Add Heat to Your Basement With a Vent “Jersey Girl Knows Best “
So I’ve been pondering this idea about adding a vent to my exposed duct work in the basement for additional heat. The next time you have your HVAC serviced ask your technician if you can add additional vents/registers to your existing system in the basement ducts. If the answer is yes, then you’re all set to start this project! I worked on this, its complete and I already feel the warmer temperature down there! This is a great alternative to an electric heater because it was getting pretty cold 🥶 and I don’t want to forget and leave one of those heaters turned on by accident. Most of the materials you will already have at home or you can borrow or rent them. I by no means have any HVAC experience, but I am pretty handy with tools and I watch YouTube videos🛠 🧰 Are you ready?! Let’s do this!
In looking at basement vents in another family members home I decided to go with this 10”x4” ceiling and wall register (yes, I call it a vent) I really liked that this vent or register is multidirectional because I figured it would distribute the heat better.
I use the cardboard that came with the vent/register and create a template for the hole I am about to cut into the heating duct.
I measure it slightly larger, since there are some uneven areas.
This side as well. How does that saying go?! Measure twice, cut once. 📐 🪚
Now for the fun part! And don’t forget your safety glasses 🥽
There are two air ducts, how do I know which one to cut? Common sense tells me it’s the warmer one 💡 😉
I trace my template onto the duct with a black sharpie. Why a sharpie? Well, I first did it in pencil and I could barely see the line...so lesson learned! 👍🏻
🎼I can see clearly now...hmm...hmm🎼
I drill one hole with my drill so I can get those tin snips in and start cutting.
I borrowed these and they look old, but they are sharp and work great!
I would be very careful while you are cutting the metal. It is very sharp and not very forgiving. I would recommend wearing leather work gloves if you have them.
I found it easier for me to cut out small sections instead of the whole piece at one time. This is definitely a good work out for the under arms 💪🏻 You don’t see it, but I’m on a step ladder as well. 🪜
The tin snips/shears worked very well and it gave a nice clean cut.
I dry fitted the vent to make sure it fit and I used the sharpie to mark the screw holes.
Here I drilled the screw holes.
Since I did not have a helper, I used painters tape to hold the vent in place while I screwed in the screws with the drill.
Easy peasy!
Here is the finished vent/register. If you have any doubts about completing this project, I would recommend calling a professional HVAC company to install this. I hope you enjoyed my DIY adventure! See you next time!
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www.youtube.com/jerseygirlknowsbest
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HVAC is NOT DIY. Please hire a professional.
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I’ve also had heat vents in every basement. The last one had handles to turn them on/off for the heat to go to basement or upstairs only.
you made me laugh with the blue tape. At first I thought you were suggesting this photo is a goof ‘X’d’ out!!
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That's a good easy fix but I'm surprised you did not have any heating vents down in your basement already? Every home I know does, even my older house and my parents even older house had heat in the basement.