Smart Moves to Keep Your Basement Dry TAGS: Adding egress windows | basement remodel ideas | Basement Windows | bringing fresh air in a basement | damp basement | Egress windows | finishing a basement | prevent mold in basements | Refinishing your basement | Sunlight into a basement

Basements get damp. It’s one of the natural laws of the universe – like how when you drop a piece of toast, it always lands butter-side down. But there are things you can do to keep your finished basement dry, fresh and welcoming. For many homeowners, adding egress windows helped eliminate their damp problem – as it gave a free-flowing source of fresh air that helped expel lingering moisture. But if you’re deciding to finish your basement, there are some other tips and techniques you can use to minimize or eliminate the risk of dampness. The first is to consider …Continue reading →

Tips for Installing Tile Flooring in Your Basement TAGS: basement remodel ideas | damp basement | finishing a basement | prevent mold in basements | Refinishing your basement

Finishing your basement is a big step towards adding extra living space – and resale value – to your home. But some smart choices now can really pay off in the long run – like installing tile flooring. Many homeowners take years to work up the courage to finish their basement. There are a lot of concerns for them – not least of which is the purely mental block which makes them think it’s impossible that their cold, dank, unwelcoming basement could ever become a warm and welcoming part of their family home. But when they finally do make that …Continue reading →

Don’t Turn Your Window Well into a Wishing Well: Prevent Basement Flooding TAGS: Adding egress windows | damp basement | Egress windows

When you’re adding an egress window well to your finished basement, make sure you take the water table into consideration. Water can make or break a basement refurbishment, as any homeowner will tell you – and adding a means of egress can play an important part in that. Sump pumps and drainage can help prevent basement flooding; but heavy rain and storms can still have devastating consequences if you don’t take precautions. So when you’re considering adding an egress well to your finished basement, make sure you give some thought to how that might impact the way water moves around …Continue reading →

Don’t Move – Expand! TAGS: Adding egress windows | basement remodel ideas | Egress windows | finishing a basement | means of egress

Finishing a basement can be a great alternative to buying a bigger house. Just don’t forget the egress windows! According to economists, the recession is over – but it doesn’t feel that way to millions of American homeowners. In fact, in some parts of the country house prices are the lowest they’ve been for a half century – in Detroit, for example, the average house price has dropped to just $44,000! And with the housing market still deeply depressed, many homeowners with growing families are struggling. “We had our third kid last June,” explained Long Island homeowner Janine, “and we’re …Continue reading →