Many people are very excited about the idea of finishing their basement, but they don’t realize that the heating and cooling unit they have installed isn’t capable of warming and cooling that space properly. Sure basements tend to remain pretty cool, even throughout the summer months, but they likely require some heating during the colder part of the year, and that’s when you’ll start wondering what you are going to do about keeping that finished space comfortable. There are really two options available to you. The first is to replace your current heating unit into something with a capacity large enough to heat up your space properly, and the second is to add on a secondary source of heat to your basement to keep things comfortable. Both options are worth considering, but only one is going to be right for you.
Upgrade Your Current System
If you have an older furnace, or you don’t like the quality of your furnace that much, you will probably just want to go ahead and upgrade it to the capacity that you need to warm your basement as well. Make sure that you hire professionals to come in and size out your home properly for the furnace change, so that you can get just the right amount of power to keep your home running smoothly and to give you all the horsepower you need for nice warm conditions throughout the year. Upgrading your existing furnace system is a desirable choice in some situations, but if you just had a new furnace put in, chances are good you won’t want to replace it for your basement, instead you’ll want to add on a supplementary system.
Adding on Another System
Sometimes it just makes more sense to add another heating and cooling system to your home for the basement itself. This comes with a few different benefits. The first is that you can set your heating and cooling levels independently of one another, meaning that you don’t have to keep that finished basement space as warm as the rest of your home if you don’t want to, and you can adjust down the temperatures if the area isn’t being used that often. Not only that, but you can go with a ductless system in your basement and minimize the amount of additional ducts that must be run for your space to work properly.
A mini split unit is often the option of choice when it comes to adding heating and cooling to a basement. You can add one or more of these units to your space and forget all about ducts and a bunch of extra work that comes with most other heating systems. They’re simple to install and highly efficient as well.
Your basement can be kept very comfortable all throughout the year, but it’s likely that you’ll have to make some changes to your existing heating and cooling units in your home. This is an inevitable change that you’ll have to make, and it’s worth the cost if you want a comfortable environment. Just make sure you understand your options and that you choose what is best for you.
