The temperature of a home’s basement will usually stay fairly constant through the year . But while this quality can make the space a cool place to retreat during hot summer days, it can also make the basement feel noticeably colder than the rest of the home during the winter.
Why are basements always cooler?
Basements tend to be damper than other places in your house. This is often caused by water seeping through the concrete foundation, rising from a dirt floor or simply because of poor ventilation. This higher level of moisture in the air will end up making you feel much colder than the ambient air temperature.
Why are basements cool?
Basements can also be cool due to the moisture in the surrounding ground if near a stream . As the outside ground gets hotter near the surface, moisture is evaporated making the ground cooler.
Why is the basement cooler than the attic?
The cause of the different temperatures is actually very simple. Warm air goes up and cold air goes down . Cold air will work its way down until it finds the lowest level of the home or a room that it can not go any further. ...
Should you cool your basement?
Cooling your home does not have to involve investment in high-price central air systems, as homes with basements can use cool basement air to keep the house comfortable. This ventilation method is inexpensive and will contribute toward a drier, and therefore less moldy, basement.
Is living in basement bad for health?
Some health risks to people who live in basements have been noted, for example mold, radon, and risk of injury/death due to fire . ... Presence of mold can lead to “respiratory symptoms, respiratory infections, allergic rhinitis and asthma”, as well as personal belongings being contaminated by mold.
Can sleeping in a basement make you sick?
“Basements are often damp, and moisture and mold go hand-in-hand,” says Robert Weitz, a certified microbial investigator and founder of RTK Environmental. “Mold and poor indoor air quality have been known to trigger allergies that cause coughs and headaches, as well as irritations to the nose, skin, and eyes.
How do you keep a basement cool without AC?
- Draw the Blinds. While natural light is great, too much of it can turn your home into a sauna during the summer months. ...
- Avoid Using the Stove. ...
- Unplug Appliances You’re Not Using. ...
- Turn on Bathroom Fans. ...
- Opt for Breezy Clothing. ...
- Add Outdoor Shade. ...
- Switch to No-Heat Lightbulbs.
How can I increase heat in my basement?
- Address any water issues. Before you do any work in your basement, you need to make sure you’ve noted — and corrected — any water issues. ...
- Install TWO sump pumps. ...
- Choose inorganic materials. ...
- Capitalize on radiant heat. ...
- Use decorative concrete to your advantage. ...
- Put up radiant panel heaters.
How much cooler is a basement in the summer?
So, in the summer a basement will be “cool” because the ground surrounding it is cool (relative to outside temperatures), and in the winter it will be “warm” because the ground surrounding it is warm (relative to outside temperatures), despite “cool” and “warm” both being the same temperature (probably about 50-60F if ...
How do I keep my basement cool in the summer?
Create cross-ventilation by opening windows and placing fans at both ends of your house or apartment, with one fan facing inward and one facing outward to draw the air through. If you have a basement, use a dehumidifier to draw the humidity out of the air and keep the basement cooler and more resistant to mold.
Should you close basement vents in summer?
You can safely close your basement air vents in the summer, yes . You’ll want to do so intermittently, though, instead of leaving them closed for several weeks at a time. If you consistently want to keep your vents closed, be sure to rotate which vents you shut at least every two days.
Is it OK to close AC vents in basement?
There’s no harm in closing a few basement vents . However, you should make a point of reopening those vents after a day or two of leaving them closed. You should also try and keep the vents on all the other floors of your home open to promote consistent and effective airflow.
How do I cool down my basement?
- Budget-friendly options for cooling a basement include installing window air conditioning units. ...
- Other low-cost options include floor fans or a box fan. Box fans will also fit into an open window and help to push warm basement air to the outside.
Why is my basement so hot?
Some of the most common causes of humid basements include: ... Basement condensation – Naturally, the basement is much cooler than the other rooms in your home. When warm air flows into the basement and mixes with the cold air inside, condensation is bound to happen, leading to wet walls and floors.
Can you put an air conditioner in basement?
You can choose to make your basement a sanctuary by installing an air conditioning system or make it a dungeon by blocking ventilation and impeding airflow. You can spend a lot of time and money finishing the basement, but if you overlook the ventilation, your life may become miserable.
