Heating your basement efficiently
Many people have finished basements. It is an inexpensive way to expand the living area of your home. And for people with small lots, it is often the only way. In the summer, the cool basement is a nice escape from the heat. The heavy walls which are not exposed to the hot outside air absorb much of the heat inside the basement. This feature works great in the summer, but needs a remedy in the winter. You will need to heat your basement to make it usable all year round.
There are many ways to heat a basement. Conventional heat sources include fireplaces and electric heaters. The system that is right for you will depend on the size of your basement, the design of your house upstairs and the ground around the home. For more efficiency, you should consider geothermal. A geothermal system pumps water deep into the ground where the earth warms it up. An electric heating element or gas burner can then warm the water up to the final temperature. This system is so energy efficient that the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) estimated a savings of between 20 to 50 percent.
