The Manufactured Housing Forums

We have recently purchased a Redman Newmoon residential with 1600sq of floor space uptop and are finishing the entire basement below. We had planned on installing some heat registers in the ceiling of the basement by cutting into the main heat trunks that run down the length of the home. I was going to add maybe only 4 of these so as not to lose to much air flow up top to the far end of the home. My plan was to leave about 1" of air space below each door and install a cold air return vent in the stairwell to direct airflow back to the furnace up top. I planned on supplementing the colder days with an unvented gas heater, but was overruled recently by the local building inspector which will not allow me to have one in the home. This was going to be a 99.9% effiecient unvented gas heater 28,000btu. I know they put alot of moisture in the air, but that can be monitored with a dehumidifyer and by not running it to often.
My furnace is a 90 effecient Nordyne downdraft gas furnace, which uses two heat trunks down each side of the home. It uses the free flowing air space for cold air return. My question is, has anyone tried to heat the whole basement with there furnace and what have you found out. My basement is 10" poured wall and will be insulated completely with R 13 with a vapor barrier between the cement and finished drywall. I am not sure of the BTU ouput of the furnace, but I am guessing somewhere in the range of 50,000.

Our neighbors closed off the basement and when they use it for parties, etc, they heat it with a wood burning stove that vents outside for the smoke of course. Those darned inspectors can be the pits. Let them inspect, let it pass, then do what you want. Many will prob jump me for that remark...haha! I think the rules are too stiff and some ridiculous. If it will not harm your health or others then I think it should be ok. But I live way out in the boonies and have a crappy attitude when it comes to someone telling me what I can do on my property. Guess I am an outlaw...angelnstix