How to Get a Brick Basement Warm

Place radiant heaters in the basement at least 3 feet away from furniture, walls and draperies to reduce the risk of a fire. Never operate such heaters unattended. However, if you plan to be in the basement for a few hours, you will stay warm with radiant heat.

Run new ductwork and place new vents around the basement. Unless you have heating and cooling experience, call in a professional for this job. Be advised that this can impact your heating costs adversely, especially if the basement is quite cold. Your furnace will keep running to keep this area warm. Closing the vents in the basement when you are not there can help reduce this issue.

Install baseboard heaters in the basement. This can be more economical, since the baseboard heaters have a thermostat and will not run constantly. This is a good compromise solution because, unlike a space heater, you can allow baseboard heaters to run attended. Also, baseboard heaters are more economical than new ductwork.

Install a wood stove. Have a professional install the stove and vent it out an exterior wall. You can also use a pellet stove, if you prefer. These stoves will actually provide heat to the rest of the home and can be very efficient. If filled properly, they do not need to be constantly attended, but you will need to check the stove periodically throughout the day to see if it needs more wood.