Best heating plan for basement workshop
Greetings,
I’m trying to determine the best way to heat my daylight basement workshop (still under construction). It’s just under 400 sq. ft in size, with 8′-8″ ceiling. I originally thought about adding a couple of heat ducts from the furnace ( I plan to upgrade the furnace at the same time). If I do that I should probably add a return air duct as well. The problem with that is If I’m generating lots of dust (even with dust collection) or doing finish work with solvent based finishes, that will get sucked into the system and be distributed through the house. Is this a valid concern? Are there filters available that would mitigate the distribution of dust and odors? Another thought is to use a separate heat source for the workshop – maybe a Hot Dawg heater or some other direct vent heater system.
Any thoughts or comments on the best way to heat the space?
Thanks for your time,
Mark
Replies
A couple of ducts as you suggest. But buy a magnetic cover for the cold air return so you can manually place it whenn you're making dust. Position that return so you can do so easily. Then insulate well and use exterior door frames on the shop's entrance(s). So you can weatherstrip to keep the dust in.
For that, I'd avoid adding to your other system at all costs. No filtering will 'filter' VOCs from your finish work and only HEPA filters will really filter the particulates. Keep the heating separate. Explore another opportunity. If this is new, why not a radiant floor w/ minimal heat to take the edge off? I think you would regret tying a supply and return into your existing system. Too many issues.
Edited 10/31/2009 8:39 am ET by Clewless1
Thanks, everyone, for your responses
I like the idea of radiant floor heating, but the slab is already in.
I think I'll go with separate heating system, based on all of the reponses I've received. My inspector wants all of the walls (both above ground and below ground insulated to R-21. I think I'll go with 1 inch of spray foam and fill the rest with Fiberglass.
Does anyone know of a good sealed combustion gas heater that I could install on a wall or on the ceiling (something I could direct vent to the outside)?
Thanks.
Mark
Maybe you can find a gas fired wall type heater that vents directly outside.
You want something that brings in outdoor combustion air and has sealed burners.
There are a few unit heaters that have these features. Get the smallest one you can.
Otherwise, don't discount the electric options. If you actually take the time to do a heat loss calculation, you will find that the space can probably be heated with 5kW or less.
A couple of nice baseboards will be less $$$ to install than a gas fired unit heater. Add silent and no air movement (no dust in your new finishes) too.
More out of the box thinking would be an electric water heater and a couple of radiators.
Fill in your location, etc. (click on your name, etc)
If not in a -40C/F area, basement heat can just be the losses thru the floor above.
Have never heated my basement except for the 'losses' from the duct wall and the heat generated by tools, lights, etc. Am in PNW, relativelymile climate, seldom drops below 20F.
Filtering dust is doable with multiple filters, including a HEPA filter. But you won't be able to reduce fumes much.
Radiant floor heat is definitely the way to go for a shop. For such a small area you might be able to use your domestic water heater as the heat source.
400 sf isn't a lot if the space is insulated well. The walls below grade will be around 54* most of the time.
Spray foam the walls- all you need is about a 1/2 inch of it.
Put in a couple of oil filled electric baseboards. These distribute the heat much better than baseboards without some type of fluid in them... and they retain heat for longer.
If you need cooling, put in a mini-split. Quiet, efficient and separate from your house system. They make these with a heat pump function, too.
Spark hazards exist with any choice, unless you remotely mount thermostats for the baseboards.
Definitely choose a gas or oil fired unit heater with a sealed combustion chamber and a stainless heat exchanger if you go that route.
Big headache if you tie it into the house system.
Wood stove; burn the scrap and the sawdust.
Just remember to clean the chimney fairly often if you're working with softwood.
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
foolish men call Justice....
I agree with the majority of your responders--don't tie in to your existing duct system. It's a bad idea for the reasons mentioned, and if you try to filter the airflow effectively, you will create huge static pressure on the system that will reduce airflow to the rest of the house, or else reduce it to near nothing on the new circuit.
Given your location, I second the recommendations of post #9 that suggested you think seriously about electric heaters vs a gas direct-vent heater. It would take many years to achieve payback on the energy use of the direct-vent gas heater vs electric.
I would go with one or two radiant electric (infrared) heaters that hang from the ceiling. No waste of floor space, easy to see if there's an objectionable (or dangerous) build-up of fine dust. The infrared radiant heat makes it feel warm the instant you turn it on, which is nice if you tend to use your shop mostly evenings or weekends for a few hours at a time. Most of the time, you could leave the heaters off entirely since your basement will never get much below 55 degrees, maybe even 60.
Thanks everyone for all of your great ideas.
I think I'm going to check out my options with electric baseboard or electric radiant heat. It sounds like it will be more cost effective, and that way I won't have to upsize my natural gas line for a gas heater.
Thanks again everyone!!
Mark