The truth is, basement ventilation and climate control is are important issues. Too much stale air and humidity can cause toxic mold which is a big health risk. In many cases (depending on where you live) simple exhaust fans will do the trick.
In other places, a proper HVAC system is needed to take care of business. And you're going to want one anyhow if you want to remodel your basement and turn that valuable real estate into extra living area while boosting your home equity.
Remodeling your basement begins, like all home improvement projects, with the planning phase. As far as the air conditioning and heating goes, you'll have to decide whether to go ahead and replace the system that you already have or to simply install a dedicated basement HVAC system.
The upside of changing it all out if your old system is outdated is that the federal income tax credits have gone up, and with the SEER ratings on Energy Star equipment going up all the time, you'll be money ahead every month.
After you decide exactly what you want to do with that space, it's time to frame your basement. You can either use conventional stick framing or go with metal studs and track.
In any event, spring is the time to think about delving into this type of project.
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