Like the idea of water in your basement? We didn’t think so.
Following our first article in this series, Preparing to Finish Your Basement (which can be found here), this week we’re featuring part 2 with a focus on designing a dry basement.
Here are some useful tips as you prepare to remodel your basement and keep it dry!
- Start with good landscaping - It’s always a good idea to grade your foundation, sloping soil away from your home on all sides. Installing downspouts to send your gutter water at least 5-10 feet from the walls of your home is also important.
- Create moisture resistant walls - All cracks or gaps around your pipes and in your walls should be sealed using a construction grade epoxy or reliable filler product. Cement walls can be painted with a reliable waterproofing product to keep moisture and mold away.
- Consider installing drain tile - Before you get too far on your basement remodel, weigh the pros and cons of installing drain tile in your basement. Drain tile is an effective pipe system, set below ground in the perimeter of your basement, that collects water and pumps it away from your home.
- Double up on the sump pump - You may think one is enough, but they fail more often than you know. It's an excellent idea to have both a battery backup for your main pump, in case of a power outage, and a second pump, in case the first one gives out.
- Prepare for the worst - Keeping your storage stacked, using rubber bins or shelves on the bottom, and having a wet/dry vacuum handy are just smart moves. In the case that all else fails, your possessions will be protected and your clean-up quick!
Watch for more practical basement remodeling tips as we continue our series on basement remodeling over the next several week! Remember, summer and fall are great times to remodel your basement; there’s still time to have a cozy new basement in time for winter!
Need basement remodeling assistance? Excel Builders offers basement remodeling and more for Minneapolis, the West Metro, and throughout the Twin Cities area! Contact us today.
(Update: go to part 3 of this basement remodeling series here!)