Added Heat in the basement

[bubbagulf]

Need some information or guidance Please.
We have a 2014 Montana 3625 and are considering putting a heater in the basement/storage area. This rig has a solid bulkhead between the storage area and utility area/underbelly so we’re not sure if adding heater will accomplish anything.
Has anyone added an access door/opening through this bulkhead?
Is this bulkhead structural?
What is this bulkhead made of?
Or should we just suck it up and use the LP furnace?:banghead:

Thanks for any ideas

[rjsurfer]

I put a 100 watt light bulb on a temperature switch in the storage area up front. It comes on at 40 degrees or so. That is enough to keep things from freezing, plus I also glued some insulation board to the access doors to help.

I rely on the propane heater to heat the actual basement but you could add a supplemental electric heater for that area as well. Although, looking under the basement liner it doesn't seem that the hot air from the heater could heat the entire space of the basement too many bulkheads and tanks that would restrict air movement. I'm thinking now that's why Keystone uses such long uninsulated heater vent hoses. They rely on heat radiating from the hose to warm that area, maybe.


Ron W.

[WaltBennett]

First off, you should check out the Montana Owner's Club (MOC) forum - there are several people who've added electric heaters, trouble lights and other things to the basement.

Don't quite understand if you're asking about the wall between the front of the basement and the front most storage compartment, or the wall between the rear of the basement and the hidden basement. The front and rear walls are made of that chipwood they used for most things, but the front one also has a metal sheet you can see inside the front most storage compartment. That compartment was never meant to be heated since it's where they put the propane generator if installed. If you don't have one, there's still odd slots and other openings that make it ventilated.

The rear wall should have a heating vent on it from the hidden basement area. Most Montanas have one of the furnace plenum duct openings left open to this area and that vent on the wall allows some of the escaping heat into the basement we use. Not the greatest solution to keeping water lines & tanks heated, but it does the job (with little care to our propane dollars!).

What we've found works to keep the living areas warm but not allow water lines & etc. to freeze down to about 15 degrees is the following: Have the fireplace and a ceramic electric heater running in the living room at about half output (or more), and the furnace thermostat set for 64. Most of the heat from the living room goes into the bedroom and the furnace runs only enough to keep the underbelly above freezing. The supposed 'polar' insulation is quite pathetic and there's a lot of heat loss, especially if you don't get pillow plugs for ALL the vents.

[bubbagulf]

Thanks for the MOC info. I have never heard of them. I'll check.
I know that the front (generator) compartment is not meant to be insulated.
I am talking about the compartment aft of that one. This compartment's rear bulkhead does have a furnace duct through it. It's this bulkhead I was asking about putting an access through.

[mikell]

we keep an oil filled heater in there they are safe and quiet. I did open the panel to the crawl space because it is so cold here but nothing freezes.

[bubbagulf]

Thanks for the reply. As I said our 3625 does not have an access panel to open.
"We have a 2014 Montana 3625 and are considering putting a heater in the basement/storage area. This rig has a solid bulkhead between the storage area and utility area/underbelly so we’re not sure if adding heater will accomplish anything.
Has anyone added an access door/opening through this bulkhead?
Is this bulkhead structural?
What is this bulkhead made of?"

We are just checking to see: a. Is it possible?, b. Wise?,c. How involved/difficult? to add an access panel to this bulkhead.

[mikell]

6-8 Screws will open the panel and make a world of difference. The heater will keep the basement floor warm too. Make sure you insulate the backside of the propane tank area to help keep the heat in.