BASEMENT FIREPLACE IDEAS

We all know that basements are probably the coldest room in the house. They are often built in the ground which makes them cold and the insulation in basements is not always the best. Additionally, heat rises making a basement a very hard place to keep warm in the winter.

One of the basement ideas you might have for adding warmth is to install a Pic-A-Watt heater or another type of heating unit in the wall. Something with it's own thermostat would be ideal so that you can heat the basement independently of the house. Another option is to install a fireplace in your basement that can be turned on and off when needed.

Basement fireplace ideas include real fireplaces that burn wood, gas fireplaces, electric fireplaces and ventless fireplaces.

Vent free gas logs are relatively new and are now available but you need to be sure there is enough air in the room or keep a window cracked for safety. While these do generate some heat, they are mainly for looks and so probably not the best choice for any basement needing heat. You can find a selection of Vent Free Fireplaces on Amazon if you are interested

Both wood burning fireplaces and gas fireplaces require the proper ventilation so it is best to have a professional install them. It is never a good idea to cut corners with a fireplace and you really need to make sure it is installed properly. For maximum heat, these two choices are the way to go. If you have a gas fireplace you might think of getting one with a fan that blows the hot air out.

The last option is electric fireplaces that have come become more and more popular. While they do create less heat than gas or real log fireplaces, they don't require a vent and are much easier to install. All you need is a electricity outlet and they look almost like the real thing. If you have a small basement, an electric fireplace might be useful for adding some heat and a great look. You can find electric fireplaces for a good price on Amazon.com.

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.