Finishing Your Basement? How to Make Sure The Space Is Safe and Livable
While a typical basement is cold and dark, a finished basement can be one of the most comfortable rooms in your house. In order to get the most out of a newly finished basement, you’ll have to make sure the space is safe and livable. Nasty mold and animal infestations will hardly make for a fun hangout spot. Here are four ideas for creating a safe and comfortable basement.
Waterproof the Basement
Nothing ruins a basement faster than a nasty flood. When rainwater seeps in through the foundation, you end up with puddles that ruin the carpeting and allow mold to grow. Sooner or later, an odor will develop and make the basement less pleasant to hang out in. To avoid these problems, consider investing in basement waterproofing at the same time as you have your basement finished.
Use a Dehumidifier
Basements are often among the most humid parts of the house. Unfortunately, all that dampness can ruin carpets, cushions, and other mainstays of a finished basement. Excess humidity will also encourage dangerous molds to grow. You can solve all these issues by purchasing a dehumidifier. Emptying the water every day might seem like a lot of work, but it’s worth it to save your basement from destruction.
Set Traps for Animals
Rats, mice, and other pests enjoy setting up shop in the walls around a finished basement. Even if you’re an adamant animal-lover, you shouldn’t accept these critters as housemates. They can do all sorts of damage, from cutting through wires to chewing up clothes. They can also carry diseases and leave nasty droppings all around the room. If you’re not comfortable killing your unwanted neighbors, consider setting humane traps. Just make sure you release the animals far enough away that they won’t ever come back.
Make Sure the Basement Has a Smoke Detector
Once you’ve added walls and carpeting, your basement is just as flammable as any other room in the home. Leaving the space without a smoke detector is a major risk. If you want members of your household to safely use the basement, you’ll have to install a smoke detector and check the batteries regularly. It’s a simple step that could one day save lives.
A finished basement is only a suitable hangout spot if you can guarantee it’s safe and secure. Take the simple steps outlined above to ensure the basement is up to standard.