Virginia winter - to heat or not to heat basement?


  #1  
Old 01-12-19, 06:23 AM
M
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 2
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Virginia winter - to heat or not to heat basement?

Hello. This is my first time using this site or ever posting to a forum, so I hope this is the right place. I live in Virginia and our winters here don’t get extremely cold. I’m trying to save on some heating costs, so I checked all windows and doors yesterday for drafts and needed up sealing off the outside basement door because of major cold air coming through. I also shut the ceiling vents to the basement. This morning the outside temp is 31* and the basement is reading a temp of 65*. Very rarely the outside temp can dip into the high teens at night, but mostly upper 20s. I’m wondering if I should open the vents back up to keep the basement pipes from getting too cold or just leave them closed. I also have a dehumidifier running down there if that makes a difference. Thank you.

Leigh
 
  #2  
Old 01-12-19, 07:54 AM
P
Group Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NC, USA
Posts: 27,657
Received 2,153 Upvotes on 1,928 Posts
If you have the major air leaks sealed you shouldn't have to worry about pipes in the basement freezing as long as the power stays on. The ground below the frost line is naturally warm and there will be some heat from the heated space above. Also, your dehumidifier will put heat into the room though they get less efficient as the temperature drops.
 
  #3  
Old 01-12-19, 08:38 AM
Marq1's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: USA MI
Posts: 9,745
Received 1,210 Upvotes on 1,098 Posts
Even up here in Michigan our daylight basement which half out of the ground would stay at a consistent 55 ish degrees all winter long with all the heat vents closed, clearly nothing is going to freeze.
 
  #4  
Old 01-14-19, 01:52 AM
M
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 2
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Thank you for the responses.

That gives me peace of mind. Thanks!
 
  #5  
Old 01-14-19, 01:48 PM
airman.1994's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: VA
Posts: 5,491
Upvotes: 0
Received 8 Upvotes on 8 Posts
dehumidifiers shouldn't be used in the heating months. You can solve this with ventilation. You need to open the vents to help move the air. You already have humidity issues and will make it worse with no air movement. Also heat rises so you will be heating the floor and upper floor by putting heat into the basement.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: