Basement freezing while using space heater?

Got a space heater today because it seemed that the furnace was coming on for 1 minute or so every 25 minutes to keep the inside temp at 62. The heater is working so well that the furnace has not come on yet tonight. BUT what about my the underbelly plumbing? Our living space is warm but am I now neglecting the underbelly since the furnace is not warming it?

Help?

Re: Space heater

Don't know what the temp is going to be where you are, but when I was in the Dallas area it got down to around 20* or so. I put 2 - 150Watt light bulbs with aluminum refletors. It kept the basement warm enough to not freeze. Lowe's Aluminum Reflectors

Worked for me.

BC

Re: Space heater

I put a sending unit for a thermometer in the underbelly to monitor the temp. If it gets to cold I turn the furnace on but have also put a small ceramic heater in the basement to help warm things.

Re: Space heater

We have never had a problem underneath in the front where our pump, furnance ect. is. Our problem during cold below 20 has been on the water line running from the water tank to the pump. To monitor this temperature we put a digital thermometer with a wired sensor under the kitchen sink with the sensor down into the basemeant by where the sink drain pipe goes thru the floor. This gives us a accurate underbelly temperature near our water tank. Then we can adjust our furnance temperature up to try and keep this line from freezing. On different floorplans this may or not work in yours.

Re: Space heater

Iver said:

Got a space heater today because it seemed that the furnace was coming on for 1 minute or so every 25 minutes to keep the inside temp at 62. The heater is working so well that the furnace has not come on yet tonight. BUT what about my the underbelly plumbing? Our living space is warm but am I now neglecting the underbelly since the furnace is not warming it?

Help?

Click to expand...

I understand your concerns as i had the same thoughts. I installed a fan only thermostat to our furnace to circulate the electric heat (non propane) to the underbelly ductwork. This can be done for about $60 and a few hours labor. Try doing a ' forum search'
as I have posted how it was done.

Re: Space heater

Sorry, can't find the thread you mentioned.
Thanks

Re: Space heater

Iver, I think THIS is the post he spoke of. Although there is no specific info on how it was done.

Peace
Dave

Re: Space heater

I bought the thermostat here...part number 85-8032, talked to Jay the owner. http://soldonsun.com/Pr/App/DC-4BladeFan.html
The toggle switch came from ACE hardware 20 amp DPDT. Used braided # 10 wire-about 20'.
This thermostat handles the main power (inline type). The toggle switch directs and isolates the Gas furnace electrical board while using the fan only to circulate the electric heated air through the ducts.
The placement of the thermostat and switch is up to you, I mounted them near the factory furnace to shorten the wire runs.