Basement, bathroom and kitchen remodeling, have become popular projects during the winter, as home owners continue to work on beautifying their home and improving their investment.

Below are five great projects and tips that any homeowner can accomplish during the winter months:

1. Roofing & Shingles:

Before it gets too cold, start by taking a look at your roof and gutters. Missing shingles could have cracks that will allow water in, and as water freezes, it expands making the crack bigger – which will eventually lead to leaks. Either replace the missing or broken shingles or hire a contractor to make the necessary repairs. Water coming in through the roof or side of the house is a lot cheaper if you catch it early.

2. Frozen pipes:

Insulation and flowing water are your two best defenses against pipes freezing.  If you have water lines running through a crawl space in the ceiling or running in the basement.  Make sure these lines are insulated or near some kind of heat source to keep them from freezing.  Water is the enemy of any home; and a broken line could release gallons of water before anyone realizes the line has broken.  Take the time to careful inspect and learn where all your water lines and shut off valves are.

3. Furnace tuning and inspection:
Most people don’t know anything about their forced air furnaces.  It’s best to leave this part of the job up to a professional.  Have someone come out and inspect and tune the furnace you plan to use all winter.  The small amount of money on the front end could save you hundreds in additional electrical costs over the winter, or it might just save your home if something is on the verge of being faulty.  A proper inspection will eliminate a lot of the cost and risk of the furnaces – especially if you’re using an older model.

4. Winter Remodeling:

Now that the house isn’t going to be flooded with water or burn down.  Turn your sights to some of those interior projects you couldn’t do because the summer months constantly had you on the go.  Take a look at that bathroom, basement, kitchen, or even the bedroom.  Get creative!  If there is something you’ve always wanted to do or improve – take a good look at it, set aside the time and the money, a start chipping away as the winter months drag on.

Try to have fun while you’re doing it, that’s why we call them projects and not jobs.  Jobs aren’t fun, projects usually are!

5. The Holiday Spirit:
With winter comes the holidays.  Pull out those annual boxes you keep stored away and have fun decorating the house.  Don’t go crazy though; there’s a fine line between decorating and clutter.  If you find that you have to push three santas and six stockings off to the side so that a guest can sit on your sofa, you probably went too far.

Get in the holiday spirit!  Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are all occasions where we tend to treat each other a little nicer, and we all wish it lasted year round.  Avoid using the credit card for your projects if possible.  These are too easy to use and go overboard.  Why put five thousand dollars on your credit card, but only add two thousand in equity to the house.  So be careful with those things.

http://www.missouribasement.com During the foundation waterproofing process, the location of the pipe can be critical depending on your expectations of the basement waterproofing system St. Charles, St. Louis, MO

The No. 1 Enemy of Finished Basements – Moisture

Finished walls and floor covering trap moisture, which accumulates and causes molds and mildew. The musty odor found in many basements is the telltale sign of molds, which may be growing inside the carpeting or walls,
or in upholstered furniture.

As houses age, most basements start seeping water through the concrete or cracks after a heavy rain or snow-melt. The walls, carpets and furniture get wet and molds start growing in just several days. Moldy drywall, carpeting and furnishings have to be discarded.

Why to risk your basement remodeling investment (typically $30,000) and more importantly, the health of your family? Before finishing the basement, seal it against moisture!

Basements as a Source of Moisture

Sooner or later, most basements develop water seepage. At first, it is just intermittent after a heavy storm or snow-melt raises the groundwater level but over time, the leaks become more and more frequent.

All houses settle and stress cracks may develop in the slabs or the walls. The floor-to-wall joint opens up and expansion control joints in the floor crack, as designed. Exterior waterproofing coating deteriorates and the
drainage system may silt up. Hydrostatic pressure then pushes water through any cracks or right through the concrete.

However, most moisture infiltrates into basements in the form of water vapor, which is invisible, unlike steam condensing above a pot with boiling water. Low air pressure inside buildings draws in soil gas with water vapor
from the ground through all openings and pores in the concrete.

Basements are the largest source of moisture in homes and typically, let in over 15 gallons of moisture each day! That is much more than cooking and showering combined (3-5 gallons per day).

