $350.00 more but was cutting edge. You can read about the radiant system he said would do a great job and look better because it would be installed high on the wall and not be as conspicuous. He said it was neat because the radiant heat would shoot out and the minute it touched something it would heat it up. I'm not sure how it works exactly but it is supposed to be safe, energy efficient, and cost effective in the long run.

We wanted a heating source for basement that would work independently of the main forced air system in the house. Both of these options would come with their own thermostat that would help maintain the basement temperature at a constant level. Right now, in order to be comfortable in our basement, we have to crank up the heat in the whole house and have it boiling upstairs just so it is livable down there. There is a good 20 degree difference between our basement temperature and the 2nd floor temperature so we need another heating source badly.

These are the two basement heating ideas that our guy gave us and said most people pick between the two. If your basement is big though, you might have to get two of the Pic-A-Watt units to do the job. You might need two of the radiant heat units too. Check with your local electricity repairman for quotes in your area as that is who we got to do ours.

BASEMENT MOLD IDEAS

One of the biggest problems with basements is that they tend to be cold and moist which leads to mold. Basement mold is not only ugly but it is also dangerous to both children and adults by contributing to allergies and asthma. Any basement remodelling ideas you have should address the mold factor and work to make sure it does not become a problem.

Many basements are made of concrete and are of course on the bottom floor sometimes even buried in the earth. This presents a problem of keeping that basement space warm and dry as concrete does let in moisture. If you can figure out a way to eliminate the moisture and keep the basement warm, mold will have a much harder time of forming. Mold typically is not a problem in warmer climates and does not grow in dry places.

Probably the best way to make the basement floors warm is to have radiant heat installed. This is easier if your house is new and still under construction. There are two kinds of radiant heat, hydronic and electric. Hydronic radiant heat involved warm water through tubes under the floor and electric radiant heat involves electrical wires much like your toaster. If your house is already built, electric radiant heat is by far the easier of the two to install.

Installing electric radiant heat is a great basement ideas because it kills two birds with one stone. Not only does it make it very difficult for mold to grow but it also does a great job of warming the basement. Keeping your basement warm at least a couple of hours a day will most likely prevent basement mold from forming.

Sealing your basement from the elements is another way you should be protecting yourself from mold and other harmful effects that can seep in. Make sure all openings are caulked and that there is proper ventilation around the foundation. You need to make sure that water does not form around the house and that there are gutters that move the water away from the basement foundation. Again, the idea is to make everything as dry as possible year round.

Make sure that there is proper ventilation in your basement and that the air is not stagnant. Stagnant air will contribute to moisture forming and keeping your basement warm and dry is the objective. Depending on the condition of your basement and what type of basement remodelling ideas you have will determine the amount of money and effort needed to make it what you have in mind. For more information on basement mold, please see black mold removal.

Basement Ideas That Work

If you own a home with a basement you have the opportunity to turn unused space into a great living space--all without adding on extra square footage to your home. In fact, finishing a basement is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to increase living space in a home.

This list of basement ideas books is a great way to find some innovative ideas and learn how to make them into reality. Any one of these books is great for anyone trying to plan the perfect basement living space for their family.

Basement Ideas - Use A 3D Interior Design Tool

The best way to plan all your great basement ideas is to use an online 3D design tool. You many have a few ideas in your head but you need a good way to plan them and see what they would actually look like.

You don't need any special training to use this online tool and with it your basement finishing ideas can come to life right before your eyes! With this tool you can drag and drop hundreds of images right on to your plan. This gives you complete control of creating the basment ideas that only you invision.

With this online 3D design tool you have the ability to design any basment ideas you desire and you can see what it will look like before you begin. This tool is a great time saver and it insures that you will not get end up with any unpleasant suprises when you are finally finished.

When you start any basement remodeling project, now you can involve the whole family. Everyone will have their own great basement ideas and now you can all see them together and choose the best plan!

10 OF THE BEST BASEMENT DESIGN IDEAS

There are so many different basement design ideas that it is hard to know where to start. Here are then, in no particular order, are a collection of some of the best basement ideas:

1) Basement Home Theater - With the proliferation of reasonably priced LCD flat screen TV's now, this basement design idea is one of the most popular. If you turn your basement into a movie/TV room you can set up great speakers and have a great movie experience whenever you want. It may even save you money on movie tickets!

2) Basement Workout Room - More and more people are buying tread mills, weight sets, and elliptical machines and what better place to put them than in the basement. Do up the room nicely and you have yourself your own private gym!

3) Basement Workshop - If you have enough lighting and door space to get things in and out, a basement workshop might be right for you. Working in your basement in the cold winter months would be a lot nicer than in that cold garage.

