If you’re considering having your basement remodeled, you probably have all kinds of wonderful plans for your basement.
Maybe you’re going to have a home theater. Maybe you’re going to have a family fun room. Maybe you’re going to have a home gym. Maybe you’re going to have a home office. Maybe you’re going to have an extra bathroom. Or an extra bedroom or two.
Each of the above is a possibility for your basement. In fact, all of the above are possibilities!
But there’s one other possibility you might not be considering for your basement remodeling project. And it’s very much worth considering: Heated floors.
Making your basement floor nice and toasty-warm for your toes just might be the perfect finishing touch for your project. And there are several ways of making that happen.
Heating with Hot Water
One method of heating basement floors is to use hot water. It’s called hydronic radiant floor heating.
Here’s how it works: A boiler is installed to heat water. And a series of tubes is installed directly in the concrete of your floor. A pump continuously circulates hot water through the tubes, keeping your floor nice and warm.
The system can even be set-up so that the floor is divided into individual zones, each zone with its own thermostat. So you can adjust the heating as desired for each different room in your basement.
This may be the most expensive method of heating basement floors in terms of up-front costs. But it’s also the most energy-efficient, so it’s likely to save you money in the long run. And hydronic heating can be installed in new floors as the concrete is being poured, or retrofitted to existing floors.
Heating with Electricity
There are a couple of options available for warming your basement floor with electricity.
One option is to use electric radiant heating systems. These systems use a series of either cables or mats laid-out across your floor. They are thermostat-controlled, and can be installed directly beneath just about any type of flooring covering, including carpet, tile, wood, and stone.
Another option for heating basement floors with electricity is to just purchase a series of floor heating pads. Modern floor heating pads are very thin, and can be installed as a do-it-yourself project. But they must be covered with a floor covering of some sort, such as a throw rug. This is the cheapest and easiest option for heating your floor.
Both electric options are less expensive to install than hydronic radiant floor heating systems. But both will be less energy efficient.
It’s Not ALL About Luxury…
Make no mistake: heating your basement floors will add a luxurious touch to your basement renovation. But it’s not all about luxury. You’ll get some practical benefits too. Heating your basement floors will help to keep the humidity levels down in your basement. And that can help to reduce the likelihood of encountering problems with mold or mildew.
But being able to pad around comfortably in bare feet on your basement floor – in wintertime! – well, that’s just the lap of luxury. And though that’s not the only benefit you’ll get from heating your basement floors, it’s enough!