Concrete is Very Porous

Concrete cures by cement reacting with water (hydration). But concrete mixes contain much more water than needed, in order to make them easily workable. Almost half of the water is surplus and has to evaporate as
concrete cures. While water pushes through the concrete to the surface, it leaves behind a network of tiny capillaries (pores), much smaller than a human hair.

As a result, concrete is more porous than Swiss cheese ­ residential concrete contains 12 to 20 percent air! Gases and vapor (water molecules) flow easily through the pores. But liquid water has is tougher ­ the water molecules are held back in a blob by surface tension until the pore surface gets wet. Then, liquid water starts seeping through the wet pores in concrete (capillary seepage). Moreover, the pores draw in water like a sponge by capillary action water comes up through a concrete slab against gravity.

Visit START REMODELING for more information on products and services

In most cases when water is entering the basement, an interior drainage system is installed. The simplest and least costly approach is a drainage channel adhered at the base of the wall and the floor slab. Water is collected and drained into a sump using another channel placed on top of the slab, then through a trap to the sump basin. The sump should have an airtight, childproof cover. This system is best suited to a concrete wall with cracks. It does not solve the problem in masonry walls because water remains in the block cores at floor level and the water level is only lowered to the top of the slab. With this approach, the water is not completely removed from the space. The result is that humidity, mold, and mildew can still be a problem. This system cannot drain groundwater from under the floor slab.

University of Minnesota

Most of our article ideas come from repairs people are making to their own homes.

When it comes to getting water out of the basement, this one hits closer to home, since I am in the middle of fixing our longtime wet basement.

If you decide to go with a contractor, the first thing you should know is that they are not cheap.  The work involved in keeping water out of your basement is labor intensive.

We chose to go around the outside of the house and look for spots where the soil is leaning in towards the house.  We bought yards of topsoil to create slopes that will push rain water away from the house.  Another thing we did was slope the soil, then place a plastic seal on top, then cover that plastic with more soil and seed.  Another idea, might be to make that area a flower bed, so it appears to serve a greater purpose.

In the basement, we went with the technique above.  We rented a jackhammer and jacked out a 6 inch perimeter along the basement floor and wall.   We cleaned it out all the way down to the footer.  When we went to pour new cement for the floor, put anything between a 1-2inch board up against the wall, then cement in front of it.  This will create a channel once the board is removed — which should lead all the way to your sump.

When shopping for a basement dehumidifier, you should first consider the size of the unit you need. All dehumidifiers are rated by their water removal capacity per day, and these ratings often have corresponding coverage areas measured in square feet. Be sure to also consider the operating conditions under which the capacity rating was determined. Some manufacturers rate their dehumidifiers at saturation, or 100% relative humidity. Others rate them under more realistic AHAM conditions, or 60% relative humidity at 80°F. Knowing this information will help you choose the best unit for your needs and ensure that you achieve optimal results. Read more about how to choose the right size dehumidifier below our product comparison chart.

This Santa Fe dehumidifier is our top-rated unit for large basements that are plagued by excess humidity. Efficient and economical, this unit can remove 100 pints of moisture per day (under AHAM conditions) for the same operating cost as a standard residential dehumidifier. It can be run as a standalone appliance or integrated into existing ductwork to treat multiple rooms. Covers up to 2,500 sq. ft.

This compact crawl space dehumidifier (Model #4029900) fits into tight spaces where no other dehumidifier can. Extremely powerful and efficient, this unit will tackle excess humidity and curb mold growth in even the harshest conditions. The unit removes 65 pints of water per day under AHAM conditions and services medium-sized basements and crawl spaces sized up to 1,600 sq. ft. Low-temperature operation, superior air filtration, and a variety of optional accessories provide complete flexibility.

Ideal for residential dehumidification, the DeLonghi DE650P Dehumidifier offers a 65-pint capacity, low temperature operation, and an efficient Energy Star rating. The unit also includes a patented condensate pump system that automatically removes moisture from the water collection tank. You’ll never have to empty a water tank again!

