Turn Your Basement into a Useful Space with These Tips

Published on: 07 December 2018 Last Updated on: 19 July 2019

Who wouldn’t want a place where they can play to their heart’s content, focus on their work, or simply relax and unwind? You don’t have to look outside for these things. You can have them underneath your home, right in your basement.

Turning your basement into a useful space is the next best thing when it’s not possible to expand your home outside. The foundations are already there, so all you need to do is to continue the work. Before you work on your basement, take note of these home-improvement tips to your project.

Plan What You Want for Your Basement:

To start, figure out what you want your basement to be. You can only begin securing a building permit, buying the materials, meeting a contractor, and taking the next steps once you already have a plan for your basement.

The basement is located away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the house, so it can be the perfect place to concentrate on your work or meditate and relax. The location also renders it natural soundproofing, making ideal to turn into a studio or a home theater.

If you want to be more practical, you can also turn it into an extra bedroom for guests or for a new family member. You can even add in a bathroom for more convenience. With an upflush SaniBest Pro toilet, installing a toilet doesn’t require you to break ground for drainage. The up-flush system allows you to conveniently connect the toilet and other fixtures in the basement bathroom to your existing sewage system or septic tanks through the toilet’s external discharge tank and pipe.

The basement has endless potentials—an entertainment room, an extra bedroom, an office or study, or a children’s playroom. You can turn it into anything you want.

Create a Budget:

Like with any other home improvement projects, renovating your basement can quickly drain your funds. You’ll be spending money every step of the way, from securing permits to finishing your basement. You need a budget plan so you don’t end up spending far more than you intended.

Creating a spreadsheet for your expenditures can also help you keep track of how much funds you’ve already used up and how much is left. It will help manage your expectations and stick to your initial budget.

Secure the Necessary Permits:

Renovating or remodeling your basement will require a building permit. If you’re caught doing construction on your house without one, you will be made to pay a fine and ordered to take down all the work you’ve done. A building permit is necessary especially if you’re doing major changes to your house’s structure or mechanical systems.

A contractor usually deals with this bit, but if you’re working the project independently, you should contact your local building department to apply for a permit. If you plan to apply for a loan to fund your project, a lending company will ask you to present a building permit before they approve anything. In addition, a permit is necessary in order to count the renovated basement in your home’s appraisal.

Resolve the Moisture Problem:

Moisture is one of your biggest problems when renovating or remodeling your basement. Because of its location, the place is naturally damp, and it doesn’t help that water from the house typically ends up below.

Being exposed to a damp environment for prolonged periods can be detrimental to your health. Moisture usually causes the growth of mold, and mold can cause an otherwise-healthy person to develop upper respiratory tract symptoms, coughing, and wheezing, as well as trigger the asthma of some people. Even without mold, dampness itself already presents a risk to a person’s health.

Remove the sources of moisture in the basement before you start building your plan. Seal up cracks where water can come in, and waterproof the walls. Get rid of excessive humidity, and insulate the plumbing pipes. Finally, install a drainage system for a long-term solution to the problem.

Conclusion:

For some people, it’s not feasible to expand their living space outside due to lot and legal restrictions. Renovating the basement is their only opportunity to build another room in the house.

But even if you don’t have that same restriction, working on your basement can still be a good investment for your property. For one, a renovated basement is usually not counted as one full room so that it won’t be counted in your tax, but it can still raise the value of your home in case you sell it.

Instead of leaving your basement alone, you can turn it into a useful space and reap the benefits later. However, you need to commit to the project since it does need considerable work and resources to do.

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Ariana Smith

I enjoy writing and I write quality guest posts on topics of my interest and passion. I have been doing this since my college days. My special interests are in health, fitness, food and following the latest trends in these areas. I am an editor at Content Rally.

