How to heat a newly finished basement

[ninercub]

I am starting to finish off part of my basement and need to figure out a way to heat it. Can I add in another take-off from my existing ducts or is there a better way to heat the basement? I don't want to affect the rest of the house because we already have one room that doesn't seem to get enough heat.

[mdshunk]

The duct run, as it exists now, was designed and sized for the house as it exists now. Taking a tap off of it can really screw up the engineering of the duct run. Sounds like you're already having problems, so don't monkey with it unless you're going to get a sheet metal man to do a "Manual J" calculation to redesign major portions of the supply and return trunk to serve the added spaces. Proper duct engineering must be done if you intend to tap off your current hot air system, and have an end product that will still provide confort throughout the entire house. Much money can go towards this effort to do the job right.

A much, much simpler way would be to just use electric baseboard heaters or an electric fan forced wall heater. Very typical and very popular way to heat finished basements. Very easy and inexpensive for the do-it-yourselfer.

The other option would be a mini-split or "highwall" heat pump system. This would provide heating AND cooling if that is a concern. This option can be a couple of grand. Might be the "Cadillac" option. Myself, I'd just do some baseboard heat and leave the hot air system alone.

[Wgoodrich]

I would build stud walls around the entire permeter of the basement. Install the wire in those walls as needed. Then install wiring for baseboard heat as mdshunk suggested. I would place the thermostat in each room in the basement as zone heating using the baseboard heating mdshunk suggested. I also agree with his concerns about tapping from an existing duct system. Many will tell you that tapping from those ducts are a no problem affair. As time goes by you will discover who was correct. Your heating system was engineered without that basement in mind or they would have installed ducts to that basement blocked of for future use. Doubt you will find that.

Good Luck

Wg