I am trying to figure out my options for heating my basement once it has been finished this coming summer.
I have a Cape Cod style home built in 1951. I live in southern NewYork, climate zone 5. The foundation is made from concrete block. When the renovation gets under way, I am either going to be insulating with 2" pink foam board or R13 batt. The finished basement will add 500 square feet to the living space.
I have a high-efficiency natural gas furnace that was sized for my entire house, including the basement. However, I am already running two floors with one zone. The system is very well balanced with there only being a two degree difference between the first and second floors no matter the season.
I do not want to add a third floor to the one zone I currently have. Putting downstairs on its own zone is going to require running a lot of new duct work and will double the size of the bulkhead around the main trunk. My ceiling is only 6' 10" to begin with.
My HVAC guy recommended installing a Mitsubishi ductless heat pump that will both heat and cool the space. I'm not concerned with AC because the basement has always been cool in the summer. I was told that with the Mitsubishi unit running during the summer, I can stop using the dehumidifier.
Another option I was considering was to use two plugin space heaters. As is, the basement stays fairly warm. Right now it is 32 degrees outside and my basement is 61 degrees. The thermostat on the main floor is set to 68. When temperatures have dipped to 0 degrees, I think the basement has gone as low as 55. I know insulating the basement will warm it up even more, but when the duct work is covered with sheetrock, less warm air will be leaking into the space.
My sister picked up a couple electric baseboards with oil in them for her house. I've read that electric baseboards can use up a lot of electricity. I'm not sure if the ones with oil are that much better.
My family and I plan on being in this house for a long time. I have already gutted the rest of it to the studs and put it back together. I'd like for my solution to be as energy efficient as possible, within reason. I don't mind spending a little bit more money on a project as long as the job is done right.
I would love to hear everyone's ideas. If need be, I can upload photos.