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Additional Ways to Keep Your Home Warm

Having a good furnace is the most important thing you need if you want to keep warm in the winter. Hopefully, you have performed an important annual service before you started using your furnace regularly. If you haven’t, you should consider doing so now, because you can never be too sure that your furnace won’t fail you. If, however, it does, you will need help from professionals like hughesairco.com. Keep in mind that having a good furnace is not the only thing that helps your home feel warm. While a furnace will heat up your home, it is the insulation that will help it stay warm. Here are some useful tips about insulation. Windows Your windows are probably the biggest source of heat loss at your house. The large glass surfaces aren’t good at keeping the warmth in by themselves, so they may need some help from you. There are several improvements you can make to your windows which will make them a source of savings rather than a black hole when it comes to conserving energy and heat. Read More: Essential Things To Consider Before Hiring A Window Tinting Expert Double Pane Windows The simplest way to preserve some heat inside your home is to have double pane windows. There is not much to explain about the appearance of these windows. There are two panes of glass with air in between them. The reason why they work well to preserve heat is the way heat is transferred. Solid objects are much better at heat transfer than gases are. That’s why you can put your hand inside the hot oven but really shouldn’t touch anything. Similarly, the glass heats up far quicker than the air but is also much quicker to lose the heat. So, the inside pane of glass heats up from the contact with the inside air. If there was nothing between that pane of glass and the outside air, the heat transfer would be just as quick. However, with double pane windows, the glass needs to transfer the heat to the air in the middle, which is slow to take the heat and slower to transfer it to the outside pane, and subsequently to the outside air. Read More: Before You Forget : Things You Need To Consider Before Windows Replacement Window Insulation Windows need to have some sort of stripping on them. However, not all stripping is the same. There are different materials which are more or less suited to insulate the window. Make sure to research thoroughly which kind suits your needs and the climate of your home. Be sure to check the weather stripping around all of your windows. If it is old and cracked, it is time to change it. In most cases, you should be able to do it alone, but if you feel like you aren’t the person for the job, contact a contractor. When it comes to insulation, you have another option. Clear plastic films which attach to the inside of your windows and insulate it from within. Most hardware stores carry these items and, like the weather stripping, they are inexpensive and really easy to install on your windows. The same effect can be achieved with plastic kitchen wrap or bubble wrap, but the end result will not be as appealing as with professional items designed specifically for that purpose. Repair the Gaps In some cases, the insulation of your house itself might be lacking, especially near the windows. If you bought the house and don’t really know the state of the insulation, make sure to check that with an expert. Once you have identified the weak spots, it is an easy task to fix the problem. Keeping your house well insulated will prevent you from pushing your furnace to work overtime and potentially damage it, especially during the peak heating season. To contact Hughes Air Heating & Cooling 220 W 6th Ave, Mesa, AZ 85210, USA 480-247-6927 Read More: How To Salvage Your Furniture After A Flood 5 Essential Tips To Designing A Beautiful Front Yard Garden Best 5 Designer Secrets To Make The Most Of Small Spaces

