Do you know what is the best heater for basement? Say, like an unfinished basement?
It can be tricky. Whether it’s large or small, insulated or not, we have an option for you. With most unfinished basements being large and drafty, energy-efficiency can be a major issue.
Otherwise, you may be concerned with navigating a difficult space, or you may even be wondering whether it’s worth simply waiting until the space is furnished. Either way, we have a solution to heating your unfinished basement. Read on to learn everything you need to know!
Table of Contents
Is It Worth It to Heat an Unfinished Basement?
Unfinished basements certainly get cold, and you may be wondering whether it’s heating.
A cold unfinished basement could cause cold floors throughout the upper parts of the house. However, if that isn’t going to be a problem, it can be best to save money by not heating your unfinished basement.
If you can avoid using a basement while it’s cold and unfinished, and the loss of heat elsewhere in the house doesn’t worry you, it might not be worth heating your unfinished basement.
What Is the Best Way to Heat an Unfinished Basement?
What is the best way to heat your unfinished basement will vary depending on the space.
In a small basement, a forced air or infrared heater may be best. These are usually an inexpensive one-off purchase, small, and instantly effective. If you don’t need heating long-term, this is the best way to heat an unfinished basement. However, these aren’t ideal for longer use.
A convection heater such as an oil-filled radiator is the best way to heat an unfinished basement long-term. These are energy efficient, work well in large areas, and retain their heat even when turned off.
Should I Insulate My Unfinished Basement?
You should always insulate an unfinished basement.
Insulation not only stops heat from draining into the basement, but also prevents air circulating out of it, which significantly cuts down on the house’s overall heating costs.
Insulation prevents moisture from being trapped in the basement, which can lead to damp. In a very cold area, basement insulation can even be a crucial safeguard against water pipes freezing.
Will Insulating Unfinished Basement Make the House Warmer?
In cold areas, it is best to heat an unfinished basement.
The basement becomes colder as the earth around it conveys heat less well than the air which surrounds upper walls.
Even if, like many people, you only use your basement for storage, the cold space will spill cool air across the ground-level floors. With carpeted or otherwise heated flooring, this can still be chilly. If you have stone or tiled floors, this can be freezing cold in the winter.
Basements are also often prone to high humidity. Humid air feels colder due to the water vapor which hangs in it, and this can seep into the walls of the rest of your house and make cool temperatures feel freezing.
If your basement has vents which connect to the rest of the house, you may even be pumping icy basement air throughout your home.
Hopefully now that you know the best way to heat an unfinished basement, you can avoid this problem!
Also read: Should I Put a Heater in My Basement?
