How to Get Heat From a Basement Upstairs

Open all the air registers in all rooms on the upper floors of the house.

Check to see if there are any dampers on your ductwork. If you have levers on the sides of your ducts, ensure that you close off or partially close those dampers delivering air currently to the basement, and fully open any leading to the upstairs registers.

Vacuum out all the registers and vents and ensure that nothing is blocking the flow of air from them. Also, inspect the filters in your heating system to ensure heat flow isn't being blocked by a plugged filter.

Open any doors leading from downstairs to upstairs.

Place fans at the bottom of the stairs and angle them upward. This helps force more warm air from the basement upward. If you have ceiling fans on the upper floors, set them to draw air upward, rather than blow it down, as this will help warm air circulate in an upward direction as well.

Have the ductwork in your home professionally cleaned if the heat from a forced-air heating system isn't being distributed through the vents in the home, or if you ever see excessive dust blowing out of the vents. A blockage in the system could cause heat to not be moving properly. Also, examine any exposed ducts for leaks. A leak in the system can also allow hot air to dissipate before it moves to an upper floor from the furnace in the basement.

Turn the fan on manually in your ductwork if you have a forced-air system. Most forced-air systems give you the option to manually adjust the fan in the ventilation system while also setting the heat levels. Make sure the fan is blowing to ensure heat distribution.