What You Need to Know About Electric Mattress Pad

There isn’t much about heating mattress pads on the Internet. At least, not the ones that provide proper guidance and explanations about the electric mattress pad. But here, we’d like to show you everything you need to know and how to make your choice between a heating mattress pad and blanket. Let’s start with a brief introduction to most electric mattress pads. Just a brief reminder that this guide may not apply to all kinds of electric mattress pads and it may differ from one to another. Introduction : In order to stay comfortable and warm throughout winter nights, electric mattress pads can be of great importance. They create a warm haven for you before you sleep. Can you remember the shivers you experience from climbing on a freezing bed? That’s the kind of thing an electric mattress pad eliminates. A single electric mattress pad uses 60-90 watts per side. That’s equal to 120-180 watts for both sides and cost around 2-3 cents if put on for the whole night. The cost can differ between states and country. Typically, people prefer to buy electric blankets when they are faced with the choice. A blanket keeps you warm while insulating the heat in your body. We’ll delve a bit more into this topic later in this article. Is It Safe? The first question that many people are concerned about when it comes to electrical mattresses, pads or blankets is whether they are safe. Having electrical current running under you for the next 8 hours when you’re unconscious can sound scary. Moreover, there has been a circulating rumor that electrical blankets and pads can cause cancer. Let’s dismiss the myth and understand the real problem of heating mattress pads. The Myth about Cancer : The rumor that electrical mattress pads can cause cancer isn’t new. A lot of people decided to stop using them altogether because they fear that this rumor is true. Some people even believe them to be very true and zealously preach it. Here’s the fact: multiple studies have been done to investigate if this is true or not. So far, we know that electrical blankets and mattresses emit small electromagnetic waves and the real question lies in whether this small current can cause that big of a problem. Studies were done on electric blankets, which are more commonly used. Two studies featured by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), particularly on elder and younger women, showed that there is no positive correlation between breast cancer and the use of an electric blanket. Another different NCBI study creates a conclusion that there is no evidence to support that the use of electric blankets can exacerbate endometrial cancer. Fire Hazard : A lot of people ask if an electric mattress pad can become the cause of a fire at home. There are usually 3 factors that will lead to a fire. The first would be an external flame. If you set it on fire, it will be on fire. The second would be an overheating system. If the weather is warm enough, don’t turn on the AC and then make that into a reason to use your mattress pad. In the case that during the night, your AC fails to perform and your pad starts heating up, it may cause a fire. The third would be a faulty product or exposed wire. In this case, the damaged wires are exposed to the mattress pad without the insulation. It will cause a fire if not turned off right away. Heat Stroke : There have been a couple of heatstroke cases with electric blankets. While this may not be as dangerous or intense with mattress pads, it’s worth remembering to control the temperature of your mattress pad. Rather than turning the dial to the max just to get it warm quick, set it in a lower mode earlier to warm up the bedding. Pregnant Women, Be Careful : So far, a study on pregnant women that sleep with electric blanket and mattress does not show an increased rate of spontaneous abortion. However, it does suggest an increased rate of pregnancy loss during the early stage of pregnancy or conception. It's Effect on Your Mattress : There’s no correct answer to this. The use of a heating pad can or cannot affect your mattress. Each manufacturer has different suggestions for its users to ensure they enjoy the maximum benefits. However, there are several things to consider. Memory foam without gel naturally traps heat once you’re on the bed. It’s one of their unique qualities resulting from its highly dense structure. If you do not like cold brick feel when you get on the bed, raising up the thermostat before entering the bedroom and dialing it down when you sleep will work great. There are manufacturers that will tell you their memory foam mattress won’t last long with a heating pad and to do this instead. The bigger population believes that there is some sort of negative effect when you use an electric mattress pad on your memory foam. All the money that you invested will go down the drain if you put an extra layer on top of it. There are even smaller groups that believe the extra heat will not do good to your mattress. No known problem is seen with using a heating mattress pad on a latex foam mattress, so go ahead and use it. All the Different Features : Different manufacturers have different mattress pad designs. They depend on your preferences and also flexibility as well as cost. Comfort : The comfort we’re talking about is whether you can feel the cords on your back or not. Some electric pads are very thick and you can feel the lines of the cords running through your back. It can be uncomfortable and distracting when you’re about to sleep. If you’re asking whether it’ll prevent you from experiencing the comfort of your original mattress, don’t worry. Most of the time, it doesn’t affect that much and you won’t be able to feel the difference if you choose a high-quality mattress pad. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a heating pad that is also meant to replace the top of your mattress, you want to look for the ones with more padding. Several brands offer their electrical mattress pad with 9 ounces of padding to ensure comfort and you won’t feel any discomfort. Cords and Wires : We have to be extra safe when we’re talking about putting a pad under us that’s running on electricity throughout the night. Several electric mattress pads make it important to ensure that the power outlet is properly attached by designing a locking mechanism. It keeps the plug fit and locked and helps you sleep better with fewer worries about it. Before buying, check out the reviews to see if there are any complaints on faulty wires or fire incidents. Such things can happen when you buy the product through delivery mode, which may mean that the damage could happen during transport. Before using, ensure that all the cords and wires are still in perfect condition. There shouldn’t be any tear marks or exposed wires. Test the mattress pad before sleeping to ensure that there is no smoke or unusual things with your pad. Remove it immediately if you notice anything wrong. Flexibility : Different manufacturers, such as LatexBear, offer different types of heating options on their mattress. Some come with dials that offer various range of modes, temperature, and other features. Others may come with more limited options but still focuses on heating up the mattress for you. Read Also : The Best Memory Foam Mattresses For Staying Cool This Summer Five Easy Steps When Cleaning Your Mattress How To Choose Mattress For Overweight Person

