ok, so Ive searched a lot before posting. I'm a homeowner recently re-doing my basement. Its going to be a movie room/spare bedroom. I'm learning the basics of insulating with XPS sheets directly on concrete and air sealing ... In the past I've had a dehumidifier constantly going in the summer. I live just outside Boston and get a decent amount of humidity in the summer. In the winter, even the coldest temps outside my basement stays about 55 degrees. Its about 4'below grade. Our house is 100% electric (no natural gas on our street). For the past 7 years I've had a steibel-eltron on-demand electric hot water heater (that sucker pulls serious amps when heating hot water on demand). I like it because its super compact and easy to service. My electric bill is OK, but I think I can do better. My Q: My utility room off the basement is 6' x 8' with 8' ceiling and a door opening of 30" that spills out into the finished basement. Could this work as a solution for both 1. partially dehumidifying the space --> I know I might still need to use the dehumidifier but at least lighten the load. 2. Certainly save me in electricity with the on-demand one. I'm concerned by the small size of the utility room. I really want the humid warm air from my basement to drift into the utility room. I can make a louver door, or even leave the door open between the utility room and basement. Will this solution work, or should I just keep the on-demand unit? I know decibals will be higher (I'm ok with that) ... just want to make sure the air from my basement will circulate into the utility room. Otherwise, I think I'm adding (maybe) too complex a machine to an otherwise workable solution I have right now. FYI - I’m also installing a mini split but will only have it on when we are using it as a movie night or a spare bedroom. I guess when the mini split is on in the winter, I will be pulling heat from outside (mini split) —> basement —> into HPHW. So thats parts of the energy calculation too. Thanks in advance for your time. Thoughts? |