Warming Your Basement in Winter

When you think about a basement, you may think cold, damp and unusable. A basement that is not warm and inviting creates a space that is avoided. You can change your basement into a warm, usable space with some simple improvments, including insulation, carpeting, water control and additional heating.

Controlling Water and Dampness

If your basement has water or dampness, you need to address this before continuing the improvements to warm up your basement. First, you may need to add a sump pump to control the water flow under and around your home. But, a sump pump may need some help from a dehumidifier. Once the basement is dry, you can start making the other changes to warm up your basement.

Starting the Warm Up

Your basement is now dry, so you can begin the process of keeping in the heat. One of the easiest things to do to help with the heating is adding insulation to the walls. There are a couple of options that you can choose, the standard roll insulation, blown-in insulation or foam panels.

Determining which type of insulation to use depends on your basement. For example, if your basement is partially finished and has drywall walls, the blown-in insulation would be best because you do not need to remove the drywall. If you are planning on putting up drywall and need to frame the basement walls, the rolled insulation is a good option, but it will definitely reduce your area with the framing and drywall. The foam board insulation with panels will not take up as much space and will adequately keep in the heat.

Another option for warming up your basement may include adding additional vents and ductwork to your heating system. You will need to consult a heating specialist to ensure that your furnace can handle the additional space. If your furnace cannot handle the added requirements, there are also radiant heat panels or space heaters.

When taking the chill out of a basement, you can also consider adding carpeting to the floors. Adding carpeting will help trap the cold under the padding which will, in turn, make the area warmer. But, you will want to make sure before you add carpeting that the basement is water free. If there are any water problems, then you are risking having to remove and replace the padding and carpet.

For more information on how to transform your basement into a warm, usable space, contact Jersey Shore Crawl Space. We can provide you with an evaluation and options on how to create a warm basement in winter.