seeking to heat 1,000 sq ft unfinished basement

Rex Wilson

Hello.
I'm a DIY homeowner, looking to provide heat to a 1,000 sq foot unfinished basement. I've got Natural Gas in the house, and plenty of flu space for venting. I'm thinking about a 75-80k BTU gas boiler with a single loop, but I might prefer not to have to run (and solder) a whole bunch of cooper pipe and baseboard heaters. Am also considering buying a hot-air furnace and simply not installing any ductwork at first, to see if enough air will circulate on its own (I presume I'd need a "down-flow" type?). But this might make the rest of the house's air too dry.

The basement is rough, so the system doesn't have to be pretty, but I'd like it to be reasonably efficient. Anybody have any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Mad Dog

Radiant is great for a basement, but may not be in your budget

Forget Scorched air - it's dry , dusty and terrible. How about a nice series loop with SlanT Fin Baseboard? Mad Dog

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Rex Wilson

Hello, Mad Dog, and thanks for the reply.

Radiant heat sounds intereting, but I'm not sure I understand enough about it to feel comfortable doing it myself. And I was also under the impression that radiant heating elements had to go under the floor. The basement floor is already poured (concrete), and in places it's rough gravel and even dirt (it's an old house).

Yes, a single-loop slant fin system might be what i wind up with. Since appearance isn't important, I'd probably just run the pipe/element without the sheet-metal housing (assuming I can buy the element separately). Do you have a preferred boiler you recommend?

Joe_13

Get something industrial strength

Fin tube is a bit fragile to leave exposed without covers. Maybe get yourself some cast iron baseboard or maybe some used hot water radiators that can take some knocking around if you don't plan on finishing the space.

Jack_23

Rinnai 1004

www.rinnai.us Direct vent gas wall furnace. Use vent extensions to get up the wall and outside. 1004 will walk away with 1000sq ft basement. Easy install. cool to the touch, quiet, modulating gas valve and blower

kevin coppinger_4

what is....

heating the rest of the house now???? Why by a seperate boiler just for the basement. A set of cast iron hot water rads new or used is my vote. Get some help from a skilled contractor on heat loss and design. kpc