Best Way to heat a basement

[rymac]

Hey Everyone,

I`m looking to build a basement suite and I was wondering would be the best way of heating the unit. Furnace, boiler or electric heater?

The basement is undeveloped so I can accommodate any system. I`m just wonder what would e the most cost effective install?

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[Gene]

Hi Ryan

Get a price on the boiler and heating unit. I personal would think that a heating unit would be less cost. You will have to block the cold air for the down stairs that the upstairs is using.Then add the new furnace with duct work and cold air for the basement suite only. The up front cost for the
boiler and install is what made me go with the heating unit.


Gene

 

[Karma]

If it`s a fairly open concept layout a gas fireplace is fairly reasonable and efficient. I would get the smallest, most efficient one that you can and put in on an auto thermostat. also make sure that the flame can be turned right down and that it has a fan- it will run on really low all the time essentially and the heat will circulate to all areas. Place it in a corner on a 45 degree angle. For the spring/summer get a dehumidifier and plumb it into a drain- it will provide a small amount of heat and take away the humidity- you shouldn`t need cooling in the basement. We have a raised bungalow with a totally finished basement and we spend 85% of our time down here.


QUOTE (rymac @ Dec 6 2008, 05:55 PM) Hey Everyone,

I`m looking to build a basement suite and I was wondering would be the best way of heating the unit. Furnace, boiler or electric heater?

The basement is undeveloped so I can accommodate any system. I`m just wonder what would e the most cost effective install?

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[JeffSmith]

QUOTE (rymac @ Dec 6 2008, 03:55 PM) Hey Everyone,

I`m looking to build a basement suite and I was wondering would be the best way of heating the unit. Furnace, boiler or electric heater?

The basement is undeveloped so I can accommodate any system. I`m just wonder what would e the most cost effective install?

Thanks,
Ryan

What city?

 

[rymac]

QUOTE (JeffSmith @ Dec 8 2008, 09:50 PM) What city?

Calgary AB,

Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[vandriani]

If you are considering legalizing the suite you may want to consider the following:

1. It is assumed by your post that the basement is undeveloped.
2. Close all current vents (heating ducts) that heat the basement. This is to satisify Alberta building code for secondary suites.
3. Install electric baseboard heaters in each room with individual thermostats.

 

[JeffSmith]

QUOTE (rymac @ Dec 6 2008, 03:55 PM) Hey Everyone,

I`m looking to build a basement suite and I was wondering would be the best way of heating the unit. Furnace, boiler or electric heater?

The basement is undeveloped so I can accommodate any system. I`m just wonder what would e the most cost effective install?

Thanks,
Ryan

You will probably need to address the issue of ventilation for the suite. If you go with a forced air furnace with separate ducting you will kill 2 birds with one stone. I you install a boiler you will need to ventilate the suite anyways. If you install baseboards in each room you will probably have to increase the electrical entrance from the standard 100 amp to 200 amps.
Jeff

 

[vandriani]

QUOTE If you go with a forced air furnace with separate ducting you will kill 2 birds with one stone.

Is this possible with one furnance our would you need to install a second?

 

[JeffSmith]

QUOTE (vandriani @ Dec 10 2008, 09:47 AM) Is this possible with one furnance our would you need to install a second?
It all depends on the requirements of the jurisdiction for construction of a new suite. The separate ducting and furnace for a new suite is a fire safety issue/requirement in Alberta

 

[rymac]

Building code in Alberta requires completely separate heating and air circulation systems.

Which can be very pricey since the city of calgary requires you to get skilled tradesman to install everything.

I got a price quote on a completely installed boiler system and it was $16k. Which seemed insanely expensive given my friend can get contractor pricing on a boiler for me, so the boiler and tubes would only cost me $3k.

 

[superdave]

QUOTE (rymac @ Dec 14 2008, 12:28 PM) Building code in Alberta requires completely separate heating and air circulation systems.

Which can be very pricey since the city of calgary requires you to get skilled tradesman to install everything.

I got a price quote on a completely installed boiler system and it was $16k. Which seemed insanely expensive given my friend can get contractor pricing on a boiler for me, so the boiler and tubes would only cost me $3k.


A full boiler system and all piping for 3k is insanely cheap. Remember in life you buy cheap you get cheap! Having been in the industry one thing you never want to have to deal with is a leaky radiant piping system!

 

[retiredby50]

I`d be asking the city of Calgary EXACTLY what they want.
This kind of reno is what I do for a living. I did one a year ago in Cochrane, and all we needed to do was to keep the furnace blowing to the basement, as well as upstairs, and install electric baseboard heat in the basement, with thermostats in the suite. We were simply told that the tenants in the basement, "must have access to their own heat."

We are now doing another one, and have so far been told the same thing regarding HVAC.

Ditto with electricity, so you`ll almost certainly need a sub panel to keep the inspectors happy, and once an electrician is there, it`s quite inexpensive to install 220 baseboard heaters, especially in an undeveloped basement.

While it`s true that electricity costs more to run, usually the people upstairs keep the temp set at a reasonable level and the heaters hardly ever come on anyway.

NOTE: In both of my cases, the owners live upstairs, and were building a legal suite. They were also redeveloping an existing basement, as opposed to building from scratch. This is a good reason to have a conversation with the local decision makers to see what they`ll require, as it may differ from my situation.


Also, be aware that sometimes inspectors are more leniant, sometimes less. if the inspector is having a bad day, it means YOU are having a bad day. God can`t even make a structural change without checking with His local inspector. So if the inspector says, "I need to see XYZ to approve this," then XYZ you shall do. Don`t expect any `higher authority` to rescue you.

My electrician, on one of my jobs, talked to the inspector, to convince him that the wiring was a) above board, and b) exactly what he has been doing for 30 years. The electrician must have been Charlie Brown`s teacher, because all the inspector heard was, "WAA WAA WAA WAAAAAAA...." We had to rip it all out and start over.

Hope it all goes well for you! Please keep us posted as far as what requirements you end up having to meet. It can help others as we plan this sort of thing.

Cheers
Keith