4) Basement Bar - If you don't have enough space to entertain upstairs, you might consider moving the party downstairs. This is a great idea for some smaller houses. If you can put in a mini kitchen in the basement and some fun furniture you are ready to party with your new basement bar!

5) Basement Office - Many people need to work at home in today's modern world and moving the office downstairs to the basement is a great idea to separate work from play. Making a basement office also frees up a bedroom or the den where the office was.

6) Basement Game Room - Put in a pool table, poker table, or a ping pong table along with a big TV and you have yourself a game room for everyone to enjoy. Adding a pinball machine will really add to the ambience of the game room!

7) Guest Bedroom - Turn your basement into the guest bedroom and free up a room upstairs for yourself. This will work best if the basement has a bathroom and a shower of course.

8) Basement Storage - If you positively can't think of anything else to do with your basment, you can always use it for storage. If you do though, make sure you are able to keep it dry. A cold, wet basement is not a good storage place as the things you store might get ruined.

9) Basement Wine Cellar - A cool basement is the perfect place to store wine. Wine is becoming very popular now that it has been acknowledged that it is healthy and so now is the perfect time to turn that unused basement into your own wine cellar.

10) Basement Sauna - A sauna needs a special place and a basement is perfect. If you like saunas you know that extreme heat can make you feel great. Putting a sauna in the basement is several steps up from just getting a hot tub!

Basement Design for Do It Yourselfers

Today in 2008, basements are no longer viewed as that extra area under the house. If a basement has the right interior design, it will add extra space for you and your family to use. It will also add significant value to your home. Some creative basement design ideas will help you find the right solution for your unused space in the basement.

The most important part of remodeling your basement occurs well before you ever touch a tool. In your planning it is best to view the unfinished basement as an empty canvas and be able to freely create anything new in addition to your basic living needs.

Are you a do-it-yourselfer interested in getting help planning or designing your basement? Several designers have made a career out of basement design and it is big business today, but you may want to design the room yourself.

One of the first things you have to consider in a basmetn idea or redecoration is the lighting. Not enough overhead lighting can spell doom for the design and the room. Since basements do not normally get a lot of natural lighting, you might want to make sure your basement design has plenty of overhead lights so the basement is not so dark when you are trying to enjoy that area.

You will probably want to carpet the basement floor and the stairs that are accessed from the inside of your home. This will make the basement feel more "livable". When finishing or remodeling your basement, make sure you paint the interior surface of the basement wall with a high quality waterproof and mildew resistant basement wall paint. Basement design ideas point out the suggestion of using bright colors for the walls, furniture and accessories.

The best basement design idea will make sure that the end result is a room that does not look like a basement. Remember, that great basements improvement design can increase the value and ambiance of your home and the quality of you life.

Basement Ideas - The Basement Wine Cellar

One of the more obvious basement ideas is to turn your basement into a wine cellar. The basement is the natural and ideal place to store your wine.

Wine needs to kept in a cool dark place where the temperature doesn't fluctuate too much. This is true of the basement as it is usually the coldest and darkest part of the house and the room were the temperature changes the least throughout the year. Additionally, the basement is usually either totally or partly built into the ground so it is the room where there is the least vibration. You can also keep your wine glasses (Wine Glasse Co) down in the basement but that is not necessary.

If you live in a very hot region of the country, you might want to invest in an air conditioner for those stretches of very hot days. Ideally wine should be kept somewhere between 48 - 56 degrees Fahrenheit and during the summer even your basement temperature may go over that.
Additionally, dry climates often cause the cork in wine bottles to shrink which lets in air. This is one thing you do not want to happen and a humidifier might be a wise purchase for those that live in the dryer regions.

A basment wine cellar is the perfect basement idea for anyone who enjoys sweet wine or collecting wine. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to announce to your guests that you will be right back with their selection of Port right after you jaunt down to your basement wine cellar!

Basement Ideas - Basement Gym / Workout Room

Workout machines like treadmills, stair climbers, and elliptical machines are quite the rage right now. This is one of those basement ideas that really makes sense when you think about it.

Basements are very often the coldest room in the house and so there is no better place to put your workout equipment. Very soon after beginning your workout, you will work up a sweat and the cold room will not bother you at all .

Additionally, you can do as little or as much with your basment gym as you like to make it presentable. As this will not be a room to really "hang out" in, you don't have to put down a carpet if you don't want to. Or, if you do want to make it a great looking basement gym, you can do that too.

A basement room ideas like this one is also good for controlling the noise when you work out. As it will be away from the rest of the house, you can play your boombox as loud as you want and the noise of the machines won't be a problem either. You can put in a flat screen TV to make your basment workouts more enjoyable.