This ultra-efficient Energy Star dehumidifier removes 70 pints of moisture each day from medium to large residential spaces. Top features include automatic humidity adjustment, two fan speeds, a programmable timer, electronic controls, flexible drainage options, and much more. Because of its valuable energy-saving and convenience-boosting features, the DDR7009REE model has been highly reviewed by a leading online consumer reporting firm.

This high-capacity, 65-pint dehumidifier can combat your toughest moisture problems in medium- to large-sized spaces. The unit has an abundance of capabilities, including low-temperature operation, automatic restart and shut-off, a humidistat, and digital controls. It dehumidifies in temperatures to 41 degrees F.

For more information on dehumidifier comparisons, check out the people at Sylvane

When most people buy there homes, if they’re lucky or planned ahead, they’ll get one with a basement.  Finished or not, these rooms are awesome.  They stay the same temperature year round and are a great place to store things that you don’t want out in the garage or a shed.

If you’re fortunate enough to have one that doesn’t get overly humid and possibly has a sump pump, then you’re in great shape.  If not, these things are fixable, though they can get a little pricey, depending on who you use.

So, let’s say the time has come and you can afford to finish that basement.  What do you want to do with it?  Well, you have tons of options and can combine ideas to make a really great room.

Games Room: It’s not just the younger members of the family who enjoy playing games.  The adults can play pool, darts, table tennis or card games.  Having a dedicated games room can really encourage the whole family to get together and have some fun rather than be stuck in front of the TV all evening whilst being unsociable.

Cocktail Bar: Your kids might already have a dedicated games room elsewhere in the house or you might not have any.  If this is the case then installing a cocktail bar is great for entertaining your friends.  One of the great things about being in a basement is that sound tends not to travel as much to your neighbors’ properties.  You can easily have some quiet or lively parties in your basement as long as you decorate it nicely and install different types of lighting.

Music or Theatre Room: Some people are really keen on watching DVDs or listening to music in dedicated rooms so that they can enjoy the experience to the max.  For better sound insulation you should have an acoustic lining installed on the walls and ceilings.  People tend to like watching DVDs with the lights turned low or off so this is another reason why installing a home theatre room in your basement is such as great idea.

Photography Studio: More and more people are choosing to work from home instead of for a larger company.  If you look in your local yellow pages you will see that there are a number of small photography studios in your area.  If you are a professional photographer and want to work from home then setting up your studio in the basement can work really well because you can control lighting much better.

Workshops: If you enjoy making things or repairing things then having a workshop in your basement can work out really well.  The good thing about workshops is that they really just need to be functional and so you don’t need to spend a fortune decorating it to the highest standard.  The downside however is the lack of natural daylight so you might find it difficult to work properly.  You should also think about taking large and heavy items in and out of the basement and how easily you would be able to do this.

Home Gym: People are very worried about their health nowadays so want to keep as fit and healthy as possible.  Some people who are currently overweight feel uncomfortable about joining a gym because they are worried that they’ll be surrounded by beautiful slim people.  Having your own home gym will allow you to exercise and sweat like a pig in privacy.  Ideal flooring for home gyms is rubber, plus you should also think about ventilation for quality air supply.

Basement Finishing Ideas

If you’re like most people, you have hundreds of square feet of room in your basement either collecting dust or storing things long forgotten.

With Spring right around the corner, now is a good time, to begin visualizing what that space would look like if it was finished. Imagine all the extra room and increased value to your home, if you were to finish even half of that space, still leaving room for storage.

Depending on your basement, whether it’s sound, waterproofed, humid, and so forth…your basement could be upgraded to an extra room, office, or relaxation area with a little bit of elbow grease and a little bit of money.

Most home improvements aren’t that expensive. What tends to hit peoples pocket books are the finishing touches, furniture, and decorations they want to put in that space once it’s completed.

If you’re going to do it yourself, be sure to plan for everything, and create a proper and complete budget. If you’re going to hire the work out. Make sure they are reputable and get it in your contract that they come back and repair issues for the first year. If you’re in MA or RI, a good company to call is: George Sebesta Renovations 774-328-9293. They do it right the first time and stand behind their work.