spfauls

I recently had a dual zone heating system installed in my basement. For the past two months I have not had the heat on in the basement at all and it has been hot as the temperature has been in the 70's and the mechanical room where the furnace is in the 80's. All the vents are closed in the basement but the temperature does not go down. The temperature outside has been cold as it has been in the single digits or teens on some days. Upstairs it is set to 68 degrees and the furnace is running constantly. Is it normal that the basement would be this hot with the heat off down there and the vents closed or is something wrong? My last heating bill was over $300. I am concerned that I am overheating my basement and cannot find a way to keep heat from escaping down there.

Thanks for any insight anyone can offer.

inspectorD

Sounds like a thermostat issue. And possibly some duct leaks.
Do you have a thermostat installed downstairs?

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spfauls

Yes there is a wall mounted thermostat but the temperature never gets low enough for it to turn the heat on downstairs. The temperature is accurate as I have used another portable thermostat to confirm. Someone else has suggested it may be the ducts leaking, too.

Blue Jay

Could one of your thermostats be set for cooling or be wired backwards? Possible the basement one keeping the furnace running.

cibula11

If you recently had something installed, I'd contact the installer and explain the problem. Maybe they could help you out.

If the vents are closed downstairs, you're losing a lot of heat somewhere. Is there any air coming from the seams in the duct work?

we've had high heating bills ($280) and I live in Iowa with similar temps. Make sure you check your furnace filter.....dirty ones can drive the cost WAY up.

TxBuilder

I would say contact the installer it sounds like an issue on there end.

Wuzzat?

This is the opposite of the Stack Effect so something is definitely going on.

How many sq. ft. is your basement?

Assuming it's a natural gas furnace, how many therms or cu. ft. of gas did you use for your $300? This info should be on your bill somewhere.
I pay about a dollar per therm but 10% of my usage goes to the water heater.

Do you have a Web link to your particular system so I can see the spec's?