One important thing you must do, though, is to make sure your basement gym has a good ventilation system. Being down in the basement their might be no windows to open so you must find a way to keep the air fresh.

This basement ideas is a good one because it frees up another room in the house. Now you won't have to use your den or a bedroom for your workout machines. You can have a seperate place you go to do your basement workout and keep the family rooms available to do other things.

Basement Ideas – Basement Home Theater

This is becoming one of the more common basement ideas as new technology makes it cheaper and easier to build. Now that LCD flat screens along with awesome stereo sound is easy to find, a basement home theater is the dream of many.


Make sure you pick a flat screen that is proportional to the size of the room. LCD has overtaken Plasma in popularity now because the prices have come down and LCD flat screen tv has a longer life expectancy than Plasma. Remember, you want to buy a flat screen that is big enough to keep you happy for many years.


Many people forget that the screen is only half the experience of these basment ideas. If you get a great screen but have poor sound you will find you and your friends are highly disappointed. You need to get a high quality stereo surround sound system that will take advantage of the high-end sound capabilities of today’s DVD’s. Some of these systems are fairly expensive and you need to consider this before you dive in. For the best sound, make sure you mount your surround sound speakers on the side and rear walls.


Don’t blow all your money on the flat screen and speakers. Any basement home theater needs to have comfortable places for everyone to sit. Soft couches and chairs are a must to make this the room everyone wants to hang out in. A nice plush carpet also goes a long way in making the room visually appealing and comfortable. Basement ideas like the basement home theater are what make your home a special place to live. If you do it right, you will be rewarded for years.

Basement Ideas - The Basement Workshop

One of the most popular basement ideas is to turn your basement into a workshop. In order to do this, you need to have a basement that has a door to the outside. Otherwise, you will have to bring all your materials and projects through the house and down the stairs. So, the basement cannot be totally submerged in the ground.

You will need storage for all your tools so shelves will be needed and walls can be used for hanging storage spaces. If the walls are concrete, you will need to figure out how you can best attach shelves or hooks for hanging.

Any basement workshop work area needs to be big enough to be safe. If you intend on building things, there needs to be enough space to acually work. You should make sure there is room to use your saws and drills and what not and not jeapardize your safety. A cramped space will not work with basement ideas like this one.

Basement lighting is also an important safety issue. If you are going to be using dangerous tools (and most tools are dangerous), great lighting is a necessity. Natural lighting is best but since this workshop will be in your basment you might need some bright flourescent lighting on the ceiling. Lamps are OK but overhead lighting is the safest.

You will also need to make sure there are electrical units in places where they are accessable. Depending on the basement and whether it is finished, there might not be convenient electrical units in which case you might need to use tools with a Skil 18v battery.

Basement ideas like this one are great because they can turn your home into an enjoyable place to live. If you like working with your hands and building things, a basement workshop might be the right choice for you.

Basement Ideas – Basement Bar

Most houses don’t have a large enough living area to do the type of entertaining that you would like. Turning the basement into an entertainment room / bar is one of those great basement ideas that will take care of that.

If you are going to entertain guests, you will need to make sure your basement has a kitchen area, a barstool or two for people to sit on, and other chairs and sofas as well. It should have a sink and at least a small refrigerator so that you can serve food without having to go upstairs every 5 minutes. Make sure the water coming out of the basement faucet is the same clean water that comes out in the kitchen. Basement bar ideas like this need to have a full kitchen capability.

The cold floors of a basment will most certainly not work with this basement idea! You will need to have basement carpet over those floors and this will give you a chance to decide on the way you want to present the room. The carpet can be a bright colour or it can be toned down depending on the mood you want the room to have. You will also need to decide on the type of carpet, one with a plush feel or one that is more office like.



Basement lighting is another important aspect of this basement bar that will help determine its character. Track lighting always seems to give a room an upbeat feel and if you are using the room for entertaining that will be vital. Most basements are dark and so you must figure out how to effectively illuminate the room. Make sure you have a lamp or two (maybe a Tiffany lamp) in the corners of the room to make the room feel bigger.

Just like the lighting, the color of paint that you use to paint the walls will help determine the mood of the room. You will probably want a lighter color paint that will give the room a festive appearance.

With all these decisions, it is best to consult all members of the family and try to get a consensus. When everyone contributes their ideas, it helps them feel they had a part in designing the room. This sense of involvement goes a long way toward building family bonding and ultimately helps the family as a whole enjoy this basement ideas!

Basement Ideas – His and Hers Basement Office

Many people have offices in their homes now days and what better place to put them than in the basement. One of the better basement ideas is make the basement into a “his and hers” office.