Tired Of Seeing Your Old House? Here’s What You Need To Know

Whether we express it or not, we have a desire inside us to modernize the design of our house. There are lots of challenges one has to contend with whenever remodeling or reconstruction of an old house is to be done. However, if you read the tips given below, you can easily prepare yourself to face any kind of challenge and overcome it. 5 Renovation Ideas For Your Old House Are you tired of seeing the old house? Then you must apply some renovation techniques to make the changes in your house. Renovation does not mean that your house only needs to look good. Apart from the good look, the architectural value of the house is getting improved. The most significant advantage of the renovation is getting a good amount of money when reselling the home. Check out the five renovation ideas for your old house. 1. Know Where To Start: For some people, one of the biggest problems is they don’t know where to start the remodeling project. Those who don’t have any prior renovation experience face real problems. Then they consult builders for this purpose. However, finding out the right type of builder is another issue. Some builders provide land and house packages in Canberra, which assist in building and reconstruction for your old house to know more about it. 2. Assess Whether The Renovation Has Potential? Sometimes, the land of your house or the house itself does not have the potential to get renovated because of many reasons. In this situation, investing in such property will not be a wise step. Modernizing an old house often; requires extensive work, which is very cumbersome for many people. Therefore, assessing the needs of the renovation is very important. Whenever you consider the potential, try to determine if the remodeling of any part of the house is going to add value to the house. Find answers to your renovation requirement like how to add a new door, extend a window, or how to remove a wall. 3. Determine If You Need An Architect: Oftentimes, we come to know that things did not turn out the way we wanted them to because we did not hire an architect. The architect proposes a new design to modernize your house. The best strategy is just to make a blueprint of your house renovation ideas. Many people try to find the design of their own choice, which ruins the overall look of your old house. Therefore, make sure that you have determined whether an architect is needed or not. 4. Talk About Maintaining An Older Look If You Want If you don’t want to change the original features of your old house and restoration is your top priority, you must know how to get it done. Restoring old features means not affecting them and maintaining the older look of the house. Those who want to live with the memories from the past should talk to the consultant and discuss their preference in detail. Also, ask him how you can cut costs and maintain older characteristics more simply and easily. 5. Go For A Newer Plumbing System: Getting a new wiring system or plumbing rework is very expensive. Due to this, you might not want to consider it while you are trying to update the house’s look. However, you must know that if you go for an updated system, you manage to add value to the house and make it worth living. You don’t need to get the expensive rework always. Sometimes, a little tuning also works. In some situations, changing the system might be the only option. However, it is still the best thing to go with if you want to increase the worth of your old house. Conclusion: Your old house is not only a place. This is a place that needs a regular maintenance process. Apart from the maintenance, when you are adopting the latest renovation ideas and concepts, your houses will look much more modern and well maintained. By renovation, your house’s reselling values will also be improved. This is the reason after each renovation your house’s price is getting much higher, and you can live in a modern house. Read Also: Best House Renovations For 2021 Should You Get A Dining Bench Things You Can Do to Your Apartment to Raise Its Value Ideas to Design an Eco-friendly Home: Save This Planet

Turn Your Basement into a Useful Space with These Tips

Plan What You Want for Your Basement:

Create a Budget:

Secure the Necessary Permits:

Resolve the Moisture Problem:

Conclusion:

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Ariana Smith

I enjoy writing and I write quality guest posts on topics of my interest and passion. I have been doing this since my college days. My special interests are in health, fitness, food and following the latest trends in these areas. I am an editor at Content Rally.

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Additional Ways to Keep Your Home Warm

What You Need to Know About Electric Mattress Pad

Tired Of Seeing Your Old House? Here’s What You Need To Know

Turn Your Basement into a Useful Space with These Tips

Plan What You Want for Your Basement:

Create a Budget:

Secure the Necessary Permits:

Resolve the Moisture Problem:

Conclusion:

Share this Article

5 Ways To Maintain And Decorate The Study Room For Kids

5 Signs The Roof in Your Edmonton House Needs a Repair

Tags

I enjoy writing and I write quality guest posts on topics of my interest and passion. I have been doing this since my college days. My special interests are in health, fitness, food and following the latest trends in these areas. I am an editor at Content Rally.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Popular

Follow Us

Recent

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