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    Dear Glenn: Our 16x24 great room is built on a slab. It has a cathedral ceiling, a 9-ft. doorwall, two large windows, a brick fireplace and a 14-ft. opening into our kitchen.

    It is so cold in this room during the winter we rarely use it. Please comment on the various ways to correct the situation and associated costs.

    It seems as if you ask 10 different people, you get 10 different answers.

    Solutions suggested thus far include an insulated sub-floor on top of the slab, radiant floor heating, a carpet padding called Comfortbase, a ceiling fan to push the warm air down and having the floor torn up where the duct work is to see if the duct work is cracked or blocked.

    Winter is coming and we want to remedy this problem once and for all!

    — Steve & Patty, Troy

    Dear Steve & Patty: The answer is “all of the above.” But you have to be practical.

    A hydronically-heated slab could make it warm and snug, but your flooring is already in. The Enviro Cushion pad from Fairway Tile & Carpet, (248) 588-4431, is preferable to Comfortbase.

    The most attractive solution we’ve found to this problem is installing a direct vent gas fireplace. This will not only look good but also will actually heat the entire family room plus help your furnace with the rest of the house.

    Atlas Veneer and Fireplace in Troy, (248) 524-1020, has one of the best fireplace collections in Michigan. William’s Panel Brick, (800) 538-6650, and Fireplace & Spa, (734) 981-4700, also have large collections. Because you already have a fireplace, you can just put in a gas insert.

    What ever else you do, install a ceiling fan. The Expo store on Rochester and Big Beaver has some fabulous designs. But a fan can only circulate heat that is already there. You need a heat source for that room.

Look down at the floor, the coldest part of any basement. Many families want to use the basement for their children's play area but are afraid of the cold. Tile doesn't help. Carpet helps a little bit, but you need something more on a cold winter's evening. Carpet padding doesn't list an R factor. Now ECI, Environmental Cushion Industries of America, has introduced Enviro Cushion, a pad so dense that it has a 4.5 R factor.

The new Mexican made product is 100 percent odorless. 100 percent non-toxic and 100 percent waterproof. Not even dog or cat urine can soak in. It should make the basement a far more comfortable place. I would seriously consider this new padding if I were remodeling my basement. For more information on the Enviro Cushion, call Fairway Tile and Carpet in Clawson, 248-588-4431.

Performance Specifications

• 100% Recyclable
• 100% Waterproof
• No Chlorofluocarbons (CFC's)
• 4.5 R factor for premium insulation
• 100% Non Alergenic
• 3/8" thick (54 W x 60'L)
• 0.25 FSI-Class A fire rated
• 15 lb. Density Feel

Dear Glenn: Can you please advise me where I can find carpeting and padding which either has no formaldehyde or a company that will off-gas the carpeting and padding?

-- Roslyn, Livonia

Dear Roslyn: Paul McEachern of A.R. Kramer, (734) 522-5300, in Livonia, tells me that carpeting and padding are not made with formaldehyde. Padding has little or no smell, and the odor we perceive from carpeting is from the latex in the glue that holds the carpet together.

One percent or less of the population is latex sensitive. If you are among that number, steer clear of latex paint, new furniture and carpeting. If you are just slightly sensitive, McEachern recommends that you explain your sensitivity and ask the salesman or store manager to have the carpeting unrolled and laid flat one day before the carpeting is delivered; only have carpeting installed in the spring, summer or fall when you can have the windows open; and/or stay out of the house one or two days after the carpeting is installed.

Fairway Tile and Carpet, (248) 588-4431, in Clawson sells a padding called Enviro Cushion that is a totally "green" product and should have no off-gassing.

If you or someone in the immediate family is very sensitive to off-gassing, you may be better off sticking to tile and wood flooring.