One of the advantages with this basement idea is that it moves the workplace away from the family and the family rooms. Too many people let their jobs and business interfere with their family life and by moving the den or office(s) into the basement you effectively separate the two.


You will need to make your basement into a home office that you and your spouse can enjoy and get work done in. Some tips to make this basment ideas into reality are:

Great Lighting – You need great basement lighting if you are going to make your basement into an office. You do not want to be in a place that is too dark and strains your eyes when you are looking at papers, reports, or a computer screen.

Ample Shelving – any basement office need a generous amount of shelves to organize your things. Shelves help you utilize your space and keep things in order. Basement ideas like this one are great because you can move many of the things that clutter the family rooms into the basement away from everyone.

Paint – Choose your paint carefully: you want a color that is professional looking to remind you that you are in your basement office. You don’t want to use a paint that is a dreary color but instead you want a paint that makes the basement idea look neutral.

Furniture – Comfortable chairs and desks are vital for a good work environment. Don’t necessarily get the same chairs and desks for both of you as each one of you might have a different idea of what is comfortable. It is a good idea to get the best ergonomic chair you can find that you each like. The important thing with this basement idea is to make sure that both parties are happy with their basement office and want to spend time there.

Basement Ideas - Basement Lighting

Whatever your basement ideas, it is important to add as much light as possible to your basement. Basements are usually dark, cold, and dreary and so the effective use of light is very important.

The light you add to your basement can make a big difference in the "feel' of it. If your basement is above ground or partially above ground, make sure you take advantage of that by putting in some windows. Natural light is always the best kind of light.

Many basements have low ceilings and for this basement idea you need to make good use of artificial light. If you direct your lighting toward the ceiling it has the effect of opening up the room and making the ceiling appear higher than it really is. Choose your lamps carfully for both design and the colour of the light they emit. If you buy the right kind of floor lamps and table lamps, you will be suprised at the warmth they bring to a room.



Track lighting works well if you have a bar theme, a sports theme, or a game room type of theme to the room, Track lighting around the edges of the room can highlight pictures and paintings on the walls and give the room an exciting look.

Basement ideas like good lighting are important to build the best basement you can envision. As always, make sure you consult the whole family so that everyone can have a good feeling about the basment you are building!

Basement Ideas - The Cool Game Room

If your basement is just wasted space, this is one of those cool basement finishing ideas the whole family will love. Do a basement remodel and turn it into a cool new game room - hangout area. To do that here are are some great tips and ideas.

First you need to clean up the entire basement.
You need to have your basement completely cleared and cleaned so you will be able to work. Starting from scratch will help you create this great basement ideas, and incorporate your own personal vision.

Look For Pictures Of Cool Basements For Examples.
Look in home magazines and on the Internet to find lots of pictures of finished basements to see what you like. You can find examples of different styles and colors to present to the family so that you can decide as a group what your game room basement remodel will look like.

Use Colorful Paint
The cool game room needs to have some great colours on the walls to give the room extra life. This room will be used for a fun gathering place and it needs to look like a happy and exciting place. The proper use of colorful paint can help accomplish that.

Add Colorful Carpet
Basement floors can be get cold and are unattractive with no coverings, so you need it to be carpeted for that cosy "homey" feel. Again, just like with the paint, it is best to use some exciting colors for the carpet to make the room feel like an exciting and happy place.

Furnish the Basement
Like all basement ideas, the right furnishings can make or break a room. You need to find the most comfortable chairs and sofas because this is a room that will be used a lot. Take your family to all the furniture stores in town and let them sit on everything. If you are lucky, there will be a few items that will stick out that everyone loves.

Add Some Cool Extras
How about a refrigerator in your new game room? A pool table, ping pong table, Foosball table, and pinball machines are always fun and the most popular. Ask the family what they want in the room and try to get a consensus.
This will be a room for the whole family and everyone should feel a part of it. This is one of those basement ideas that will bring the family together and be a positive experience for everyone. With this basement idea you will have added value to your home and to your family!

Basment Finishing Ideas

In order to find really great basement finishing ideas, you will need to take some time to educate yourself. We, of course, will help you with this journey by bringing as many basement ideas as we possibly can to this site.

During the next few weeks, we will be gathering basement ideas for you and putting it all up for you to go through. We will highlight basement remodeling, basement flooring, basement designs, basement finishing, and many other things. This will hopefully give each of you a chance to see what’s out there and can help you to formulate some ideas of what you might want.

A newly remodeled basement can improve the quality of your life significantly. It can become a fun family room where the gang hangs out or it can be turned into an office sanctuary. The possibilities are endless. We don't have all out basement ideas up yet, but will in the near future.