Your Home Doctor

Ready to Finish Off That Finished Basement? Not So Fast!

Congrats! Your newly remodeled basement is finally done. You’ve painted the new walls (or paneled them), laid the carpeting (or hardwood floors), and you’ve installed the home theater (or new gaming system). It’s all done, and now it’s finally time to start enjoying it.

But wait. Don’t crack open that new DVD yet. Don’t start popping that popcorn. Before you start enjoying your newly finished basement, you’ll need to make sure it’ll be safe from the kinds of moisture-related problems endemic to basements. The last thing you want is to run downstairs with a new game for your Wii and find a soggy carpet or flooded floor.

In point of fact, many of the suggestions listed here should be taken to heard before you even begin remodeling your new basement. If you’ve already begin, it may not be too late to enlist the services of a professional basement waterproofing firm.

So before you start, you’ll need to make sure your basement is healthy enough to handle such a project. Of course, you’re not planning on throwing up some plywood walls and tossing down a carpet. But a substantial part of planning your remodeled basement is making sure it’s free of leaks, condensation and potential leaks. Failing to do this is inviting trouble in the future.

If your basement project is DIY — that is, do-it-yourself — you may still want to procure the opinion of a professional basement waterproofing contractor. That contractor will be able to spot any hidden or potential leaks, find hidden black mold, and recommend ways to draw water away from your foundation if that’s a potential problems. Remember: Leaks don’t go away if you can’t see them.

Leaks can come from an extensive variety of places. If you have poorly-installed window wells or clogged rain gutters, water can pool outside your foundation. This causes a phenomenon called hydrostatic pressure, which can create cracks or make existing ones bigger. Leaks can also prosper if your property has improper drainage — for instance, if it sits at the bottom of a hill where water can collect. And water vapor can condense on the inside of your basement’s walls, making it easy for black mold to thrive and eat away at your porous surfaces. If there’s any chance any of these problems are present, you’ll need to address them before remodeling.

When the project is finished, it’s just as important to keep any eye on the basement. Making sure there are no leaks in your basement walls is an ongoing task.

-article by D. Michael Kirby, EzineArticles.com

If you would like to speak to a basement remodeling and home theater installation specialist please contact Select Basement Waterproofing and Better Homes and Basements toll free at 877-548-3889 at your convenience.