Has anyone performed a heating load calc for the basement?

I would think long and hard about spending 3 K on a propane fireplace just for the privilege of purchasing $2.50-3.00/ gal propane.

IMO

What is your electric rate? How big is the area you want to heat? How often are you using the basement when you want to heat it?

About 9c per kw hour in eastern PA.
Not sure how much time...maybe fri/sat/sun..I have teens but am not sure.

Let me try to describe the odd layout we have...

......................................................nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxcccccccccccHcWcDDnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxcccccccccccHcWcDDnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxcccccccccccHcWcDDnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn................................
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn................................
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnsss................................
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnsss................................
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnsss................................
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnsss................................

ok, 'n' is what I'll call living space. 'x' is a back room...storage room if you will. 's' is the stairway. 'c' is closet, 'H', 'W' and 'D' are the hot water heater, washer and dryer. Dots are earth.

So, a 4' wide hallway runs about 8 feet past the washer / dryer to what is propsed to be the tv room. Its about 12 x 18 not including the hallway. On the extreme far right wall is where we have a flue and this where the propane unit would go. In other words heat would have to travel thru the hall left then right to heat the whole area.

The back room is 10 x 12.
The area to the left of the stairs is about 24 x 24 with the back room occupying 10 x 12 of it...this living area is sort of 'L' shaped.

Hope I have not confused everyone. The area buy the back room will be a game area. Its already finished...I just have to put baseboards in if we go with that.

It almost feels like I need a heat source in each spot. Likely the propane stove would heat the whole area but I have to believe the tv area would be hot before the other area was warm....but I don't know.

Baseboards would allow each area to be heated individually I guess but I wonder how long it would take to raise the temp 5 - 7 degrees...especially the bigger area...and I wonder what the cost would be.

All walls are about an R15 or so...1" xps + 3.5" fg + drywall.

I do not have an option for propane so I added a pellet stove for supplemental heat in the basement and emergency. I run it when we are in the basement for awhile or when it gets down below 20 so the heat strips stay off. It is thermostatically controlled and has auto ignition available. If we have a power outage the generator will run it and we can at least stay somewhat comfortable.

You have a low electric rate and you plan to heat the basement mostly on weekends so it does not seem the operating cost will be very high.

The cost difference between the two options is about $2600. If you saved $100 per year by using the propane fireplace it would take 26 years to recoup your added investment.

The electric baseboard has the ability to distribute the heat evenly around the area. A fireplace cannot do this. The electric baseboard has the ability to heat up the area faster but it is a function of how much power dissipation you will install. If you know the total power in watts you can convert it to BTUs. The fireplace should also have a BTU rating.

In my opinion you the electric baseboard heaters are a better choice for cost and comfort.

Well, I am glad to hear it will warm up quick.

So for the 12 x 18 tv room, how long of a baseboard should I get..I assume one long one on a wall with no furniture will do and it should be on its own stat, ie only run when needed....?

The other area is a little crazier. Do I need 1 or 2 baseboards?

I really only see two areas I can put the baseboard(s). I can get a 5 footer or so just to the right of the last 3 rows of Xs. This area (rectangular to the right) represents about 150 sq foot of space.

Around the corner, about 10 in back of that, I can also get up to a 12 footer (if there even is such a thing) on the extreme left outside wall. This area (rectangular to the right) represents about 324 sq feet..opening to the 155 sq ft area. Note i do have an overhead vent from my heat pump here. I could add more but I am not sure if its worth it. I'd need to add a return as well I guess. My experience is it warms the area a little when it very cold outside andthe heat runs non stop...otherwise it does not seam to do much...if anything, maybe I could add on to the 155 sq ft area in liue of a 5' baseboard....I don't know...

So, Do I need a long one and a short one..or just one long one and one more vent from the heat pump...or just a long one. If two baseboards, would each have its own stat or should the have a common stat?

I cannot put anything by the stairs and the last row, though now shown, has a few more closets.

You need to understand your BTU heating load for basement and size the strip heat accordingly. I assume your electric service has capacity.

Strip resistance heat is usually measured in watts.

1 KW=3400 BTUs

IMO

This post was edited by tigerdunes on Mon, May 6, 13 at 11:59

sorry tiger, you are speaking over my head...I think you are try to say I need to know how much heat the area looses and size accordingly...my electric co would not know this.. All I know is the sq ft and the fact that the temp hovers around 63 or so thru the winter. So I would need something to raise the temp 4 or 5 degrees w/out over or undersizing I guess. It seams the electric baseboards are only sold in a few sizes so I need to pick the right combination of sizes....?

You need to know your heating load first. I assume your basement is below grade or partially below grade.

If as you characterize your basement rarely if ever going below 63 degrees on a typical winter, I would expect your load to be very small. From memory, I believe you would be getting some BTUs off your HP system.

Then size the strip heat to the load. As stated the strip heat is sized to watts. For instance, a heat strip that has 1500 watts=1.5 KW= 5100 BTUs. The better models have a high and low output which you might want to consider. Before purchasing, have a qualified electrical contractor to check your electric service. The strip heat should be placed on a dedicated separate circuit.

IMO

Yes some from HP..I could add more vents but I just don't know that it adds much. It used to get down to 58 but since the insulation never below 63.

I just got back form HD...darn..did not look to see if units had Hi/low settings.

I would think the 2500W 8' unit would do for the 12x18 area but then again maybe something smaller would suffice.

The other area I'd hope a similar 2500 unit paired with a 1000W unit around the corner would be enough.

All that having been said, I see they have in wall Fan heaters as well. The plus on these is they do not rob floor space. I imaging they can be noisy though...?

They have a 4000W unit. Iwas wondering, if mounted by the outside corner of my storage room...if that would suffice on that end. If not too noisy, maybe a smaller unit in the tv area?

Are ther downsides to the in wall fan units? Are they as safe? Do they cost more to run? Do they heat as evenly / quickly?

Get the load calc performed. Do it yourself if necessary.

Oversizing will hurt your comfort and pocketbook.

Do you even know if electric service has capacity on a separate circuit?

IMO

I;ll have to google how to do a load calc. We had a subpanel put in for the basement..only a few circuits have been used...assume heat won't be a problem.

found help on trying to calc load..will attempt....any comments on in wall heaters?

Load calculation software.

49 bux

Link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: HVAC Calc Software